Donald Trump Administration

Vance-led talks with Iran helped build goodwill despite no breakthrough

US Vice President JD Vance-led talks for peace with Iran may have been unsuccessful, but the 21-hour-long discussions helped build goodwill with the new leadership in Tehran, according to a media report. The Washington Post, quoting unnamed US officials, reported that the measure of goodwill established during the talks in Islamabad has made Washington believe that Iran may accept their terms to end the deadly and costly war. It said that President Donald Trump's announcement of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could force Iran to agree to a deal. "A US official with knowledge of the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks, said Vance was keenly aware going into the negotiations of the mistrust and risk of misunderstanding between the United States and Iran," the report said. The official said Vance and the US negotiators had developed rapport and became warmer with each other. Trump appeared to share the assessment. "We had a ve

JD Vance emerges as Trump's Iran 'closer' in high-risk diplomatic test

US Vice President JD Vance will be accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner

US to automatically register eligible men for military draft by December

The US plans to auto-enrol eligible men aged 18-26 into the military draft database, ending the current self-registration process and using federal data to identify those required to register

'US forces to remain around Iran': Trump warns of action if deal violated

'All US ships, aircraft and military personnel, with ammunition and weaponry, will remain in place in and around Iran until such time as the real agreement reached is fully complied with,' Trump wrote

US Congress absent, Republicans mum as Trump swings on conflict with Iran

In a week in which Trump has veered from threatening to wipe out Iranian civilisation to declaring ceasefire, US Congress is out of session and lawmakers with power to declare war are in the dark

RFK Jr announces new podcast to expose 'lies' that have made Americans sick

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is launching a new podcast that he says will begin "a new era of radical transparency in government," according to a teaser video first obtained by The Associated Press. The show, titled 'The Secretary Kennedy Podcast', will launch next week and feature Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine crusader who has reshaped the country's health policy, in conversation with doctors, scientists and agency staff, US Department of Health and Human Services officials told the AP ahead of the launch. In the teaser video, in a slick HHS-branded studio with ominous music playing in the background, Kennedy bills it as a new way to expose corruption and lies that have made Americans sick. "We're going to name the names of the forces that obstruct the paths to public health," Kennedy says in the nearly 90-second clip. Joining the Trump administration last year gave Kennedy a new platform for his views, some of which contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientist

Ceasefire with Iran under political compulsions: former US NSA John Bolton

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has cautioned that the US-Israel conflict with Iran could deepen further if the temporary ceasefire, reached "under political compulsions" by President Donald Trump, does not hold through. In an interview with PTI Videos, Bolton said Trump pushed for a ceasefire because of the political implications of rising gas prices in the US, the plunge in his popularity among the masses, and because an extended conflict with Iran could result in a severe setback for the US. "Well, I think a deeper, more lasting conflict is entirely possible. The real issue is Trump. He's been so concerned about the price at the pump of gasoline, the political implications for him. His popularity has gone down noticeably He may not care about all these broader considerations," Bolton said. "He (Trump) looks out after himself and that may be what dominates his thinking. And if so, I think that could result in a severe setback for the United States," Bolton said to

Trump issues ultimatum to hit Iran's power plants after US airman's rescue

Trump, in renewing his threats to target Iran's civilian infrastructure, used an expletive in social media post and told Axios he will be 'blowing up everything over there' if Iran doesn't make a deal

Trump admin to merge offshore drilling agencies split after 2010 oil spill

The Trump administration said Friday it is combining two agencies that were separated in the aftermath of the 2010 Gulf oil spill as part of an overhaul to increase efficiency and speed up permitting for offshore oil and gas drilling. The new Marine Minerals Administration will bring together the functions of the current Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. Doing so will enable a "streamlined approach" that will maintain existing regulatory protections and rigorous safety standards, he said. The combined agency will "deliver clearer coordination, better service to the public and stronger, more integrated oversight of offshore energy development," Burgum said in a statement. The new name is reminiscent of the old Minerals Management Service, which for decades was the federal agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling. In April 2010, a deadly explosion destroyed BP's Deepwater Horizon drilli

