‘Sportswashing’ goes much beyond Qatar. What about Trump and the Saudis?

With all the talk about “sportswashing” in the countdown to the World Cup in Qatar, it’s worth paying close attention to an important new piece by Judd Legum of Popular Information. (For those not au fait with Mr Legum, he is a journalist who started an independent newsletter that does the work we might expect from big media houses. Please support his journalism, if you can.)

Anyway, Popular Information has offered an insightful new exercise in sportswashing and more, underway right under the nose of American voters. It’s about Donald Trump’s financial ties with Saudi Arabia, something the newsletter describes as “expanding”.

That appears to be exquisite understatement. Judge for yourself by reading the Popular Information piece or, if you can’t, get some of the highlights below. It’s fair to say that much of what it uncovers suggests the orange peril’s candidacy is a new and troubling phase for the business of politics in America. As Popular Information says, it “raises the prospect of…