Tag Archives: diplomacy

British Foreign Secretary Slams “Disrespectful” Trump

The Associated Press reports: U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is in the running to replace Theresa May as prime minister later this month, has scolded President Trump for his “disrespectful and wrong” comments about May and the U.K.’s ambassador to Washington, Kim Darroch. Darroch described Trump’s administration as “inept” and “incompetent” in private memos back to London that leaked …

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UK Ambassador Calls Trump “Inept And Dysfunctional”

The BBC reports: The Trump administration has been labelled “inept”, insecure and incompetent in leaked emails from the UK ambassador to Washington. Sir Kim Darroch said that the White House was “uniquely dysfunctional” and “divided” under Donald Trump. But he also warned that the US president should not be written off. The Foreign Office said the leak of the memos …

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Trump Attacks US Allies Ahead Of G-20 Summit

The New York Times reports: President Trump, arriving in Japan on Thursday, opened his latest foreign trip much as he did his last one, lashing out at America’s allies, including his hosts, just before sitting down with them to talk through differences on issues like security and trade. In the hours before and after leaving for an international summit meeting, …

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World Leaders Sign Bottom Of D-Day Proclamation, Trump Scrawls Name At Top Above Document’s Title

Yahoo News reports: Donald Trump went high when other world leaders went low. The president broke from the crowd when he signed his name on a proclamation marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Trump inked his signature at the top of the document that honored the memory of those killed in World War II and affirmed “it is …

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Trump Skips WH Cinco De Mayo Event For Third Year

Via White House press release: I send my greetings and best wishes to all those celebrating Cinco de Mayo. On this day 157 years ago, the Mexican people valiantly defended their freedom and prevailed in the Battle of Puebla. Facing a French army equipped with more men and better weapons, the tenacious Mexican forces, under the command of General Ignacio …

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Exiting French Ambassador Blasts Trump As “Big Mouth Who Reads Basically Nothing,” It’s Not Normal [VIDEO]

French ambassador Gérard Araud on Trump: Suddenly you have this president who is an extrovert, really a big mouth, who reads basically nothing or nearly nothing, with the interagency process totally broken and decisions taken from the hip basically. And also, for an ambassador, you had a normal working administration with Obama. People in the executive branch offices were able …

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Trump To Attend Championship Sumo Match In Japan

The South China Morning Post reports: US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the final day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo in late May and may be granted the honour of awarding the Emperor’s Cup to the victorious wrestler. The White House has requested front-row box seats at the Ryogoku Sumo Stadium on May 26, the …

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Mike Pence Gets Silent Treatment From NATO Leaders After Hailing “Resolute Leadership Of President Trump”

Axios reports: Vice President Mike Pence unleashed some of the most stinging criticisms of NATO allies Germany and Turkey yet from the Trump administration, contending that both countries’ recent actions threaten to undermine the alliance. Some NATO allies see President Trump as a threat to the alliance, with Trump himself having privately mused about withdrawing the U.S. from NATO on …

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France Recalls Italy Ambassador Over Yellow Vest Row

The BBC reports: A diplomatic row between France and Italy has deepened, with France complaining of “unfounded attacks and outlandish claims” by Italian leaders. France recalled its ambassador to Italy for talks on Thursday, saying the situation was “unprecedented” since the end of World War Two. It comes after Italian Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio met French “yellow-vest” protesters near …

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State Department Issues Travel Warning For China

Issued today by the State Department: Exercise increased caution in China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws as well as special restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals. Chinese authorities have asserted broad authority to prohibit U.S. citizens from leaving China by using ‘exit bans,’ sometimes keeping U.S. citizens in China for years. China uses exit bans coercively: to compel U.S. …

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Amb. Nikki Haley Suggests US Leave United Nations: The American People Need To Decide If It’s Worth It

Bloomberg reports: As Nikki Haley finishes her tenure this month, the woman who has spent the last two years representing the U.S. at the United Nations has a question for the American public: Should the U.S. remain a member? “The American people need to decide if it’s worth it,” she said in an interview with a small group of journalists …

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REPORT: Trump “Berated” Theresa May In Phone Call

The Washington Post reports: As he jetted to Paris last Friday, President Trump received a congratulatory phone call aboard Air Force One. British Prime Minister Theresa May was calling to celebrate the Republican Party’s wins in the midterm elections — never mind that Democrats seized control of the House — but her appeal to the American president’s vanity was met …

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Trump: No Country Is More Nationalist Than France

The Hill reports: President Trump on Tuesday continued his ongoing attacks on French President Emmanuel Macron, hitting the French leader’s “low” approval rating, unemployment rate and trade policies. Trump in the next tweet went on a more personal attack, referencing Macron’s speech about “nationalism” over the weekend. Trump’s weekend visit to France was marked by multiple indications of a souring …

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Trump Mocks France’s History In World Wars

Business Insider reports: President Donald Trump appeared to mock France’s record in World War I and II in a Tuesday morning tweet that again waved the idea of the US pulling out of, or modifying its relationship to NATO. French President Emmanuel Macron has long pushed for a European army separate from NATO, the global alliance that includes the US …

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Trump: Ivanka Would Be “Dynamite” As Ambassador

The Hill reports: President Trump said Tuesday that his daughter Ivanka would be “dynamite” as an ambassador to the United Nations, but conceded that he would be accused of nepotism if he appointed her to replace outgoing Ambassador Nikki Haley. “I think Ivanka would be incredible,” Trump told reporters as he prepared to depart the White House for a campaign …

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REPORT: Trump “Ranted” At Macron During Meeting

CNN reports: US President Donald Trump was “ranting and venting on trade” to French President Emmanuel Macron during their bilateral meeting Monday evening, according to a senior diplomatic source. The source described Trump as “going off” on EU trade during his meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Trump said that the EU had to open up …

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LIVE VIDEO: Trump Addresses UN General Assembly

CNN reports: President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton brought a prop to the UN General Assembly to underscore the Trump administration’s primary theme: the US stands on its own. Bolton waved a copy of the Constitution, a little booklet meant to symbolize the message of sovereignty US officials will hammer home during the year’s largest gathering of world …

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Awkward Photo With Trump Infuriates Polish Press

The Washington Post reports: The Polish government did everything it could to turn Tuesday’s visit into one of Trump’s more enjoyable moments. Yet, somehow, Trump managed to offend the Poles so deeply that the fallout was all over Polish news sites on Wednesday morning. What happened? At the end of their meeting, the two leaders agreed to sign a strategic …

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REPORT: Trump Has A Problem With Time Zones

Politico reports: Several times in the first year of his administration, President Donald Trump wanted to call Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the middle of the afternoon. But there was a problem. Midafternoon in Washington is the middle of the night in Tokyo — when Abe would be fast asleep. Trump’s aides had to explain the issue, which one …

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Saudi Arabia Expels Canadian Ambassador, To Withdraw Students From Canada Over Women’s Rights Criticism

The Associated Press reports: Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador on Monday and froze “all new business” with Ottawa over its criticism of the ultraconservative kingdom’s arrest of women’s rights activists — yet another warning to the West reflecting Riyadh’s newly assertive foreign policy. The sudden and unexpected dispute bore the hallmarks of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s …

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