Trump's closing argument is full of conspiracy theories and brute force.  And it just might work.  —  First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.  —  WASHINGTON — In the final days …

Pompeo listened to an alleged recording of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi: Turkish Source  —  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has heard an alleged audio recording of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi's murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a senior Turkish official.

A President Who Believes He Is Entitled to His Own Facts  —  WASHINGTON — He accepts less-than-credible denials from autocratic heads of state about nefarious acts.  He disputes the existence of man-made climate change and insists that photographic evidence of the crowd at his inauguration is fake, part of a media plot to harm him.

As Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's power: sources  —  DUBAI (Reuters) - So grave is the fallout from the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi that King Salman has felt compelled to intervene, five sources with links to the Saudi royal family said.

The Experts Were Wrong About the Middle East  —  “I know what I'm going to do: I'm going to sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia.”  —  That's what Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said last week, to the delight of Saudi Arabia's detractors on social media.

Exclusive: Twitter pulls down bot network that pushed pro-Saudi talking points about disappeared journalist  —  Twitter became aware of some of the bots on Thursday when NBC News presented the company with evidence of coordinated activity.  —  Twitter suspended a network of suspected Twitter bots …

Trump praises Gianforte for assault on Guardian reporter: 'He's my guy'  —  President's comments at Montana rally in praise of violence against US journalist come amid international outcry over Khashoggi  —  Play Video  —  Donald Trump has praised Greg Gianforte, the Congress member from Montana …

Obama's First National Security Adviser Now Works for the Saudis  —  We know how much Trumpland loves the Saudis.  Turns out that some in Obama World are fans of the kingdom's cash, too.  —  In the wake of the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a host of people in President Donald Trump's orbit …

Trump considering Richard Grenell for U.N. ambassador  —  President Donald Trump is now seriously considering Richard Grenell, the controversial U.S. ambassador to Germany, to replace Nikki Haley at the United Nations, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Kelly, Bolton Get in Profane Shouting Match Outside the Oval Office  —  President Donald Trump's chief of staff and his national security adviser engaged in a profanity-laced argument outside the Oval Office on Thursday, according to three people familiar with the episode.