Trump's White House ballroom gets final nod days after judge halts work

US President Donald Trump's White House ballroom won final approval from a key agency on Thursday, despite a federal judge recently ordering a halt to construction unless Congress allows what would be the biggest structural change to the American landmark in more than 70 years. The 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, the agency tasked with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region, went ahead with the vote because US District Judge Richard Leon's ruling - which came two days earlier - affects construction activities but not the planning process, said the commission's Trump-appointed chair, Will Scharf. A vote of 8-1, with two commissioners voting present and one absent, allowed the plan to move forward. Despite the agency's approval, however, the judge's ruling and a legal fight over the ballroom could stall progress on a legacy project that Trump is racing to see completed before the end of his term in early 2029. It's among a series of changes

Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on imported drugs with some exemptions

Duties for products made by certain larger companies will take effect in 120 days, while items from smaller manufacturers won't be hit for another 180 days, according to a White House statement

Trump appoints Todd Blanche acting attorney general after Pam Bondi's exit

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department's culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president's perceived enemies. The departure followed months of scrutiny over the Justice Department's handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation and failed efforts to meet Trump's unwavering demands for criminal cases against his adversaries. As Trump's own frustrations mounted, he began privately discussing firing Bondi, people familiar with the matter say. "Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year," Trump said in a statement. He added, "We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced a

Hegseth asks US Army Chief Gen Randy George to step down: Pentagon

The move comes as the US and Israel continue a war against Iran, a mission that has recently seen the US send thousands of troops into the region for a possible ground operation

US Supreme Court poised to reject Trump's birthright citizenship limits

The Supreme Court seemed poised Wednesday to reject US President Donald Trump's restrictions on birthright citizenship in a momentous case that was magnified by his unparalleled presence in the courtroom. Conservative and liberal justices questioned whether Trump's order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens comports with either the Constitution or federal law. Arguments lasted more than two hours in a crowded courtroom that included not only Trump, the first sitting president to attend arguments at the nation's highest court, but also Attorney General Pam Bondi and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and in seats reserved for the justices' guests, actor Robert De Niro. The case frames another test of Trump's assertions of executive power that defy long-standing precedent for a court with a conservative majority and a robust view of presidential power, which has largely ruled in the Republican president

US eyes alternatives after WTO talks fail on ecommerce duty moratorium

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington would work with like-minded partners outside the WTO if the moratorium is not restored

US going to achieve objective in weeks, Iran at its weakest point: Rubio

US Secretary of State said Prez Trump has several options on the table to prevent Iran's hegemony over the strait

Trump claims talks with Iran's parliamentary speaker; Tehran denies

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened widespread destruction of Iran's energy resources and other vital infrastructure, including desalination plants, if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached "shortly." Trump said the US is negotiating with Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, in an interview with the New York Post published Monday. The former Revolutionary Guard commander was previously floated as Washington's negotiating partner, but has denied Iran is talking to the US and said Pakistan-facilitated discussions were merely a cover for American troop deployments. Meanwhile, Israel has invaded southern Lebanon to push out Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, who have fired rockets and drones across the border, in a campaign that Israeli officials suggest could become a prolonged occupation. Three UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon in less than 24 hours, but it's unclear who was responsible. US stocks edged higher in shaky trading Mond

US going to 'retake' control of Hormuz Strait, says Scott Bessent

His remarks come against a backdrop of heightened global concern over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for nearly one-fifth of world oil flows

Trump thanks Belarus Prez for releasing over '500 political prisoners'

Trump said his envoy, John Coale, secured the release of an additional 250 detainees following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko

US unveils 'Greater North America' strategy to redefine regional security

Plan outlines expanded northern security perimeter, urges allies to share defence responsibilities