EDUCATION/FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “RT @FLOTUS: I had a wonderful time with the students at the American International School #Riyadh today. #SaudiaArabia https://t.co/AVzVV0W…” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 21, 2017 06:15am […]
Category: Foreign Policy
5/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/HSS/TRUMP PEOPLE/JOHN KELLY: “…[R]ecognizing the depth of Haiti’s misery and the complexity of the rebuilding effort, the United States government extended a seldom-used lifeline to Haitians in the United States — temporary protected status, or T.P.S. The program allows people, like Ms. Versannes, who were visiting or were living here illegally before the earthquake […]
5/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Great to be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Looking forward to the afternoon and evening ahead. #POTUSAbroad https://t.co/JJOra0KfyR” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 20, 2017 04:44am […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea’s deputy U.N. envoy said on Friday [5-19-17] that the United States needed to roll back its “hostile policy” toward the country before there could be talks between the pair. ‘As everybody knows, the Americans have gestured (toward) dialogue,’ North Korea’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “On Tuesday [5-16-17] afternoon, President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan huddled at the White House — and then gave a joint press conference. Within hours, Erdogan was at the Turkish ambassador’s home in upper Northwest Washington, watching as his personal guards participated in a bloody and violent clash […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “Ivanka Trump will travel with the president to Saudi Arabia, Israel and Italy on his upcoming foreign trip, a White House official said. A senior adviser to President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump will be present for six days of the nine-day trip, which begins Friday [5-19-17], the official said. She’ll join her […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Given his current political fortunes, if President Donald Trump’s crucial first foreign trip passes off without a disaster, it will be considered a success. The President embarks on a journey Friday [5-19-17] to Saudi Arabia, Israel and global summits in Italy and Belgium, after one of the most tumultuous and damaging […]
5/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP BUSINESS: “When President Trump sets off on his first international trip as president on Friday [5-18-17], his itinerary will include two Middle Eastern countries, Israel and Saudi Arabia, where he explored business deals before taking office. In Israel, Mr. Trump has long sought a tower project in Tel Aviv. But he […]
5/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER: “On the afternoon of May 1, President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, welcomed a high-level delegation of Saudis to a gilded reception room next door to the White House and delivered a brisk pep talk: ‘Let’s get this done today.’ Mr. Kushner was referring to a $100 billion-plus arms deal that […]
5/18/2017
COLOMBIA/FOREIGN POLICY: “A great honor to welcome President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to the White House today!???? Joint Press Conf➡️http://45.wh.gov/C7xivQ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 18, 2017 05:45pm […]
5/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/YEMEN: “The mostly Gulf Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia and backed by U.S. arms and intelligence, has waged a nearly two-year-old campaign on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which the Houthi movement – allied with Saudi’s arch-foe Iran – is battling to dislodge. Trump has signaled a tough new line on […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump leaves on Friday [5-19-71] for a nine-day, five-city foreign excursion, his first trip outside the United States as the country’s leader and top diplomat. He doesn’t really want to go. In recent days, Mr. Trump has groused to several friends that he is not looking forward to leaving his […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LEAKS/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday [5-17-17] he would be willing to provide the U.S. Congress a record of President Trump’s meeting with top Russian envoys, bringing scoffs on Capitol Hill that the Kremlin could help shed light on the disclosures of reportedly highly classified intelligence. The provocative offer for the […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TURKEY: “Washington police used batons to break up a bloody clash Tuesday [5-16-17] between supporters and opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his White House meeting with President Donald Trump, casting a cloud over the Turkish leader’s visit to the U.S. Two people were arrested for assault and nine others injured outside […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INTELLIGENCE/ISRAEL/POLITICS/RUSSIA: “As politicians in Israel raced to alleviate concerns over US President Donald Trump’s alleged disclosure of classified Israeli information to the Russians, the country’s former top spy has warned of the damage the episode could do to US-Israeli intelligence sharing and to Israel’s ability to gather information on ISIS. Israeli intelligence was a […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SUDAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Sudan’s controversial President Omar al-Bashir is due to attend a summit in Saudi Arabia that will bring together US President Donald Trump and leaders of Muslim majority nations, a senior Sudanese lawmaker said Wednesday [5-17-17]. Bashir, who’s led his country for almost three decades, has been charged with crimes against humanity, […]
