Tag Archives: State Department

Yahoo News reports: Charging that human rights advocates have deviated from their original purpose, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday named a staunch abortion opponent to lead a new panel to set the US direction. Pompeo, an evangelical Christian who often speaks of his faith, announced the creation of a State Department commission on “unalienable rights” to look at …

The Daily Beast reports: Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson claims the State Department was kept in the dark about key U.S. foreign-policy decisions during his time in the Trump administration because the president’s son-in-law had effectively set up his own shadow operation. Jared Kushner was privately working on strategic partnerships with foreign countries and meeting discreetly with world leaders …

Axios reports: The State Department announced Monday afternoon that it is cutting off any further aid to Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador until the countries take “concrete actions to reduce the number of illegal migrants coming to the U.S. border.” This move has been in the works since March, with President Trump ramping up pressure on the three Central American …

NBC News reports: Vice President Mike Pence voiced support Monday for the Trump administration’s move to prohibit U.S. embassies from flying the rainbow pride flag on their flagpoles during LGBTQ Pride Month, telling NBC News that “it’s the right decision.” In an interview with White House correspondent Kristen Welker, Pence confirmed an exclusive report from NBC News that said the …

Talking Points Memo reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s got a solution to avoiding the harms of climate change: Just live somewhere else. Pompeo gave an interview to the Washington Times on Friday, during which he addressed the Trump administration’s approach to combating global warming. The top diplomat claimed that the climate “always changes,” and so “societies reorganize, we move …

NBC News reports: The Trump administration is rejecting requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow pride flag on embassy flagpoles during June, LGBT Pride Month, three American diplomats tell NBC News. The U.S. embassies in Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia are among those that have requested permission from Trump’s State Department to fly the pride flag on their flagpoles …

ABC News reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is setting up a commission at the State Department to redefine human rights as based on what the department is describing as “natural law and natural rights.” Use of the term “natural law” has concerned some advocacy groups and department staff, as it is interpreted in this case as “God-given” or religiously-based …

Politico reports: The Trump administration plans to launch a new panel to offer “fresh thinking” on international human rights, a move some activists fear is aimed at narrowing protections for women and members of the LGBT community. The new body, to be called the Commission on Unalienable Rights, will advise Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to a notice the …

Via press release from Immigration Equality: Yesterday, the U.S. State Department appealed the decision of a California federal district court that recognized the birthright citizenship of Ethan Dvash-Banks, the child of a same-sex bi-national couple. The government refuses to recognize the validity of Andrew and Elad Dvash-Banks’ marriage, and continues to defend its discriminatory policy, which conditions the recognition of …

ABC News reports: The process of moving Assange out of the Ecuadorian Embassy started a year ago, on March 7, 2018, when the Ecuadorians made their first request to the U.K.: a letter asking for written assurances that the U.K. would not extradite Assange to a country where he could face the death penalty, according to the Ecuadorian Interior Minister …

The New York Times reports: The United States has revoked the visa of the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor because of her attempts to investigate allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan, including any that may have been committed by American forces. The visa revocation — confirmed on Friday by the office of the chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and the State …

NBC News reports: For ambassador to the United Arab Emirates — a job so sensitive in the tense Middle East that every previous president gave it to a career diplomat — Trump picked a wealthy real estate developer with no diplomatic experience. The ambassador to Morocco? A well-heeled car dealer. The nominee for Iceland? While well-traveled, he had never been …

The Daily Beast reports: Mike Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state, and the State Department have declined to directly condemn a new law in Brunei stipulating the stoning to death of LGBT people. In follow-up questions, The Daily Beast then asked if Pompeo and the State Department specifically objected to the violently anti-LGBT law, set to take effect on April …

MSNBC reports: The Trump administration has chosen counter terrorism expert and Fox News contributor Morgan Ortagus to be the new State Department spokeswoman, three people with knowledge of the decision told NBC News. Ortagus, a U.S. Naval Reserve officer, would bring significant experience in national security and foreign policy to the role. She will replace Heather Nauert, a former Fox …

Deutsche Welle reports: Wolfgang Kubicki, the deputy chairman of the opposition Free Democrats (FDP), said Richard Grenell’s repeated interference in German sovereignty should prompt Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to immediately declare Grenell persona non grata. “Any US diplomat who acts like a high commissioner of an occupying power must learn that our tolerance also knows its limits,” said Kubicki, who …

The Hill reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo quipped on Monday that he intends to stay in his role until President Trump “tweets” him out of a job. Pompeo was asked at a speaking engagement in Kansas how he liked being secretary of State and how long he planned to stay on the job. “I’m going to be there until …

ABC News reports: The U.S. is withdrawing its remaining diplomatic personnel from the embassy in Venezuela, citing the “deteriorating situation” given days of blackouts, increased water shortages, and the threat of further protests. The decision also comes amid growing concern that American diplomats could become a pawn in the battle with President Nicolas Maduro as the U.S. tries to push …

Foreign Policy reports: Jessikka Aro, a Finnish investigative journalist, has faced down death threats and harassment over her work exposing Russia’s propaganda machine long before the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. In January, the U.S. State Department took notice, telling Aro she would be honored with the prestigious International Women of Courage Award, to be presented in Washington by Secretary of …

CNBC reports: Boeing announced Tuesday the nomination of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley for election to the company’s board of directors. Haley served as ambassador to the U.N. under President Donald Trump from January 2017 until December, when she resigned. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to contribute to Boeing’s continued success as a cutting …

From a Fortune report posted earlier today: U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft is emerging as the frontrunner to replace U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who resigned in December. Craft as a UN contender comes after State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert withdrew her name over the weekend as Haley’s successor. A Kentucky native, Craft is backed by …