FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Despite appeals and warnings from world leaders, President Donald Trump is poised to reverse decades of U.S. policy on Wednesday [12-6-17] by declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and beginning the process of moving the U.S. Embassy to the holy city, a step that threatens to spark unrest across the Middle East […]
Category: Foreign Policy
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “For decades, America’s chief diplomat has been greeted in Europe’s heart with broad smiles and open arms. That tradition appeared to have been suspended on Tuesday [12-5-17]. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s reception in Brussels was distinctly chilly, as disappointment among European diplomats in President Trump’s nationalistic tone and insulting messages […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/UN/VENEZUELA: “Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Rafael Ramírez, said Tuesday [12-5-17] he resigned his post at the request of President Nicolás Maduro, who has been unseating political adversaries as his authoritarian government shores up control. Mr. Ramírez’s departure marks a dramatic fall for one of Venezuela’s most powerful politicians and comes in the […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump outlined his intentions to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in a call with President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday according to Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh. The Palestinians said that Abbas warned Trump in the call against the dangers of such a step and added that […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s expected announcement on the future status of Jerusalem has the potential to derail tenuous U.S. attempts to revive moribund Middle East peace talks, reaction from capitals in the region suggests. Arab leaders across the Middle East are making last-ditch appeals to the U.S. not to declare Jerusalem the […]
12/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/UN: “The United Nations’ chief diplomat will travel to North Korea on Tuesday [12-5-17] for political talks, according to the U.N., in a rare, high-level visit by the world body. Jeffrey Feltman, undersecretary general for political affairs, will be in Pyongyang for three days meeting senior regime officials on what the U.N. described […]
12/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP PEOPLE/JARED KUSHNER: “The man who would bring peace to the Middle East strode onto the stage and peered out at a room full of people who have tried and failed. Tall and thin, confident and calm, Jared Kushner, rookie negotiator, made his debut in front of the world of veteran diplomatic hagglers on […]
12/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MCMASTER/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “The Trump administration will roll out its first national-security strategy in the next few weeks, marking the beginning of what it calls a tough new approach to confront a raft of global security challenges. White House officials said the strategy encompasses the threat of North Korea’s nuclear arms, global terrorism and […]
12/2/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/STATE: “The State Department’s security arm has been told to plan for potentially violent protests at US embassies and consulates once the Trump administration announces it is moving the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem… President Donald Trump could announce as early as Tuesday that the US recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, US officials with […]
12/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LIBYA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The United States remains committed to the Libyan Political Agreement, the State Department said in a statement following U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on Friday [12-1-17]. ‘Attempts to bypass the UN-facilitated political process or impose a military solution to the conflict would only destabilize […]
11/30/2017
DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The government of Niger has given the Defense Department permission to fly armed drones out of the Nigerien capital, Niamey, Pentagon officials said Thursday [11-30-17], in a major expansion of the American military’s footprint in Africa. Pentagon officials want to start the flights within days. A memorandum of understanding between the […]
11/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRADE DEALS: “Relations between Russia and the United States are in a deep freeze, but they share a looming common problem north of their Arctic coastlines — the prospect that commercial trawling fleets might overfish the thawing Arctic Ocean. Out on the sea, the polar ice cap has been melting so quickly as global […]
11/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is seriously considering recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in early December, even as President Donald Trump signs a waiver to keep the embassy in Tel Aviv for another six months, sources tell CNN. Two senior administration officials and allies close to the US tell CNN that […]
11/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS: “Today, it was my great honor to meet with the Crown Prince of Bahrain at the @WhiteHouse. Bahrain and the United States are important partners. During the Crown Prince’s visit, he is advancing $9 BILLION in commercial deals, including finalizing the purchase of F-16’s… https://t.co/vYuw7UGYmN” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 30, 2017 04:00pm […]
11/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “Relations between the U.S. and Britain appeared further strained on Thursday [11-30-17] after President Donald Trump shared inflammatory anti-Islam videos posted by a U.K. far-right group, as British lawmakers called on the prime minister to rescind an invitation to the U.S. leader for a state visit. The sudden tension between the […]