5/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL: “A senior source in Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office told ABC News that President Trump spoke with Netanyahu yesterday [5-16-17]. The call, first reported by the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, lasted about 20 minutes and focused only on the president’s visit to Israel next week. The call was not listed on the Prime Minister’s […]
5/16/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “President Donald Trump, in hosting Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House Tuesday [5-16-17], extended his latest warm welcome to an authoritarian-style leader who had a strained relationship with the previous US administration. ‘We’ve had a great relationship and we will make it even better,’ Trump said in the […]
5/16/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TURKEY: “It was a great honor to welcome the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to the @WhiteHouse today! https://t.co/4BWjOCgnNv” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 16, 2017 02:38pm […]
5/15/2017
ABORTION/BUDGET/FOREIGN POLICY: “The Trump administration said on Monday [5-15-17] it would ban funding to foreign groups that fight AIDS and malaria in a vast expansion of the so-called global gag rule that withholds American aid from health organizations worldwide that provide or even discuss abortion in family planning. The new policy potentially will disrupt hundreds […]
5/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/FRANCE/POLLS: “President Donald Trump might want to skip visiting France anytime soon. Apparently, the French are not big fans of Trump. They even dislike him more than they dislike Russian President Vladimir Putin. A new poll conducted by Suffolk University surveyed 1,000 French voters about how they view former and current world leaders. According […]
5/12/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY: “China just agreed that the U.S. will be allowed to sell beef, and other major products, into China once again. This is REAL news!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 12, 2017 06:20am […]
5/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA: “Yesterday, on the same day- I had meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the FM of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin. #LetsMakePeace!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 11, 2017 04:54pm […]
5/11/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS/TURKEY: “U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis voiced strong support for Turkey’s fight against PKK militants after talks with Turkey’s prime minister on Thursday [5-11-17], as Ankara fumes over a U.S. decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria it equates to PKK allies. Mattis expressed optimism that Washington and Ankara would work through […]
5/11/2017
CIA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA: “The CIA has established a Korea Mission Center to address ‘the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by’ North Korea and its unpredictable leader, the US intelligence agency announced Wednesday. The creation of the center focusing on specific threats from the Korean peninsula will allow the CIA to ‘harness the full resources, […]
5/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House did not anticipate that the Russian government would allow its state news agency to post photographs of an Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russia’s ambassador to the US, a White House official said. Photos of Wednesday’s [5-10-17] meeting, taken by […]
5/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s first three months in office have been a wild ride that has captivated the nation. But overseas, one of America’s diplomats has taken the rare step of breaking cover to bemoan how the current situation in Washington affects America’s dealings abroad. Dana Shell Smith, ambassador to the Arab […]
5/10/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis traveled to the eastern edge of the NATO alliance on Wednesday [5-10-17] to pledge American solidarity with the Baltic nations, but he stopped short of giving his hosts in Lithuania what they wanted: a commitment to base Patriot missile-defense systems in the region. With Russia adopting an […]
5/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/STATE/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russia’s foreign minister Wednesday [5-10-17] morning amid a political furor over Mr. Trump’s decision to fire the director of the FBI in the midst of an investigation into whether associates of Mr. Trump colluded with the Russian government to influence the […]
5/9/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NATO/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump approved plans to directly arm Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State in Syria, U.S. officials said Tuesday [5-9-17], paving the way for an offensive against the extremist group’s de facto capital but angering Turkish allies who view the Kurdish fighters as terrorists. The decision to arm the YPG, the […]
5/8/2017
AFGHANISTAN/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Senior Trump administration and military officials are recommending sending several thousand additional American troops to Afghanistan to try to break a military deadlock in the 15-year war there, in part by pressuring the Taliban to negotiate with the Afghan government. The added troops would allow American advisers to work with a […]
5/8/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE PENCE: “Honored to welcome Georgia Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili to the @WhiteHouse today with @VP Mike Pence. https://instagram.com/p/BT1xH1ngciK/” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 8, 2017 12:42pm […]
