Tag Archives: State Department

Bloomberg reports: President Donald Trump has decided to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to replace departing United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, according to three people familiar with the decision, Bloomberg News reports. Nauert, 48, is an unorthodox choice for the UN role given that she had little experience in government or foreign policy before joining the administration in April …

Via press release from the State Department: The United States government is deeply concerned over escalating attacks and legislative actions by the Government of Tanzania that violate civil liberties and human rights, creating an atmosphere of violence, intimidation, and discrimination. We are troubled by the continued arrests and harassment of marginalized persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and …

The Hill reports: The State Department is warning U.S. citizens in Tanzania of a crackdown against gay people in the East African country. The State Department said in a notice on its website that citizens should “employ sound security practices” and review their “internet footprint and social media profiles.” “Remove or protect images and language that may run afoul of …

Politico reports: U.S. diplomats may soon be prohibited from using the phrases “sexual and reproductive health” and “comprehensive sexuality education” under a proposal being floated to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, four people familiar with the issue said. The proposal is being pushed by a handful of conservative political appointees at the State Department and other agencies, including Mari Stull, …

The Palm Beach Post reports: President Donald Trump is said to be ready to nominate couture handbag designer and Palm Beach resident Lana Marks to become ambassador to South Africa, making her the fourth member of the Mar-a-Lago Club that the president has tapped for an ambassadorship. The potential nomination of yet another Mar-a-Lago member to a top post in …

Politico reports: Twenty Democratic senators on Thursday urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to reverse course on the “unnecessarily cruel” decision to end an Obama-era policy that granted visas to the same-sex partners of LGBTQ diplomats whose unions are not recognized by their home countries. In July, the U.S. mission to the United Nations informed foreign delegations that beginning Oct. …

Via press release from hate group leader Tony Perkins: The rainbow didn’t just color the White House — it colored Barack Obama’s entire legacy. For eight years, Americans watched the 44th president’s obsession with LGBT activism eclipse every other urgent issue. And the U.S. State Department was exhibit A. No sooner had Hillary Clinton taken over as secretary than the …

NBC News reports: The State Department on Monday began imposing a new policy that restricts visas for the same-sex partners of staff of U.S.-based international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The State Department’s website on G-4 visas currently states: “Effective immediately, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will adjudicate visa applications that are …

“I have no doubt that the Russians have every intention of making life difficult for every American. This has been going on for decades. So please know, the American people should know, that the U.S. government is actively engaged in efforts to ensure the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans – all of those – with malintent for America, will not …

CNN reports: Iran, North Korea, Syria and … commas. While Mike Pompeo is focused on a number of key geopolitical concerns, an email obtained by CNN suggests that the secretary of state also appears to have had it, up to, here, with, the rampant, improper use of commas by State Department staff. In the last few months, two emails have …

The New York Times reports: Romania, long considered one of the most corrupt states in the European Union, has made energetic efforts to root out graft, with high-profile lawmakers caught in the cross hairs and concerns about the rule of law prompting rallies attended by tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of protesters. Now, unexpectedly, Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s …

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: A Republican lawmaker in the U.S. House has introduced legislation that appears to be aimed at barring U.S. embassies from flying the Pride flag in recognition of the LGBT community. With little fanfare last week, Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) quietly introduced the measure, which seeks to “prohibit the flying of any flag other …

“There are many countries in which religious freedom is not available. And we believe that by gathering citizens from around the world – we’ll have over 80 delegations from different countries, 40 plus of my counterparts at the foreign minister level will be in attendance, and religious leaders like yourself – all brought together to highlight the central nature of …

The Korea Daily reports: Seoul’s festival had the theme “Queeround,” signifying that there are LGBT people all around us. According to its organizers, a record number of about 120,000 people took part in the festivities despite the sweltering heat, which reached a high of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Although the festival was organized by Koreans, there was a …

Reuters reports: Sam Brownback, the U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, complained to the British ambassador in Washington D.C. about the treatment of an English right-wing activist who is in jail for disrupting a trial, according to three sources familiar with the discussion. Brownback raised the case of the activist known as Tommy Robinson in a June meeting with Sir …

A “special alert” from the US embassy in London: Numerous demonstrations are being planned for July 12 to 14, 2018, surrounding the visit of the President of the United States to the United Kingdom. The majority of the demonstrations will be focused in central London on July 13, with other events planned for July 12 and 14. Several of the …

Foreign Policy reports: The U.S. ambassador to Estonia, James D. Melville Jr., a career diplomat and member of the senior foreign service ranks, announced to friends Friday that he was resigning amid a string of controversial comments President Donald Trump made about U.S. allies in Europe. Melville, who has served as a diplomat for 33 years and as ambassador to …

Foreign Policy reports: A senior advisor to the State Department appointed just two months ago has been quietly vetting career diplomats and American employees of international institutions to determine whether they are loyal to President Donald Trump and his political agenda, according to nearly a dozen current and former U.S. officials. Mari Stull, a former food and beverage lobbyist-turned-wine blogger …

The Hill reports: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Democrat is asking the State Department’s inspector general to investigate President Trump’s envoy to Germany amid accusations he is inappropriately wading into European politics. In a letter, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) raised questions about Ambassador Richard Grenell’s comments to the right-leaning Bretibart News, in which Grenell said that he hoped to …

Reuters reports: The U.S. State Department on Tuesday defended remarks by the new U.S. ambassador to Germany that drew condemnation from across that country’s political spectrum, saying that U.S. envoys “have a right to express their opinions.” “Don’t we as Americans have the right to free speech?” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in response to questions about U.S. Ambassador …