11/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A British lawmaker addressed the House of Commons on Thursday [11-30-17] morning to call President Donald Trump’s three retweets of anti-Muslim videos from a far-right leader in the UK proof that the President is ‘a racist, incompetent, or unthinking, or all three,’ and he wasn’t done there. After railing in Parliament […]
11/30/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man. Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 30, 2017 07:25am […]
11/29/2017
2016 ELECTION/CAMPAIGN/FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA: “The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee has asked four foreign policy advisers to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for documents about their contacts with Russians and discussions about Russia. Senator Dianne Feinstein on Tuesday sent letters to former Trump campaign advisers Carter Page, Sam Clovis, J.D. Gordon, and Walid Phares […]
11/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday [11-28-17] pushed back at criticism from lawmakers and diplomats suggesting that he is gutting the State Department, adding that it is functioning ‘very well.’ Mr. Tillerson, speaking before a think tank in Washington, defended what he described as hard work by career officials, many in […]
11/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LEGAL/STATE/TURKEY: “A trial opening in Manhattan on Monday [11-27-17] that could implicate prominent Turkish officials is exacerbating already inflamed tensions between the U.S. and Turkey, where authorities are calling the case an American plot to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The arrest of Reza Zarrab, a Turkish gold trader, in Miami last year on […]
11/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA/WOMEN: “Days ahead of what should be a major moment for Ivanka Trump on the world stage, CNN has learned Secretary of State Rex Tillerson isn’t sending a high-level delegation to support her amid reports of tensions between Tillerson and the White House. Multiple State Department officials, as well as a source […]
11/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “After Turkey call I will be heading over to Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter, to play golf (quickly) with Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson. Then back to Mar-a-Lago for talks on bringing even more jobs and companies back to the USA!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 24, 2017 07:10am […]
11/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Will be speaking to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey this morning about bringing peace to the mess that I inherited in the Middle East. I will get it all done, but what a mistake, in lives and dollars (6 trillion), to be there in the first place!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, […]
11/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared Wednesday [11-22-17] that Myanmar’s military operation against Rohingya Muslims constitutes ethnic cleansing and said the U.S. is weighing targeted sanctions to hold perpetrators accountable… Mr. Tillerson’s assessment follows a visit last week to Myanmar, where he met with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the […]
11/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LEGAL/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VENEZUELA: “Four of the six Citgo Petroleum Corp. executives arrested here Tuesday [11-21-17] for alleged corruption are U.S. citizens, a company official said Wednesday. Venezuela’s military intelligence agency on Tuesday arrested six top executives of the U.S. subsidiary of state-oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA, as part of what authorities are calling […]
11/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAQ/MILITARY: “The Iraqi Kurdish government has asked the U.S. to appoint a special envoy to mediate a deepening and potentially dangerous dispute between the central government in Baghdad and the semiautonomous Kurdish region, a top Kurdish official said Monday [11-20-17]. Falah Mustafa Bakir, the head of foreign relations for Iraqi Kurdistan, told The Wall […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump will soon have to decide whether to impose the types of tariffs on imported products that he has long championed after a federal body again recommended stiff levies, this time on foreign-made washing machines. The United States International Trade Commission, a quasi-judicial body that rules on trade cases, […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Palestinian leadership has frozen communications with the Trump administration following the White House’s threat to close the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Washington. Ashraf Khatib, a spokesman for the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department, confirmed the move to CNN on Tuesday [11-21-17]. The decision comes after the Trump […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The State Department on Tuesday defended Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s exclusion of Iraq, Afghanistan and Myanmar from a list of countries cited for recruiting and using child soldiers, a decision that went against recommendations from top department officials. Mr. Tillerson in June disregarded internal department recommendations and decided not to include […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER/UN: “Robert Mueller’s investigators are asking questions about Jared Kushner’s interactions with foreign leaders during the presidential transition, including his involvement in a dispute at the United Nations in December, in a sign of the expansive nature of the special counsel’s probe of Russia’s alleged meddling in the election, according to […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “Ivanka Trump is India-bound, traveling to Hyderabad just after the Thanksgiving holiday. Building on a series of international visits and meetings here in the United States with world leaders, Trump will lead the US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which is being cohosted by the United States and India. The first […]
11/15/2017