5/8/2017
CABINET/FOREIGN POLICY/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Washington on Wednesday [5-3-17] to discuss Ukraine, Syria and bilateral issues, the State Department announced Monday. ‘On Ukraine, the sides will discuss the need to stop the violence in eastern Ukraine and resolve the conflict through the […]
5/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “Of course the Australians have better healthcare than we do –everybody does. ObamaCare is dead! But our healthcare will soon be great.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 5, 2017 02:13pm […]
5/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Friday to defend remarks he had made about healthcare during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. During a photo shoot with Turnbull, Trump told the prime minister that he didn’t need to tell him about the US healthcare system under the […]
5/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation on Thursday [5-4-17] to tighten sanctions on North Korea by targeting its shipping industry and companies that do business with the reclusive state. The vote was 419 to 1. Supporters said the legislation was intended to send a strong message to […]
5/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/POPE FRANCIS/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel this month, the White House announced on Thursday [5-4-17], making the two countries his first foreign destinations since taking office, as he seeks to intensify the war against the Islamic State, rally the region against Iran and negotiate Middle East […]
5/2/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Tuesday [5-2-17] about resolving the conflict in Syria, in their first conversation since American airstrikes targeted the Assad regime in retaliation for an alleged chemical-weapons attack. The Kremlin described the conversation as ‘businesslike and constructive,’ while the White House […]
5/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump told Bloomberg News on Monday [5-1-17] that he’d be ‘honored’ to talk to Kim Jong-un, and while it’s not the first time he’s signaled a willingness to meet with perhaps the world’s most brutal dictator — it may provide an important glance into his North Korea strategy. […]
5/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday defended President Donald Trump’s kind words for totalitarian leaders, saying the president is protecting the American people and U.S. allies through his seemingly warm relations with such men. In an interview with CBS’ John Dickerson, Trump said North Korean dictator Kim Jong […]
5/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/PHILIPPINES: “President Donald Trump widened an outreach that could help promote the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea, with White House invitations to the leaders of Thailand and Singapore, following an invitation to the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte. The Southeast Asian nations could help Mr. Trump in a part of Asia […]
5/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump invited his polarizing Philippines counterpart to the White House during a phone call in which the two leaders discussed North Korea. Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte had a ‘friendly discussion’ Saturday that also addressed regional security in Southeast Asia and the Philippines’ drug war, the White House said […]
4/28/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA: “North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 28, 2017 06:26pm […]
4/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump complained on Thursday [4-27-17] that U.S. ally Saudi Arabia was not treating the United States fairly and Washington was losing a ‘tremendous amount of money’ defending the kingdom. In an interview with Reuters, Trump confirmed his administration was in talks about possible visits to Saudi Arabia and […]
4/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “The Trump administration’s top diplomat said the US is willing to engage in talks with North Korea, even as President Donald Trump warned about the possibility of armed conflict with the nuclear-armed regime. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told NPR Thursday [4-27-17] that the US would be willing […]
4/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signaled on Friday [4-28-17] that the Trump administration may have finally accepted the one course of action that could stop North Korea’s nuclear threat to the world: direct talks. After months of US military posturing and shows of force met by North […]
4/27/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “.@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to welcome Argentina President @MauricioMacri and First Lady Juliana Awada to the @WhiteHouse today????” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 27, 2017 01:59pm […]
4/27/2017
CANADA/FOREIGN POLICY/MEXICO/NAFTA: “I received calls from the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada asking to renegotiate NAFTA rather than terminate. I agreed… subject to the fact that if we do not reach a fair deal for all, we will then terminate NAFTA. Relationships are good-deal very possible!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 27, […]
4/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. military started moving parts of an anti-missile defense system to a deployment site in South Korea on Wednesday [4-26-17], triggering protests from villagers and criticism from China, amid tension over North Korea’s weapons development. The earlier-than-expected steps to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system […]
