Tag Archives: diplomacy

The New York Times reports: A draft of a Trump administration executive order proposes a drastic restructuring of the State Department, including eliminating almost all of its Africa operations and shutting down embassies and consulates across the continent. The draft also calls for cutting offices at State Department headquarters that address climate change and refugee issues, as well as democracy …

Reuters reports: Germany’s ambassador to the United States has warned that the incoming Trump administration will rob U.S. law enforcement and the media of their independence and hand big tech companies “co-governing power”, according to a confidential document seen by Reuters. The briefing document, dated Jan. 14 and signed by Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, describes Donald Trump’s agenda for his second …

NBC News reports: Iran “never” plotted to assassinate Donald Trump during last year’s U.S. election campaign and never will in the future, President Masoud Pezeshkian told NBC News’ Lester Holt in an exclusive interview in Tehran. Asked about the reported plot against Trump outlined by U.S. authorities, Pezeshkian said: “This is another one of those schemes that Israel and other …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Sunday that he intended to nominate Callista Gingrich, who served as his ambassador to the Vatican during his first term, as ambassador to Switzerland. Ms. Gingrich is the wife of Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and a loyal Trump ally. At the Republican National Convention this summer, Ms. …

The Daily Beast reports: Chris LaCivita [photo], who helped lead Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, called Lord Peter Mandelson “an absolute moron” after learning that the incoming U.K. ambassador to the U.S. once said Trump was “little short of a white nationalist.” In a post on X, LaCivita condemned Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s choice to replace Dame Karen Pierce, which …

CBS News reports: Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to travel to Washington next month as an inauguration guest of President-elect Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the planning. CBS News was first to report that Trump had personally invited Xi to the swearing-in ceremony shortly after Election Day. China’s ambassador to the U.S. and his spouse …

Politico reports: President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is selecting former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Ronald Johnson to be the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Johnson, a Green Beret who spent more than 20 years at the Central Intelligence Agency before a diplomatic posting in San Salvador, would bring significant foreign policy expertise to one of the most …

CNN reports: Indonesia’s new President Prabowo Subianto posted a video of his phone call congratulating Donald Trump on his reelection, during which the former special forces commander referenced his American “training” and called the US-president elect “sir” multiple times. Prabowo, who is in Washington for an official visit, posted the almost three-minute phone conversation on his official social media channels …

NBC News reports: As foreign governments prepare to deal with a second Trump administration, at least one key U.S. ally is hoping to make headway on the fairway. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol “got out his golf clubs for the first time in eight years and resumed his golf practice” as he gets ready to meet President-elect Donald Trump …

The Washington Post reports: President Biden arrives in France on Wednesday to join world leaders in commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, an election-year visit where he plans to draw on the memory of allies united against tyranny to highlight the stakes of his campaign and draw a pointed comparison with Donald Trump. Biden will join more than two dozen …

Reuters reports: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva removed his ambassador to Israel from his post and sent him to serve as his special representative in Geneva amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries, the official gazette showed on Wednesday. Meyer’s recall had followed Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoning Meyer to tell him Lula was persona non …

Reuters reports: Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday he will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza. Petro has already heavily criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice. “Here in front of you, the government of change, of the president …

Reuters reports: Eight European diplomats interviewed by Reuters said there were doubts about whether Trump would honor Washington’s commitment to defend NATO allies and acute fears he would cut off aid to Ukraine amid its war with Russia. One diplomat, whose country is a NATO member, and one other diplomat in Washington said their missions have outlined in diplomatic cables …

Reuters reports: President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping face-to-face for the first time in a year on Wednesday, the White House said, in high-stakes diplomacy aimed at curbing tensions between the world’s two superpowers. The closely watched interaction, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the San Francisco Bay area, could last hours …

The Associated Press reports: An American has crossed the heavily fortified border from South Korea into North Korea, the American-led U.N. Command overseeing the area said Tuesday, amid heightened tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program. The U.N. Command tweeted that the U.S. citizen was on a tour to the Korean border village of Panmunjom and crossed the border into the …

The Wall Street Journal reports: The Chinese balloon that crossed the U.S. was outfitted with antennas likely capable of collecting communications, a senior State Department official said Thursday, adding that the Biden administration is preparing to take action against China’s surveillance program. Providing details the U.S. has gathered since tracking and shooting down the balloon, the official said the balloon …

Bloomberg News reports: The US sent divers to salvage what they believe is spy equipment from the Chinese balloon shot down off South Carolina, as pressure mounted on President Joe Biden to hit back at Beijing with new export controls on sensitive technology. The government anticipates finding equipment capable of taking detailed photographs, along with other sensors, one person familiar …

The Hill reports: Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng said he formally complained to the U.S. Embassy on Sunday over what he called a “U.S. attack on a Chinese civilian unmanned airship by military force.” China has insisted that the aircraft was a civilian weather balloon blown unintentionally off-course. “However, the United States turned a deaf ear and insisted on indiscriminate …

The South China Morning Post reports: Beijing slammed Washington’s decision to shoot down a Chinese balloon, saying it was an overreaction and China reserved the right to take “further responses that are necessary”. “China strongly disapproves of and protests against the US attack on a civilian unmanned airship by force,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement …

From the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry: Regarding the unintended entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into US airspace due to force majeure, the Chinese side has verified it and communicated it to the US side. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes. Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far …