President Donald Trump seemed rattled before he left Washington on Friday afternoon, two people who spoke with him last week said, as he wondered aloud how much investigations into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election might damage his presidency.

One adviser said Trump remarked in a conversation last week that he felt that “there are a lot of people out to get him,” musing that he should not have attacked the intelligence community so vociferously. An administration official who spoke to the president said he “seemed down more than angry,” even though Trump defiantly tweeted that he was facing a “witch hunt.”


By the time Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip as president, his mood seemed to be looking up. He praised his accommodations, was offered his favorite delicacy — steak with ketchup — had a gold medallion bestowed on him while receiving the country’s highest honor, and danced amid sword performers at a gala.

“You are a unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in Saudi Arabia for a summit on fighting terrorism, told the U.S. leader on Sunday.

“I agree,” Trump replied.

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While the trip may boost Trump’s spirits, it remains unclear whether the highly choreographed diplomatic excursion will do the same for a presidency facing investigations at home, even as aides were already striving to present the journey as a success.

“The president asked us to plan a trip that would help unite the world against intolerance and terrorism, and we have made great progress towards that goal in Saudi Arabia,” Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, said in a statement Sunday, taking an unusual victory lap so early in a trip.

Trump moderated his tone on Islam during a major speech on terrorism in Riyadh on Sunday, and he seemed to avoid any major gaffes that would upend his trip. The perpetual showman reveled in the pageantry that greets a U.S. leader traveling overseas.

But hurdles remain for a first-time politician on a long and complicated trip that will also take him to Israel, Italy and Belgium. Trump has trimmed public appearances and skipped a planned Twitter forum Sunday. He appeared to misspeak during his speech, referring to “Islamic” extremism when his prepared remarks said “Islamist.”

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has handled most of the administration’s public comments, as White House officials try to keep the president on script. A White House official described Trump as “exhausted” late Sunday night, comments unlikely to please the president.

On Monday, Trump began a two-day visit to Israel, a key U.S. ally that was dragged into Trump’s Washington chaos after he reportedly gave Russian officials classified intelligence shared by the Israelis.

“There are going to be a lot of forced smiles by Israelis who are probably furious,” said Alan Dershowitz, a lawyer with whom Trump has spoken about the Middle East. “He’s going into a very difficult situation” in Israel.

Meanwhile, the investigation, which includes questions of whether Trump campaign aides were in contact with Russian officials as Moscow sought to disrupt the presidential election, continues to heat up. James Comey, the FBI director Trump recently fired, is preparing to testify in the Senate after the Memorial Day holiday, and the Department of Justice last week named former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to probe the Russia issue.

Some administration officials told Politico they spent part of the weekend guessing who could be implicated in the Russia investigation after a Washington Post report on Friday said an unidentified senior administration official is a person of interest. Others have begun talking to lawyers, expecting subpoenas to arrive at the White House. Senior Republican aides on Capitol Hill said Trump’s drama is making it more difficult to accomplish their legislative agenda.

Among some defenders, there is a sense the White House should change its strategy and is losing key momentum in a young presidency.

Tom Fitton, who leads the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, said Trump can fight rumors by showing he has nothing to hide.





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“They should just get all the info out. If you’re taking them at their word, what’s the harm in it? Release all the memos,” Fitton said. “Release all the information they have on Russia. Release everything.”

Trump, a famed homebody who prefers staying in places where his name is emblazoned in gold on the door, had complained about the length of the foreign trip. But several White House officials said they now wish he’d stay gone even longer in hopes that things would cool off in Washington while he’s away.

The president’s problems have been exacerbated at times by his own actions, such as contradicting the White House line on his reasons for firing Comey and making damaging revelations to top Russian officials to the Oval Office. White House officials said they don’t know what will happen next and, like Trump, fear a continued stream of leaks and negative revelations.

Others don’t think Trump can keep up the discipline he showed on the first days of his trip.

“You’re going to see someone who goes through these temporary periods of behaving like a good boy after his wrists have been slapped,” said Tim O’Brien, a Trump biographer who has chronicled the president for decades. “He’s going to keep meddling, even if he doesn’t understand the profound consequences. He’s impossible to keep on script.”