4/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu complained on Wednesday [4-26-17] that a U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base earlier this month had posed a threat to Russian troops and was forcing Moscow to take extra measures to protect them. Speaking at a security conference in Moscow, Shoigu restated Russia’s view […]
4/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/MILITARY/NAVY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A US Navy guided-missile destroyer fired a warning flare toward an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel coming near it in the Persian Gulf, an American official said on Wednesday [4-26-17], marking the latest tense naval encounter between the two countries. The incident happened Monday as the vessel attempted to draw closer to […]
4/25/2017
CANADA/FOREIGN POLICY/JOBS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 25, 2017 07:30am […]
4/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “President Trump issued a statement that studiously avoided the term ‘genocide’ as he marked the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide on Monday [4-24-17], following past presidents’ decisions that it’s more important to avoid offending Turkey than support aggrieved Armenian Americans. ‘Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were […]
4/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the White House last month may have been filled with awkward moments, but she left with one key takeaway — identifying the first daughter as her back-channel to President Donald Trump. The White House was broadly criticized for seating Ivanka Trump, who at the time held […]
4/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/POLITICS/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Trump administration officials will hold a rare briefing for the entire Senate at the White House on North Korea as tensions continue to mount with the oppressive regime. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the briefing scheduled for Wednesday will be led by Secretary of State Tillerson, Secretary of […]
4/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Trump administration officials will hold a rare briefing for the entire Senate at the White House on North Korea as tensions continue to mount with the oppressive regime. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the briefing scheduled for Wednesday will be led by Secretary of State Tillerson, Secretary of […]
4/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “With tensions rising between the US and North Korea, the Pentagon on Sunday called for the isolated communist nation to avoid destabilizing the situation further. ‘We call on (North Korea) to refrain from provocative, destabilizing actions and rhetoric, and to make the strategic choice to fulfill its international obligations and […]
4/24/2017
AFGHANISTAN/CABINET/DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet with Afghan leaders and U.S. military officials Monday [4-24-17], taking a fresh look at a 15-year war where he served during its first optimistic months. Mattis’ visit capped a six-country tour through the Middle East, his first as secretary […]
4/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA: “Russian military aircraft were spotted flying off the coast of Alaska for the fourth time in as many days, a US defense official told CNN on Friday [4-21-17]. The two most recent sightings occurred late Wednesday and on Thursday, with the first involving two IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft and the second involving […]
4/21/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “China is very much the economic lifeline to North Korea so, while nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 21, 2017 08:04am […]
4/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “When President Donald Trump travels to Southeast Asia this fall, he will likely be going without the help of one key adviser: a chief of protocol. Vice President Mike Pence announced Thursday that the President will attend two summits in the Philippines and one in Vietnam this November, and before that, […]
4/21/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS: “U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday there was ‘no doubt’ that the Syrian government has chemical weapons, following a U.S. strike earlier this month on a Syrian air base that targeted a stockpile believed to have been used on a rebel-held town. ‘The bottom line is there can be no […]
4/20/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Mr. Trump’s confrontational and improvisational approach to foreign affairs has lifted his mood, fortunes and poll numbers in recent days. There are signs it has also made an impact on the Chinese, prodding them to finally use their leverage with their errant neighbor, North Korea. But Mr. Trump’s mix of […]
4/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ITALY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A great honor to host PM Paolo Gentiloni of Italy at the White House this afternoon! #ICYMI- Joint Press Conference: http://45.wh.gov/32jE1S” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 20, 2017 04:35pm […]
4/20/2017
BUDGET/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The data tells us that in a single generation, funding from the United States and other donor nations has helped turn the tide against infectious diseases like polio and HIV/AIDS, while driving a child survival revolution that has saved 122 million children’s lives. The world has cut extreme poverty in half […]
4/20/2017
AMBASSADOR/FOREIGN POLICY/NEW ZEALAND/TRUMP PEOPLE/SCOTT BROWN: “Scott Brown may soon be headed off to greener pastures. President Trump announced his intent to nominate Brown to be the next U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand on Thursday [4-20-17], offering him a plum ambassadorship to the kiwi country after Brown’s vocal 2016 campaign support. Brown, who served as senator […]
