Amanda Marcotte is a politics writer for Salon. Her new book, "Troll Nation: How The Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters Set On Rat-F*cking Liberals, America, and Truth Itself," is out now. She's on Twitter @AmandaMarcotte
Contradictory statements from the White House coincide with troop deployments, market volatility, and renewed scrutiny of the United States’ military infrastructure across the Gulf.