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Economic Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Tulsi Gabbard unleashes ‘Coup' files targeting Obama-era officials with treason, but is it all a smokescreen to bury Epstein scandal?
AP U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard departs following a closed door meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines Monday, June 2, 2025. (Ezra Acayan/Pool Photo via AP) Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Friday, July 18, unleashed a barrage on posts X, accusing former Obama administration officials of politicizing intelligence ahead of the 2016 US election. She claims that the intelligence community's assessment of Russian election interference was manipulated to falsely suggest that foreign cyber operations influenced Donald Trump's victory. 'These documents detail a treasonous conspiracy by officials at the highest levels of the Obama White House,' Gabbard posted, adding that the effort was to 'subvert the will of the American people.' Also Read: How much is Dylan Dreyer worth in 2025; and who's doing better after her split from Brian Fichera? She further stated she has handed over all related documents to the Department of Justice, calling for a full investigation. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released declassified documents that revisit intelligence assessments made after the 2016 election. The documents, originally circulated within national security agencies, suggested that foreign actors, primarily Russia, did not alter vote counts or directly impact election results via cyber in one such Presidential Daily Brief from December 2016, intelligence officials reportedly assessed it was 'highly unlikely' that Russian actors had succeeded in changing vote outcomes. Despite these conclusions, a separate Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) released on January 6, 2017, indicated that Russia sought to help Trump win. That assessment became central to the narrative of Trump-Russia collusion and later led to investigations, including the Mueller Mueller probe was launched in May 2017 under Special Counsel Robert Mueller to examine Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, and whether President Trump obstructed justice. The investigation concluded that Russia did interfere through hacking and propaganda but did not find sufficient evidence to charge Trump or his campaign with conspiracy. Now, with newly declassified documents released by DNI Tulsi Gabbard, questions have resurfaced about the origins and motivations behind the probe, raising claims that the intelligence was politicized to justify a prolonged campaign to undermine Trump's timing of Gabbard's post and document release has also raised eyebrows among political observers. On July 17, the WSJ published a report detailing the involvement of President Donald Trump in a 2003 birthday letter that he allegedly signed in a leather-bound album for Jeffrey Epstein. However, he called it fake and threatened legal renewed interest in the matter, critics point out that Donald Trump has consistently sought to distance himself from the controversial case involving alleged ties between global elites and the now-deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein. Observers also note a sudden shift in both media and political discourse, steering attention back to long-standing Russia-related narratives and raising questions about whether this pivot is intended to divert focus from the unresolved Epstein saga. Online commentators have begun asking: Is the revival of this 2016 controversy meant to bury or distract from Epstein-related revelations?Gabbard, who was confirmed as Director of National Intelligence earlier this year under President Trump's second term, said that her actions are not partisan. 'This is about the integrity of our democratic republic,' she she has called for accountability, none of the individuals named, such as former CIA Director John Brennan, former DNI James Clapper, or former FBI Director James Comey, have publicly responded to the allegations as of publication. The Department of Justice has not confirmed any formal investigations on the newly declassified documents.