4/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE PENCE: “Vice President Mike Pence praised Indonesia for its tradition of ‘modern Islam’ Thursday [4-20-17], sending a conciliatory message to the Islamic world as the Trump administration continues to cause unease among Muslims. Pence was speaking in the world’s most populous Muslim nation midway through a 10-day swing in Asia meant to reinforce […]
4/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The ‘America First’ president who vowed to extricate America from onerous overseas commitments appears to be warming up to the view that when it comes to global agreements, a deal’s a deal. From NAFTA to the Iran nuclear agreement to the Paris climate accord, President Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric is […]
04/18/2017
CHINA/CONFLICT OF INTERESTS/ETHICS/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee blasted the family of President Donald Trump on Tuesday [4-18-17], saying that the approval in China of patents for Ivanka Trump set a new bar for ethical conflicts. ‘Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Trump offers something else that’s […]
4/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/OIL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM -0.53%) has applied to the Treasury Department for a waiver from U.S. sanctions on Russia in a bid to resume its joint venture with state oil giant PAO Rosneft, according to people familiar with the matter. Exxon has been seeking U.S. permission to drill with Rosneft in […]
4/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/JOBS/MIKE PENCE: “Vice President Mike Pence praised investment by Toyota Motor Corp. and other Japanese companies in the U.S. while avoiding criticism of Tokyo’s trade practices, drawing a relieved welcome from business leaders here… The election of President Donald Trump and some of his tweets thereafter led to concern in Tokyo about the possibility […]
4/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Iran is sticking to the terms of its nuclear deal made with the Obama administration, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has concluded, but he questions whether sanctions should keep being lifted, given Iran’s continued support for terrorism. The Secretary of State said the Trump administration was reviewing the lifting of […]
4/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NAVY/NORTH KOREA: “The Navy confirmed Tuesday [4-18-17] that it didn’t send one of its aircraft carriers directly toward North Korea amid growing tensions with Pyongyang, despite representations by President Donald Trump and his top defense advisers that it was on its way. In fact, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson was thousands of […]
04/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “The US and South Korean militaries are teaming up for a massive 11-day exercise featuring a large portion of their fighter aircraft fleet. On Monday [4-17-17], Exercise Max Thunder kicked off to ‘enhance interoperability’ between the US and South Korean forces, according to US Pacific Command. The event goes until Apr. […]
04/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JAPAN/MIKE PENCE/NORTH KOREA: “U.S. Vice President Mike Pence assured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday [4-18-17] that the United States stands ‘100 percent’ behind its anchor ally in Asia in working to defuse risks from North Korea’s nuclear program. Pence struck a stern tone as he began talks with Abe and other Japanese […]
04/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Just as a grim-faced Vice President Mike Pence was alighting from his Blackhawk helicopter a mile from the Korean Demilitarized Zone on Sunday, his boss, President Donald Trump — fresh from Florida — was at home, tweeting. Ensconced with his family inside the White House after three nights at Mar-a-Lago, […]
04/17/2017
AIR FORCE/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “The US Air Force’s newest stealth fighters arrived in the UK over the weekend as part of the Pentagon’s effort to reassure European allies in the face of Russian aggression on the continent. The F-35A jets from Hill Air Force Base in Utah landed at RAF Lakenheath on Saturday for […]
04/17/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “With North Korean soldiers standing less than 100 feet behind him at the Korean Demilitarized Zone [DMZ], Vice President Mike Pence told CNN that Pyongyang should understand that the Trump administration’s approach toward the regime will be different than that of past US presidents. ‘We’re going to abandon the failed […]
4/17/2017
DONALD ON DONALD/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: ” ‘The first 90 days of my presidency has exposed the total failure of the last eight years of foreign policy!’ So true. @foxandfriends” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 17, 2017 07:07am […]
04/16/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump defended reserving his position on labeling China a currency manipulator in a tweet early Easter Sunday [4-16-17]. ‘Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?’ asked Trump. Supporters and detractors of the president have criticized his recent […]
04/14/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE PENCE/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “Vice President Mike Pence will leave Washington on Saturday for an 11-day trip overseas with his first stop in South Korea as North Korea appears to prepare for another nuclear test. White House officials said Pence’s trip is intended to reinforce that the U.S. is fully committed to its security […]
04/12/2017
