Donald Trump

NATO Chief Holds Talks with Trump on "Global Security"

NATO chief Mark Rutte held talks with US President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on the "global security issues facing the alliance", a spokeswoman said Saturday. The meeting took place on Friday in Palm Beach, NATO's Farah Dakhlallah said in a statement. In his first term Trump aggressively pushed Europe to step up defence spending and ...

America, Iran, Israel, and Lebanon

Most American presidents avoid plunging into Middle East peacemaking as long as possible. There were two exceptions: Bill Clinton started in his first month with a "Syria First" strategy for peace between Israel and its neighbors. Barak Obama on his "day two" launched a respected envoy to pursue a West Bank settlement freeze and two-state ...

Trump Names Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary

US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named billionaire Scott Bessent as his Treasury secretary, choosing the hedge fund manager to help execute an agenda promising tax cuts and tariffs. Bessent, who is chief executive officer of Key Square Group, has called for an extension of tax cuts from Trump's first term, wants to reassert American ...

COP29 Scramble for New Deal After Poor Nations Reject Offer

Fierce bargaining at UN climate talks in Azerbaijan dragged into Saturday after a $250 billion a year offer from rich nations was flatly refused by developing countries hardest hit by Earth's rapid warming. Negotiators from nearly 200 nations spent another harried and sleepless night in a sports stadium trying to land a compromise figure for ...

Confronting the Crossroads: Trump's Middle East Policy Dilemmas Ahead

As Donald Trump prepares to take office again in January 2025, reflecting on his previous administration's lessons will help shape effective strategies to address the complex challenges in the Middle East. If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to meet and speak with Trump before taking office, this engagement could signal a strong ...

US Court Delays Indefinitely Trump Sentence in Criminal Case

The judge in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case on Friday delayed his sentencing indefinitely, in what the president-elect's team called a "decisive win" as he prepares to return to the White House. Trump, who was to have been sentenced on November 26, fought to block that proceeding before he succeeds Joe Biden in ...

Bitcoin Nears $100K: Will Trump Boost Crypto?

On Thursday, Bitcoin surged past $98,000, raising its market capitalization to $1.9 trillion. This rally reflects expectations of robust legislative and executive support for the crypto sector, bolstered by Republican victories in the White House and Congress. The cryptocurrency market, including “meme coins” like Dogecoin, continues to surge ...

Iran to Launch ‘Advanced Centrifuges’ in Response to IAEA Censure

Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the IAEA that censures Tehran for what the agency called lack of cooperation. "The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued an order to take effective measures, including launching a significant series of new and ...

Trump Picks Loyalist Pam Bondi as US Attorney General After Matt Gaetz's withdrawal

US President-elect Donald Trump tapped Pam Bondi, a staunch ally who helped defend the ex-leader against impeachment, as US attorney general on Thursday following firebrand Matt Gaetz's withdrawal from the running. Gaetz's retreat amid sexual misconduct allegations signaled limits to Trump's power, even as the president-elect prepares to retake ...

Israel’s Military Strategy in Parallel with Peace Talks

One thing is for sure: Tel Aviv remains firmly focused on its goal of securing the return of displaced settlers to their homes in northern Israel. Consequently, ground fighting between the two sides has escalated, with Israel apparently opting for a military approach despite international calls for a diplomatic resolution. The objective is to ...

Iran Says Western Resolution Will ‘Weaken’ Interaction With IAEA

A resolution tabled by Western countries to censure Iran's nuclear program at the International Atomic Energy Agency "will weaken and disrupt" interactions between the UN body and Tehran, it warned ahead of the vote on Thursday. Paris, Berlin, London and Washington have formally submitted a text condemning Iran for alleged lack of cooperation ...

US-Iran Relations: What Awaits Tehran?

Iran faces mounting questions about how best to navigate its relationship with US President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his expected return to the White House on January 20, 2025. Tensions remain high following his first term (2016–2020), which was marked by the assassination of Quds Force Commander General Qassem Suleimani, one of Iran's most ...