FAKE NEWS/FOREIGN POLICY/MEDIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It is actually hard to believe how naive (or dumb) the Failing @nytimes is when it comes to foreign policy…weak and ineffective!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 15, 2017 11:52am […]
11/15/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The failing @nytimes hates the fact that I have developed a great relationship with World leaders like Xi Jinping, President of China… They should realize that these relationships are a good thing, not a bad thing. The U.S. is being respected again. Watch Trade!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 15, 2017 […]
11/15/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “A trip to Pyongyang by a special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping offers a chance for Beijing to manage relations with its troublesome neighbor after months of frayed ties and stepped-up U.S. pressure to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program. The two sides will ‘exchange opinions on matters of mutual […]
11/15/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “.@foxandfriends will be showing much of our successful trip to Asia, and the friendships & benefits that will endure for years to come!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 15, 2017 05:40am […]
11/15/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Our great country is respected again in Asia. You will see the fruits of our long but successful trip for many years to come!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 15, 2017 05:30am […]
11/14/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/MEDIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A report to the U.S. Congress released on Wednesday accused Chinese state media entities of involvement in spying and propaganda and said their staff in the United States should be required to register as foreign agents. The annual report of the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission said that while […]
11/14/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “At each stop on his 12-day, five-country Asia tour, President Donald Trump emphasized one aspect of his visit above all else: his personal rapport with the heads of state who hosted him. He golfed with Shinzo Abe, complimenting the Japanese prime minister’s accidental backward tumble into a bunker as graceful. […]
11/14/2017
AMBASSADORS/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “THANK YOU to the amazing staff and their families of the United States Embassy in the Philippines. Keep up the GREAT WORK! https://t.co/3ABVXTsJM0” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 14, 2017 04:11am […]
11/14/2017
DONALDISM/FAKE NEWS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “One of the most accurate polls last time around. But #FakeNews likes to say we’re in the 30’s. They are wrong. Some people think numbers could be in the 50’s. Together, WE will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/YhrwkdObhP” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 14, 2017 03:07am […]
11/14/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just arrived at #ASEAN50 in the Philippines for my final stop with World Leaders. Will lead to FAIR TRADE DEALS, unlike the horror shows from past Administrations. Will then be leaving for D.C. Made many good friends!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 14, 2017 12:26am […]
11/14/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “After my tour of Asia, all Countries dealing with us on TRADE know that the rules have changed. The United States has to be treated fairly and in a reciprocal fashion. The massive TRADE deficits must go down quickly!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 14, 2017 12:20am […]
11/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Those hoping President Donald Trump would use a bilateral meeting with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday [11-13-17] to publicly denounce the country’s violent war on drug users were instead treated to platitudes about the weather… Trump ignored shouted questions from reporters about whether he’d press Duterte on human rights… While […]
11/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VENEZUELA: “Venezuela was ruled in default on a missed interest payment by S&P Global Ratings, pushing the cash-strapped South American country and its creditors one step closer to a reckoning of its $150 billion debt load. The decision by S&P, one of the two main U.S. rating companies along with Moody’s […]
11/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte found common ground during their first extended meeting but skirted difficult issues such as alleged human-rights abuses in Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs and Chinese claims to the South China Sea. The meeting on Monday was seen as a way for the U.S. […]
11/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump and his advisers have begun developing their own concrete blueprint to end the decades-old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, a plan intended to go beyond previous frameworks offered by the American government in pursuit of what the president calls ‘the ultimate deal.’ After 10 months of educating themselves […]
11/10/2017
ECONOMY/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States has been reminded time and again in recent years that economic security is not merely RELATED to national security – economic security IS national security. It is vital to our national strength. #APEC2017 https://t.co/8gKQUhit2X” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 10, 2017 05:43am […]
11/10/2017
ECONOMY/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States has been reminded time and again in recent years that economic security is not merely RELATED to national security -economic security IS national security. It is vital to our national strength. #APEC2017 https://t.co/mGPeyZEyqm” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 10, 2017 05:31am […]