AFGHANISTAN/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The dropping of a ‘mother of all bombs’ Thursday [4-13-17] by the United States on an ISIS cave and bunker complex in Achin district in eastern Afghanistan should be understood as part of an effort to reverse a war that is not going well for the Afghan government and, by extension, […]
04/13/2017
BUSH FAMILY/FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/NATIONAL SECURITY/WALL: “Former President George W. Bush made the case for continuing to fund foreign aid programs and offering a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in a recent interview with NPR. Although Bush refrained from directly criticizing President Donald Trump in his comments, they contrast with the current Oval Office occupant’s call […]
04/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “An airstrike by the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State killed 18 Syrian fighters allied with the United States, the military said on Thursday [4-13-17]. The strike, on Tuesday in Tabqah, Syria, was the third time in a month that American-led airstrikes may have killed civilians or allies, and it comes […]
04/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The US military has dropped an enormous bomb in Afghanistan, according to four US military officials with direct knowledge of the mission. A GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, nicknamed MOAB, was dropped at 7 p.m. local time Thursday [4-13-17], the sources said. The MOAB is also known as the ‘mother […]
04/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Days before Japanese leader Shinzo Abe dined with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago, restaurant inspectors slapped the resort with 13 violations — including raw fish used in sushi, one of Japan’s signature dishes. Florida restaurant inspectors also found beef, duck, chicken and ham stored at unsafe temperatures higher than the law requires, […]
4/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA: “Things will work out fine between the U.S.A. and Russia. At the right time everyone will come to their senses & there will be lasting peace!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 13, 2017 08:16am […]
4/13/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I have great confidence that China will properly deal with North Korea. If they are unable to do so, the U.S., with its allies, will! U.S.A.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 13, 2017 08:08am […]
04/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump, at a news conference with the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, described Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as ‘a butcher’ as a result of the chemical attack the US government has accused him of carrying out on his own civilians. ‘That’s a butcher. That’s a butcher,’ Trump […]
04/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A week ago, President Trump was accused of being a tool for the Russians, an unwitting agent of influence, so full of admiration that he defended President Vladimir V. Putin against critics who called him a killer. Now, Mr. Trump is in a diplomatic clash with Mr. Putin’s Russia, his administration […]
04/12/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “China warned on Friday [4-14-17] that tensions on the Korean Peninsula could run out of control, after North Korea said it could test a nuclear weapon whenever its top leader, Kim Jong-un, decided, and as an American naval group neared the peninsula in a show of resolve. ‘The United States […]
04/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea is a country prepared for conflict. Still technically at war with its southern neighbor, ordinary North Koreans are warned to be in a state of constant vigilance to threats from the outside, particularly from the US. Those fears seemed to be confirmed this month, after US President Donald […]
4/12/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 12, 2017 07:22am […]
04/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday [4-11-17] that Russia had information that the United States was planning to launch new missile strikes on Syria, and that there were plans to fake chemicals weapons attacks there. Putin was speaking hours before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due to […]
04/11/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday [4-11-17] that the US will ‘solve the North Korea problem’ alone if China refuses to help. ‘North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A,’ he tweeted. ‘I explained […]
04/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP FAMILY/DONALD JR/IVANKA: “President Donald Trump has said that the horrific images from a chemical weapons attack in Syria compelled him to authorize a missile strike against an Assad-regime airbase last week. But according to his son, Eric Trump, another key White House voice may have also influenced his decision to use military […]
4/11/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 11, 2017 07:03am […]
4/11/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 11, 2017 06:59am […]
04/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/SEAN SPICER: “White House press secretary Sean Spicer said twice Monday [4-10-17] that the Trump administration will respond if the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad uses barrel bombs against his own people, something that’s been a regular occurrence in the six-year civil war. ‘If you gas a baby, if you […]
04/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/UN/REX TILLERSON/NIKKI HALEY: “Foreign ministers of leading US allies were meeting Monday [4-10-17] amid mixed signals from the Trump administration on the future of Syrian President President Bashar al-Assad. At a summit in Italy, foreign ministers of the G7 group of industrialized nations were expected to seek clarity from US Secretary […]