donald trump

JD Vance in Israel: Washington Reasserts Control over the Ceasefire

Vance’s trip is part of a broader American diplomatic push. Since Monday, special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been holding a series of meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Together, they are working to secure an agreement designed not only to end hostilities, but also to lay the groundwork for a new regional security ...

Trump Says Middle East Allies Ready to 'Straighten out Hamas' If Asked

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that allied nations in the Middle East were prepared to send troops into Gaza, at his request, to confront Hamas if the group did not cease its alleged violations of his peace plan. The threat comes a day after Trump warned Hamas would be "eradicated" if the group did not meet expectations of the agreement, ...

Direct vs. Indirect Negotiations: Lebanon’s Diplomatic Playbook Reexamined

In the wake of the Gaza ceasefire brokered on October 13 by Donald Trump, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a statement that raised more than a few eyebrows, and possibilities. “The Lebanese state has already negotiated with Israel under American and UN mediation, resulting in the maritime border agreement… So why not adopt the same ...

Russia Downplays Swift Meeting to Prepare for Trump-Putin Summit

Moscow on Tuesday doused hopes of a swift meeting of the Russian and US foreign ministers to prepare for a speedy summit between their leaders over the Ukraine war. Following a phone call last week, the Russian and US leaders Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump announced they would meet in Budapest for talks on resolving the war in Ukraine, which ...

Lavrov and Rubio Discuss Putin-Trump Summit, Zelensky Seeks Invite

Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov and US counterpart Marco Rubio discussed preparations for an upcoming summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in a call on Monday, both sides said. Rubio "emphasized the importance of upcoming engagements as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to collaborate on advancing a durable resolution of the ...

Khamenei Tells Trump to 'Keep Dreaming' Over Claims of Destroying Iran Nuclear Sites

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday rebuffed claims by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic's nuclear sites had been destroyed by US strikes in June. In a statement on his official website, Khamenei told Trump to "keep dreaming" over the comments on the sites' destruction and questioned the US president's right ...

Kushner and Witkoff Reveal How the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Was Brokered

In a high-profile interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff  – President Donald Trump’s envoys – defended their role in brokering the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and responded to criticism over potential conflicts of interest tied to their extensive business dealings in the ...

Trump says Gaza Ceasefire Still in Force after Israeli Strikes

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza was still holding after Israel carried out deadly strikes on the territory over alleged truce violations by Hamas. The dozens of strikes Israel carried out on Hamas positions in southern Gaza Sunday came after it accused the militant group of targeting its troops in "a blatant ...

The Jeopardized Peace 

The significant progress toward peace achieved by the Trump administration presents a valuable opportunity if key obstacles can be overcome. None of the earlier, ill-conceived attempts to end the cycle of violence compare with the outstanding diplomatic achievement of the American administration. The humbug of the French president has faded away, ...

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Delicate Position of Iran’s Jews

With around 10,000 members, Iran’s Jewish community is the second largest in the Middle East. Its presence is discreet but tangible in a nation marked by pronounced hostility toward Israel, most recently expressed during 12 days of open conflict last June. The Jewish presence in the lands of present-day Iran dates back to the eighth century ...

Trump Says US to End 'Payments and Subsidies' to Colombia over Drug Production

President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States is halting financial aid to Colombia, a longstanding US ally, as he accused its president of condoning the production of drugs. Trump said leftist President Gustavo Petro is doing nothing to stop cocaine production despite "large scale payments and subsidies from the USA." "AS ...