11/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States is prepared to work with each of the leaders in this room today to achieve mutually beneficial commerce that is in the interests of both your countries and mine. That is the message I am here to deliver today. #APEC2017 https://t.co/CM3Hqt16A8” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 10, 2017 […]
11/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today I am here to offer a renewed partnership with America — to work together to strengthen the bonds of friendship and commerce between all of the nations of the Indo-Pacific, and together, to promote our prosperity and security. #APEC2017 https://t.co/gN2YbS9CYB” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 10, 2017 05:06am […]
11/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Throughout my travels, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the good news from America. I’ve had the honor of sharing our vision for a free & open Indo-Pacific — a place where sovereign & independent nations, w/diverse cultures & many different dreams, can all prosper side-by-side. https://t.co/qBOCY3u7YV” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, […]
11/9/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “At a U.S.-China summit emphasizing personal rapport over progress on deep-seated differences, President Donald Trump blended tough talk with chumminess, calling Xi Jinping ‘a very special man.’ The two countries’ rivalry will be more clearly on display as the two presidents move on to Vietnam on Friday and outline conflicting visions […]
11/8/2017
CHINA/DRUGS/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump is looking to President Xi Jinping to ‘do something’ about America’s opioid epidemic, for which he blames China… Buying opioids from China, despite legal prohibitions, remains as easy as providing money and a shipping address. A drug bazaar thrives on Chinese websites, providing one-stop shopping for users around the […]
11/8/2017
CUBA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Wednesday [11-8-17] continued to pare back rules intended to normalize ties with Cuba, announcing new regulations tightening travel and financial transactions by Americans. President Donald Trump had said in June he would reverse steps taken by predecessor Barack Obama to relax a decades-old U.S. embargo against the […]
11/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Join me LIVE in South Korea???? #NationalAssembly #POTUSinAsia ➡️https://t.co/M3iEhPdkas https://t.co/hSxdtd2UnY” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 09:14pm […]
11/7/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Getting ready to make a major speech to the National Assembly here in South Korea, then will be headed to China where I very much look forward to meeting with President Xi who is just off his great political victory.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 08:00pm […]
11/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “President Donald Trump left open the door for North Korea to return to negotiations and said there were signs of progress in the nuclear standoff, his conciliatory tone marking a departure from recent hostile rhetoric toward Pyongyang… On Tuesday, standing 35 miles from the North Korean border, […]
11/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “The United States has partially resumed issuing visas in Turkey after getting assurances about the safety of staff at its missions there, the U.S. embassy said on Monday, in the first step to ease a diplomatic crisis between the two allies. The Turkish embassy in Washington said almost immediately it would […]
11/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump pushed for Japan to buy ‘massive’ amounts of military equipment from the U.S., saying that it would help the country shoot down missiles like the pair that nearby North Korea has fired overhead in recent months… Mr. Abe, in turn, anticipated buying more military equipment from the U.S., […]
11/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald J. Trump has spoken with the king of Saudi Arabia to offer a wholehearted endorsement of a drive to modernize the kingdom, as the Saudi authorities arrested scores of prominent business people and ministers in a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown. In an unusually lengthy and detailed readout of the […]
11/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump opened his 10-day swing through Asia on Sunday [11-5-17] with some of the familiar trappings from home: donning a leather bomber jacket before addressing U.S. troops stationed in Japan and golfing nine holes with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Things become more rigorous Monday, as Messrs. Trump and Abe […]
11/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Heading into the 12 days with great negotiating strength because of our tremendous economy. https://t.co/4HnXkR3EhW” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 5, 2017 02:37am […]
11/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just gave a speech to the great men and women at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan. Leaving to see Prime Minister Abe. https://t.co/6LRAgojvDB” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 4, 2017 09:59pm […]
11/4/2017
DHS/FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is set to decide by Monday [11-6-17] whether 86,000 Hondurans and 5,000 Nicaraguans living in the U.S. can remain here under a program that protects immigrants from countries that have suffered major disasters or social upheaval. The decision could signal the administration’s overall approach to the program, known […]
11/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump starts the longest and most anticipated trip of his first year in office on Saturday, a 10-day excursion that boasts stops in five Asian countries. But the biggest focus will be on where he isn’t going: North Korea. Pyongyang’s desire to be considered a global nuclear power—and […]
11/2/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration officially cut off a small Chinese bank from the U.S. financial system on Thursday [11-2-17], accusing it of helping North Korea develop its illegal ballistic missile program. The White House in June said it planned to sever the Chinese Bank of Dandong from the world’s most important […]
