‘This is head-smacking’: CNN’s John Avlon scorches Trump for being tougher on Federal Reserve than Saudi killers

CNN's John Avlon on Thursday ripped apart President Donald Trump's latest attacks on the Federal Reserve -- and he said it stood in stark contrast to his recent defenses of the Saudi government's "strong denials" of murdering a journalist.

Avlon began by contrasting the attitude the president took toward the Fed and the attitude he's taken toward the government of Saudi Arabia, which may have ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"The same day this week, President Trump attacked the Federal Reserve bank and defended a foreign government whose inner circle may have murdered a Washington Post columnist," Avlon began, before playing a clip of the president berating the Fed for raising interest rates.

"This is head-smacking because presidential respect for the independence of the Fed is a basic tradition, respected by both parties," he said. "He's pretty indiscriminate when it comes to picking these kinds of fights. But that fighting spirit has an odd way of evaporating when he's confronting a real bully on the world stage."

He then played clips of Trump standing by the Saudi government by insisting that their denials of involvement of Khashoggi's death were credible. Avlon then pointed out that this is part of a pattern for the president when it comes to being reluctant to condemn violent authoritarians.

"You know what's easy to condemn? Nazis," Avlon said. "The president, of course, couldn't bring himself to do even that."

Watch the video below.