Japan Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
French President Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the army leaders at the Hotel le Brienne, Sunday, July 13, 2025, ahead of the Bastille Day parade in Paris. (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP) By ANGELA CHARLTON French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats, ranging from Russia to nuclear proliferation, terrorists and online attacks. The French leader laid out the spending plans in a sweeping speech calling for intensified efforts to protect Europe, and support Ukraine in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion. He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros ($74.8 billion) in annual defense spending in 2027, the last year of his second term. That would be double the 32 billion euros in annual spending when he became president in 2017. ″Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,'' Macron said in the French president's traditional speech to the military on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday. ''We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.'' ″To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful,'' he said. He insisted that France can find the money to spend more on the military even as it tries to bring down massive national debts. Conservative and far-right parties have supported greater defense spending, while left-wing parties accuse the government of sacrificing hard-won social welfare benefits for military spending. Europe is in danger because of Russia's war in Ukraine and wars in the Middle East, and because ″the United States has added a form of uncertainty,″ Macron argued. Other dangers he cited included online disinformation campaigns by unnamed foreign governments and propaganda operations targeting children, in ″the screen era.″ Macron also ordered France's top military and defense officials to start a ″strategic dialogue″ with European partners about the role that the French nuclear arsenal could play in protecting Europe. France and Britain agreed recently to cooperate on nuclear arsenal issues. His speech came as U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to make an announcement about Russia on Monday, and the head of NATO is traveling to Washington for two days of talks. Trump last week announced plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that they can then pass on to Ukraine, which has been struggling to repel massive and complex Russian air assaults. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities. Lecornu also urged more French spending on defense technology and better training of engineers and technicians. ″Big powers and certain proliferating countries are working secretly on quantum computers ... that will be capable tomorrow of revolutionizing the battlefield. Do we want to stay in the game?' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Asahi Shimbun
12-07-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Rubio and Wang stress cooperation after talks in Malaysia as US-China tensions simmer
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, meets with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, second right, during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on July 11. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed Friday to explore 'areas of potential cooperation' between Washington and Beijing, and stressed the importance of managing differences, following their first in-person meeting as they wrapped up a two-day regional security forum in Malaysia. Rubio and Wang met Friday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, regional forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as tensions between the two global powers continue to rise over trade, security, and China's support for Russia's war in Ukraine. 'Look, we're two big, powerful countries, and there are always going to be issues that we disagree on,' Rubio told reporters after the meeting. "I think there's some areas of potential cooperation. I thought it was very constructive, positive meeting and a lot of work to do.' Both sides need to build better communications and trust, he said. Rubio also indicated that a potential visit to China by U.S. President Donald Trump to meet with President Xi Jinping was likely, saying: "The odds are high. I think both sides want to see it happen.' China's Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a statement later Friday, echoed Rubio's sentiment, calling the meeting 'positive, pragmatic and constructive.' The statement didn't provide details on specific topics such as tariffs or China's position on the Russia-Ukraine war, but it said that both countries agreed to 'increase communication and dialogue' and 'explore expanding areas of cooperation while managing differences.' Wang called for 'jointly finding a correct way for China and the U.S. to get along in the new era,' it said. While tariffs loomed in the background, Rubio said that trade wasn't a major focus of his talks because 'I'm not the trade negotiator.' 'We certainly appreciate the role trade plays in our bilateral relationships with individual countries. But the bulk of our talks here have been about all the other things that we cooperate on,' he said. The meeting with Wang was held less than 24 hours after Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur with another rival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which they discussed potential new avenues to jumpstart Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The high-level meetings took place amid regional unease over U.S. policies — especially Trump's threats to impose sweeping new tariffs on both allies and adversaries. Southeast Asian leaders voiced concerns, but according to Rubio, many prioritized discussions on security issues, their concerns about Chinese domination and desire for cooperation with the U.S. 'Of course, it's raised. It's an issue,' Rubio said. 'But I wouldn't say it solely defines our relationship with many of these countries. There are a lot of other issues that we work together on, and I think there was great enthusiasm that we were here and that we're a part of this.' European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned separately that the U.S.-led trade war could backfire. 'There are no winners in trade wars,' she told reporters. 'If you start a trade war with everyone, you make your partners weaker and China stronger.' Kallas said that the EU doesn't seek retaliation, but has tools available, if necessary. Trump sees China as the biggest threat to the United States in multiple fields, not least technology and trade, and like previous U.S. presidents has watched the country greatly expand its influence globally while turning increasingly assertive in the Indo-Pacific, notably toward its small neighbors over the South China Sea and Taiwan. His administration has warned of major tariffs on Chinese exports, though talks have made little progress. Since former U.S. President Joe Biden was in office, Washington has also accused China of assisting Russia in rebuilding its military industrial sector to help it execute its war against Ukraine. Rubio said the Trump administration shares that view. 'I think the Chinese clearly have been supportive of the Russian effort,' he said. 'They've been willing to help them as much as they can without getting caught.' Rubio and Wang had been shadowboxing during the two-day ASEAN meeting, with each touting the benefits of their partnership to Southeast Asian nations. Rubio has played up cooperation, including signing a civil-nuclear cooperation agreement with Malaysia, while Wang has railed against Trump's threatened tariffs and projected China as a stable counterweight in talks with ASEAN counterparts on the sidelines. 'The U.S. is abusing tariffs, wrecking the free trade system and disrupting the stability of the global supply chain,' Wang told Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. In a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Wang said that the tariffs are 'an attempt to deprive all parties of their legitimate right to development.' He said that 'China is willing to be Cambodia's trustworthy and reliable friend and partner.' Wang also met with Lavrov on Thursday, where the two offered a joint message aimed at Washington. 'Russia and China both support ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation ... and are wary of certain major powers creating divisions and instigating confrontation in the region,' Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong sided with Rubio's call for a balanced Indo-Pacific, warning that 'no one country should dominate, and no country should be dominated.' But like Kallas, she said that engagement with China remains vital. 'We want to see a region where there is a balance of power ... where there is no coercion or duress,' Wong said. ___ Huizhong Wu in Bangkok, and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, contributed to this report.