11/2/2017
ATTORNEY GENERAL/FOREIGN POLICY/JEFF SESSIONS/LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions is once again under scrutiny on Capitol Hill regarding his candor about Russia and the Trump campaign amid revelations that he rejected a suggestion to convene a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump last year. According to court filings unsealed this week, […]
11/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has been holed up in a series of rapid-fire briefing sessions on his upcoming 12-day, five-country tour through Asia — an effort the White House hopes will help avoid the kind of diplomatic snafus that have dogged his presidency. The trip — Trump’s longest yet — comes […]
10/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “More than 90 top American experts in atomic sciences, including a designer of the hydrogen bomb, publicly threw their weight behind the Iran nuclear agreement on Monday, exhorting Congress to preserve the accord in the face of President Trump’s disavowal of it. In a letter to Senate and House leaders […]
10/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER: “Jared Kushner and other senior White House advisers traveled to Saudi Arabia last week to continue discussions on Middle East peace, a White House official told CNN. Deputy national security adviser Dina Powell and Jason Greenblatt, special representative for international negotiations, joined Kushner on the trip. Kushner, President Donald Trump’s […]
10/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/STEVEN MNUCHIN/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Wednesday [10-25-17] imposed sanctions on eight individuals and a business affiliated with the Islamic State in Yemen and with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in the first coordinated action taken with a newly formed center to combat terrorist financing led by the United States and […]
10/25/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Melania and I look forward to being with President Xi & Madame Peng Liyuan in China in two weeks for what will hopefully be a historic trip! https://t.co/uFMonzza7N” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 25, 2017 02:39pm […]
10/25/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Spoke to President Xi of China to congratulate him on his extraordinary elevation. Also discussed NoKo & trade, two very important subjects!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 25, 2017 02:24pm […]
10/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INDIA/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. and India agreed to work together more closely to bolster regional security and prevent other nations from providing safe spaces for terrorists, during a visit here by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said the U.S. and India plan to hold three-way talks with […]
10/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/RUSSIA: “NATO is poised to approve the creation of two new commands to improve allied logistics and protect supply lines, aiming to shore up weaknesses in any potential conflict with Russia, allied officials said. North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense ministers will review a new command structure at their quarterly meeting next month, the officials […]
10/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Foreign companies operating in the U.S. could face major changes in their tax bills under an overhaul being planned by Republicans. Those could include new surtaxes or limits on how much the companies can deduct on certain expenses such as rent, royalties and interest on debt. The changes would be meant […]
10/18/2017
CYBERWAR/FOREIGN POLICY/JAMES MATTIS/MILITARY: “U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis this week asked Congress to halt pending legislation that would compel the U.S. to alert foreign governments when the Pentagon has decided to combat certain cyber attacks, according to a letter sent to lawmakers. The letter, sent to members of Congress on Tuesday and seen by […]
10/16/2017
CUBA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Monday [10-16-17] he believes Cuba ‘is responsible’ for the mysterious ailments that have left at least 22 American government employees and family members in Cuba with hearing loss, cognitive problems and other symptoms. But it was unclear if he meant to formally blame Havana for what the […]
10/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Many people talking, with much agreement, on my Iran speech today. Participants in the deal are making lots of money on trade with Iran!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 13, 2017 08:02pm […]
10/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY: “Starting to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. I want to thank them for their cooperation on many fronts.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 13, 2017 07:53pm […]
10/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRS/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump and congressional lawmakers are not the only ones interested in collecting taxes on global profits that American corporations are hoarding overseas. European regulators, knee deep in their own campaign to stamp out tax avoidance, have their own plans for that money. Last week, for instance, the European Commission billed […]
10/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will announce on Friday [10-13-17] that he won’t certify that Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear agreement and will ask Congress to set trigger points that would reinstate sanctions on Tehran, according to senior officials. The Trump administration also wants to initiate talks with European partners to […]
10/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is expected to announce on Friday [10-13-17] that he won’t certify Iran is complying with the 2015 multinational nuclear agreement and will take Tehran to task more broadly for practices ranging from missile tests to support of violent groups, U.S. officials said. The refusal to certify Iran’s compliance […]
