The knives are coming out for H.R. McMaster

The knives are coming out for H.R. McMaster

Allies of White House chief strategist Steve Bannon intensified their battle against national security adviser H.R. McMaster this week as McMaster began asserting more control over the National Security Council and fired officials appointed by his immediate predecessor, Michael Flynn. The dismissals of Ezra Cohen-Watnick, Rich Higgins, and Derek Harvey have exacerbated friction between McMaster and […]

Trump’s Advisors Taking Longer Than Expected With Afghanistan Plan

Trump’s Advisors Taking Longer Than Expected With Afghanistan Plan

The Trump administration’s plan for Afghanistan as well as their policy toward Pakistan is taking “longer than originally announced and intended,” said Laurel Miller, the former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Miller said to the media that, “there are no easy answers, there are no easy solutions. After 16 years, a lot of different […]

Trump’s Advisors Taking Longer Than Expected With Afghanistan Plan

Trump’s Advisors Taking Longer Than Expected With Afghanistan Plan

The Trump administration’s plan for Afghanistan as well as their policy toward Pakistan is taking “longer than originally announced and intended,” said Laurel Miller, the former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Miller said to the media that, “there are no easy answers, there are no easy solutions. After 16 years, a lot of different […]

The Daily 202: John Kelly proves he can manage up on his first day as chief of staff

The Daily 202: John Kelly proves he can manage up on his first day as chief of staff

THE BIG IDEA: John F. Kelly’s first move as White House chief of staff — firing communications director Anthony Scaramucci — validated President Trump’s decision to elevate him. The 67-year-old retired Marine general showed that he’s no nonsense, and the alpha male in the Oval Office surely appreciated the early show of strength. “Trump’s willingness to dismiss […]

Tyler becomes Taylor: A transgender Coast Guard officer in transition

Tyler becomes Taylor: A transgender Coast Guard officer in transition

Taylor Miller is the first openly transitioning U.S. Coast Guard officer.  Now 27, she began her transgender journey four years ago with hormone replacement therapy and is planning a full gender reassignment surgery. In July 2016, the Pentagon removed its ban on transgender service members and Miller was finally allowed to wear a woman’s uniform. Because of the recent […]

Hezbollah takes journalists in Lebanon on a tour to prove Trump wrong

Hezbollah takes journalists in Lebanon on a tour to prove Trump wrong

When President Trump lumped the Lebanese Hezbollah movement together with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda last week, describing Lebanon’s government as a partner in the fight against all of them, he might not have realized quite how complicated the situation in Lebanon is. So on Saturday, Hezbollah took a party of journalists on a tour that helped […]

Priebus out as chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly to replace him

Priebus out as chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly to replace him

Reince Priebus is out as White House chief of staff, after struggling for months to bring a sense of order to the West Wing or advance President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. Trump announced in a tweet on Friday that Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will replace him. Two senior White House officials said Priebus had […]

U.S. says Iran rocket test breaches U.N. resolution

U.S. says Iran rocket test breaches U.N. resolution

Iran successfully tested a rocket that can deliver satellites into orbit, state television reported on Thursday, an action the United States said breaches a U.N. Security Council resolution because of its potential use in ballistic missile development. Iranian state television showed footage of the firing of the rocket, mounted on a launchpad carrying pictures of […]

Joint Chiefs: ‘No modifications’ to transgender policy from Trump tweet

Joint Chiefs: ‘No modifications’ to transgender policy from Trump tweet

There will be “no modifications” to the military’s transgender policy as a result of President Donald Trump’s declared ban on transgender men and women on Twitter, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said in a message to top military officers on Thursday — the latest sign of the disarray following the commander-in-chief’s abrupt announcement. Marine […]