The Star
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
China vows to play constructive role in promoting dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi walks between meetings during the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur Friday, July 11, 2025. - Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP KUALA LUMPUR (Xinhua): China is willing to work with Thailand to push the building of a community with a shared future to higher levels as China and Thailand celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa during their meeting on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meetings that China's is willing to play a constructive role in promoting dialogue and de-escalation between Thailand and Cambodia over their recent border tensions. The building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future has continued to make new progress. Marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, the two countries have jointly celebrated the "Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship," Wang said. China firmly supports Thailand in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and always places China-Thailand relations as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy, Wang said, expressing China's willingness to work with Thailand to push the building of the community with a shared future to higher and more substantive levels. Wang called for enhanced alignment of development strategies and further integration of interests between the two sides, proposed forging new growth engines in areas such as digital economy, artificial intelligence, cross-border e-commerce and green development to support the modernization efforts of both countries. He also urged speeding up the construction of the China-Thailand railway to leverage flagship projects in order to promote the vision of interconnected development of China, Laos and Thailand. Commenting on global trade, Wang said the United States, by unilaterally imposing tariffs, has undermined the free trading system and disrupted global industrial and supply chains. He expressed confidence that Thailand and other Asean (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries will safeguard their legitimate interests and resist unilateralism, power politics and acts of bullying. He added that China is committed to signing the protocol for the Version 3.0 China-Asean Free Trade Area within the year to expand their common market and demonstrate their joint support for the rules of the World Trade Organisation and the multilateral trading system through concrete actions. On the Thailand-Cambodia border issue, Wang noted that both Thailand and Cambodia are China's good neighbors and friends, expressing hope that both sides would handle the matter through dialogue and consultation in a spirit of goodwill, aiming to de-escalate tensions and restore stability at an early date. Chin will maintain an objective and impartial stance and play a constructive role in promoting peaceful relations between the two countries. For his part, Maris said China is a trustworthy friend of Thailand. Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have maintained mutual trust and respected each other's core interests. The spirit of "Thailand and China are as close as one family" has stood the test of time, and the building of the Thailand-China community with a shared future continues to yield fruitful outcomes. Thailand firmly adheres to the One-China principle and looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges and practical cooperation with China in connectivity, trade, agriculture and combating transnational crime, he said. Thailand firmly supports multilateralism and the multilateral trading system, and calls for the early restoration of the normal trade order, said the Thai foreign minister. Maris stressed that border and territorial issues should not be resolved through force and expressed Thailand's appreciation to China's objective and balanced position in mediating and promoting dialogue. Thailand is willing to resolve disputes with Cambodia through bilateral channels in the spirit of good neighborliness and goodwill, said the Thai foreign minister. - Xinhua
Toronto Star
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
State Department is laying off over 1,300 staffers under Trump administration plan
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gestures as he boards his flight before departing from Subang Air Base, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, on Friday, July 11, 2025, after attending the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