10/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump is coming under mounting pressure from European allies and fellow Republicans to preserve the Iran nuclear deal. With the president widely expected to disavow the agreement when he outlines his Iran strategy on Friday [10-13-17], defenders and even erstwhile opponents of the deal are urging him not to unravel […]
10/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/GOP/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s expected policy shift on Iran would put the GOP Congress in a difficult but familiar position: tackling issues that they opposed during the Obama administration but now look at in the new light of being the governing majority on Capitol Hill with a Republican in the White House. […]
10/10/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NAVY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Tuesday [10-10-17], three U.S. officials told Reuters, even as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington […]
10/10/2017
ARMY/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley made clear Monday [10-9-17] what a bind the US is in when it comes to solving the challenge of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, stating there are ‘no risk-free options’ but said there is also not an ‘indefinite amount of time’ to […]
10/9/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TURKEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “First, the United States and Turkey temporarily stopped issuing visas to each other’s citizens. Then the Turkish lira plunged on international markets, and most travel between the two countries was curtailed. By midday Monday [10-10-17], fears rose that a minor diplomatic dispute threatened to flare up into a full diplomatic standoff. […]
10/9/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA: “Our country has been unsuccessfully dealing with North Korea for 25 years, giving billions of dollars & getting nothing. Policy didn’t work!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 9, 2017 05:50am […]
10/9/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russia and China called for restraint on North Korea on Monday [10-9-17] after U.S. President Donald Trump warned over the weekend that ‘only one thing will work’ in dealing with Pyongyang, hinting that military action was on his mind. When asked what Russia made of Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry […]
10/8/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRADE DEALS: “Over 20 nations have curbed the diplomatic or business operations of the North Korean government following a more-than-yearlong effort by the State Department, an indication of the kind of behind-the-scenes pressure the U.S. is using to tackle an emerging nuclear standoff. U.S. officials have asked countries to shut down businesses owned […]
10/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid… hasn’t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, makings fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 7, 2017 02:40pm and […]
10/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SUDAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration said Friday [10-6-17] it will ease sanctions against Sudan that have made the African state an international pariah since the 1990s, citing progress in the fight against terror in the region. The decision, which was blasted by critics who say the Sudanese government is still committing human rights […]
10/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is expected to refuse to certify that Tehran is complying with the 2015 international nuclear agreement, as part of a broader policy change on Iran to be set out as early as next week, people familiar with the deliberations said. That move would place key decisions about the […]
10/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Wednesday [10-4-17] that relations with America had ‘become hostage to the internal political situation in the U.S.,’ but that his country had many friends in the United States who can help improve relations between the two nations when the political tensions in America […]
10/3/2017
DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/JAMES MATTIS/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR: “Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told lawmakers Tuesday [10-3-17] that he supports the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, even though President Donald Trump has called it ‘one of the worst and most one-sided’ agreements ever made by the U.S… Mr. Trump must certify to Congress whether Iran remains in compliance […]
10/3/2017
CUBA/FOREIGN POLICY/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from the embassy in Washington in an escalating response to mysterious illnesses afflicting American embassy personnel in Havana. The expulsions were intended to force the Cubans to operate their embassy in Washington under the same emergency conditions that the United States is now operating […]
10/2/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House said Monday [10-2-17] that President Donald Trump has confidence in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, after saying a day earlier that the chief diplomat was ‘wasting his time’ by trying to negotiate with North Korea. Mr. Tillerson disclosed over the weekend that the U.S. has had […]
10/1/2017
CYBERWAR/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/RUSSIA: “North Korea has opened a second internet connection with the outside world, this time via Russia, a move which cyber security experts said could give Pyongyang greater capability to conduct cyber attacks. North Korea has been blamed by Western governments for several major cyber attacks in recent years, including against banks and […]
10/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said he didn’t think it was worth pursuing negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, a day after his secretary of state revealed the U.S. was in direct contact with Pyongyang… The president and his top diplomat have sent differing signals about North Korea before, as […]