Foreign Policy

President Donald Trump demanded tariffs against China at a White House meeting earlier this month, and accused some of his top advisers of being “globalists,” Axios reported Sunday. “For the last six months, this same […]

State Department’s Top UN Envoy Steps Down

A pair of top State Department officials, including the lead envoy to the UN, have announced they will leave their posts, Foreign Policy reported on Sunday. Tracey Ann Jacobson, a career foreign service officer responsible […]

Kushner Discussed Relocating U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem with Netanyahu

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and other top Trump administration officials spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reported Sunday. Kushner met with […]

Mexico Says That `Will Not Negotiate NAFTA through Social Media`

Mexico on Sunday pushed back against a string of critical tweets taking aim at the country by President Trump, saying it refused to discuss aspects of the bilateral relationship “through social media or any other […]

August 26, 2017 Focus Washington

North Korea Fires Multiple Ballistic Missiles

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast early Saturday local time, U.S. officials said, The Hill reports. U.S. Pacific Command said three short-range missiles were launched from Kittaeryong, Kangwon province, with two […]

August 26, 2017 Focus Washington

Washington Raises Pressure on Venezuela with New Round of Sanctions

The Trump administration imposed new economic sanctions on Venezuela on Friday, modestly ratcheting up the pressure on the embattled government of President Nicolas Maduro for increasingly repressive policies, The New York Times reports. The sanctions […]

August 26, 2017 Focus Washington

U.S. Service Member Missing after Black Hawk Crashes near Yemen

An American service member remains missing after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed off the coast of Yemen on Friday in what U.S. military officials are calling a training accident, The Washington Post reports. U.S. forces […]

August 25, 2017 Focus Washington

North Korea Signals a More Powerful ICBM in the Works

With photographs obliquely showing a new rocket design, North Korea has sent a message that it is working on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) more powerful than any it has previously tested, weapons experts said […]

August 25, 2017 Focus Washington

Trump Tells al-Sisi He Wants to Improve Relations with Egypt

President Donald Trump said on a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart on Thursday that he wants to improve the United States relationship with the country, just days after the U.S. announced it would withhold […]

August 25, 2017 Focus Washington

Kushner’s Mideast Peace Talks Met with Palestinian Skepticism

Presidential adviser Jared Kushner met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Thursday to try to jumpstart moribund peace talks, but after months without progress the Mideast envoy faces growing skepticism on the Palestinian side, AP […]

August 24, 2017 Focus Washington

Possible Brain Injuries for U.S., Canadian Diplomats in Cuba

American and Canadian diplomats working in Havana have been diagnosed with serious health conditions including mild traumatic brain injuries and damage to the central nervous system, CBS News reports. CBS reviewed a doctor’s evaluations of […]

August 24, 2017 Focus Washington

Pence: U.S. to Use ‘Economic and Diplomatic Power’ to Restore Democracy in Venezuela

Vice President Mike Pence made a quick trip Wednesday afternoon to this Miami suburb, home to the nation’s largest Venezuelan community, to reinforce and reiterate the Trump administration’s commitment and support for those fighting against […]

August 22, 2017 Focus Washington

Trump’s Afghanistan Strategy Aimed at Winning ‘Longest War’

President Donald Trump announced Monday he will not pull out U.S. troops from Afghanistan, saying he is committed to a new strategy aimed at winning the nation’s longest war, The Hill reports. During a prime-time […]

Number of Diplomats in Cuba Sonic Attack More than First Reported

A higher number of US and Canadian diplomats and their families are believed to have been attacked by a mystery sonic weapon in Havana than was initially reported, CNN has learned from two senior U.S. […]

NAFTA Negotiators Vow for Fast-Paced Talks on Revamped Deal

The United States, Canada and Mexico are “committed to an accelerated and comprehensive negotiation process” on upgrading the North American Free Trade Agreement, the three countries announced in a joint statement released Sunday. The announcement […]

U.S. Embassy in Russia Suspends Issuing Nonimmigrant Visas

The U.S. embassy in Russia says it will suspend issuing nonimmigrant visas in Moscow for eight days and will stop issuing visas at its consulates elsewhere in Russia in response to the Russian decision to […]

Trump to Reveal Plans on Afghanistan, South Asia

President Donald Trump will address the nation on Monday night in a prime-time address on his plans for Afghanistan and South Asia, the White House announced Sunday. Trump will address the nation from Fort Myer […]

August 19, 2017 Focus Washington

U.S. Launches Formal Trade Investigation into China

The United States on Friday formally launched a trade investigation into China’s intellectual property practices and forced transfer of American technology, which President Donald Trump had called for this week, Newsmax reports. “On Monday, President […]

August 19, 2017 Focus Washington

Trump Signaling ‘Decision’ on Afghanistan Strategy

President Donald Trump on Saturday signaled he has made decisions on Afghanistan, following extensive meetings at Camp David, The Hill reports. “Important day spent at Camp David with our very talented Generals and military leaders. […]

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Slams Trump on Charlottesville

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned President Donald Trump on Twitter Wednesday for his comments about last weekend’s violence in Charlottesville. The tweet was posted to his official account: “If U.S. has any power, […]

Spanish Police Kills Terrorists in New Attack South of Barcelona

Five suspected terrorists were killed by the police and six civilians were injured in a confrontation in a town south of Barcelona, hours after 13 people were killed when a van drove down the city’s […]

Tillerson Denies Bannon Claim of No ‘Military Solution’ for North Korea

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday denied claims from White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon that there is no military solution to the conflict with North Korea, the Hill reports. “I don’t really have […]

Trump, Tillerson Condemn Barcelona Attack

President Donald Trump on Thursday condemned a deadly terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, and pledged support to Spanish authorities, The Hill reports. “The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do […]

August 17, 2017 Focus Washington

Bannon: No Military Solution to North Korea

President Donald Trump’s chief strategist Stephen Bannon said that he doesn’t believe there is a military solution to the escalating nuclear crisis, the Hill reports. “There’s no military solution [to North Korea’s nuclear threats], forget […]

August 17, 2017 Focus Washington

Macedonia Needs a Modern Conservative Party Now More than Ever

Macedonia has a chance now to recapture the promise of a centrist, Western-style democracy that it had when it became independent in 1991. The tiny Balkan country, which has been an EU candidate country since […]

August 16, 2017 Focus Washington

Trump Applauds North Korean Leader for Withdrawal of Missile Test

President Donald Trump applauded North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday for backing down on his threat to launch missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam, CNN reports. In an early morning tweet, Trump said: […]

August 15, 2017 Focus Washington

Report: North Korea Backs off Guam Missile Threat

According to a new report, Pyongyang is withdrawing the threat to launch missiles at Guam, the U.S. Pacific territory, The Hill informs. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a statement, saying he had made a […]

August 14, 2017 Focus Washington

North Korea Still Mastering How to Deliver a Nuke to U.S., Experts Say

U.S. intelligence officials are pretty sure North Korea can put a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental missile that could reach the United States. But experts aren’t convinced the bomb could make it all that way […]

August 14, 2017 Focus Washington

Maduro’s Son Says He Will ‘Take White House’ with Guns if U.S. Intervenes

The son of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday said he would “take the White House” with guns if the U.S. pursued military intervention in his country, Newsmax reports. “If the U.S. soils the homeland, […]

August 14, 2017 Focus Washington

Vice President Pence Says U.S. Has ‘Many Options’ on Venezuela

Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday confirmed the U.S. is not ruling out a military option in Venezuela, but emphasized a diplomatic solution, The Hill reports. “We have many options for Venezuela, but the president […]