Donald Trump

Iran Revolutionary Guards Unveil First Drone Carrier in Gulf

Iran's Revolutionary Guards unveiled the country's first drone carrier on Thursday in Gulf waters, state media reported. The carrier, called the Martyr Bahman Bagheri, is a commercial vessel that was repurposed as a drone carrier over the past two-and-a-half years, Guards naval commander Alireza Tangsiri said during the unveiling ...

Trump Power Play Triggers Showdown with Courts, Congress

With his dizzying moves to slash spending, abolish government departments and lay off much the federal workforce, Donald Trump has upended the US constitutional order in an unprecedented assertion of executive might. Critics complain that Congress has been slow to react in the face of a full frontal assault on the Founders' vision of the ...

US Claims Free Passage Through Panama Canal

The United States said Wednesday that its government vessels would sail for free through the Panama Canal following heavy pressure from President Donald Trump, but authorities at the waterway swiftly issued a denial. "US government vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees, saving the US government millions of dollars a year," ...

The Golden Pager and the Irony of Espionage in the Middle East

History is often written in treaties. Sometimes, it’s forged in war. And sometimes, apparently, it’s written in golden pagers. Yes, you read that correctly. In a moment that blended Middle Eastern geopolitics with the aesthetics of a 1990s tech museum, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted US President Donald Trump a golden pager, ...

US Priorities in Lebanon: From Government Reforms to UN Resolution 1701

The American delegation visiting Lebanon on Thursday carries several important messages, particularly regarding Morgan Ortagus, who has succeeded Amos Hochstein. Ortagus has been given the responsibility of managing Lebanon's portfolio, which includes critical issues such as government formation, policy programs, Israeli withdrawal, the release of ...

US Administration Backtracks on Trump's Plan for Gaza

US President Donald Trump's administration appeared to backtrack Wednesday after his proposal to take over Gaza sparked uproar, with the United Nations warning against "ethnic cleansing" in the Palestinian territory. Facing a wave of criticism from Palestinians, Arab governments and world leaders, Trump's Secretary of State ...

Rubio Says Trump Meant Only Temporary Gaza Move for Rebuilding

US President Donald Trump only wants Palestinians to leave Gaza temporarily while the territory is reconstructed, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday. Trump stunned the world and drew condemnation when he proposed Tuesday at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States could take over war-battered ...

Lebanon: A State of Insecurity? Where Exactly?

The ostrich policy: look away and pretend that security is under control. For the past few weeks, in a scattered yet synchronized manner, acts of delinquency have been multiplying in certain neighborhoods of Beirut. Of course, there’s no proof that these incidents are coordinated. However, in Lebanon, there’s always a “but!” The profile ...

Kremlin Calls Zelensky Comment on Direct Talks with Putin 'Empty Words'

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement that he was ready for direct talks with Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin to end fighting as "empty words". "So far this cannot be seen as anything but empty words," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, after Zelensky said in an interview that he ...

Tariff Crisis: Trump Redefines Global Trade

The Trump administration has disrupted the global economy with a series of dramatic announcements and last-minute negotiations, imposing new tariffs on key trading partners – Canada, Mexico and China. While Canada and Mexico secured temporary reprieves through emergency agreements, China remains entrenched in a fierce tariff standoff. Amid ...