Reluctant Trump grants sanctions relief to Iran one last time 1/13/2018 9:00:23 AM U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg WASHINGTON (Reuters) JANUARY 12, 2018  - U.S. President Donald Trump upheld U.S. participation in the Iran nuclear deal on Friday by granting Tehran relief from U.S. sanctions but aides said it would be the last time he would do so. A senior administration official said Trump wants the 2015 Iran deal strengthened with a follow-on agreement in 120 days or the United States will unilaterally withdraw from the international pact. Trump had privately chafed at having to once again waive sanctions on a country he sees as a rising threat in the Middle East. The agreement was reached during Barack Obama’s presidency. While Trump approved a sanctions waiver, the Treasury Department decided to impose new, targeted sanctions against 14 Iranian entities and individuals. The...

Trump urges U.N. council to renew Syria chemical arms inquiry U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence WASHINGTON (Reuters) NOVEMBER 16, 2017  - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday urged all members of the U.N. Security Council to back the renewal of the international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria, saying it was needed to prevent President Bashar al-Assad from using the arms.  “Need all on the UN Security Council to vote to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism for Syria to ensure that Assad Regime does not commit mass murder with chemical weapons ever again,” Trump said in a note on Twitter.

Trump says Russia hurting U.S. efforts on North Korea nuclear issue 10/26/2017 8:31:08 AM   facebook Google+ ► Print U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before awarding the Medal of Honor to Vietnam War Veteran, retired Army Capt. Gary Rose WASHINGTON (Reuters)OCT, 26, 2017  - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russia was hurting U.S. efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons while China had been helpful. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump said it would be easier to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue if the United States had a better relationship with Russia. “China is helping us and maybe Russia’s going through the other way and hurting what we’re getting,” Trump said of the North Korea situation. A series of weapons tests by North Korea and a string of increasingly bellicose exchanges between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have ratcheted up tensions. Trump has pressed China to help rein...

Trump says Russia hurting U.S. efforts on North Korea nuclear issue 10/26/2017 8:31:08 AM   facebook Google+ ► Print U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before awarding the Medal of Honor to Vietnam War Veteran, retired Army Capt. Gary Rose WASHINGTON (Reuters)OCT, 26, 2017  - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russia was hurting U.S. efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons while China had been helpful. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump said it would be easier to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue if the United States had a better relationship with Russia. “China is helping us and maybe Russia’s going through the other way and hurting what we’re getting,” Trump said of the North Korea situation. A series of weapons tests by North Korea and a string of increasingly bellicose exchanges between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have ratcheted up tensions. Trump has pressed China to help rei...

Draft Senate Iran legislation sets tough new U.S. terms for deal 10/25/2017 8:52:05 AM   facebook Google+ ► Print A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Khamenei, the Mullahs Supreme Leader at Baharestan Square in Tehran WASHINGTON (Reuters) OCTOBER 25, 2017  - Draft legislation responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s refusal to certify the Iran nuclear deal would set tough new terms for the pact, including restoring sanctions if Iran tests a ballistic missile a ble to carry a warhead or bars nuclear inspectors from any sites. Critics of the legislation drafted by Republican Senators Bob Corker and Tom Cotton, with support from the Trump administration, said it could put the United States in violation of the international agreement if it were enacted. The draft, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, was in the works on Oct. 13 when Trump announced he would not formally certify that Tehran was complying with the international nuclear pact...

Trump: Raqqa fall 'critical breakthrough', end of Islamic State in sight 10/21/2017 9:52:00 PM Donald Trump says end of Islamic State is in sight WASHINGTON (Reuters) OCT. 21, 2017  - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday hailed the defeat of Islamic State fighters in their self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa as “a critical breakthrough” in a worldwide campaign against the militants. On Friday, the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) formally announced Raqqa’s liberation from Islamic State after four months of battles and said the city would be part of a decentralized federal Syria. “Together, our forces have liberated the entire city from ISIS control,” Trump said in a statement.      Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters ride atop military vehicles as they celebrate victory in Raqqa, Syria, October 17, 2017 “The defeat of ISIS in Raqqa represents a critical breakthrough in our worldwide campaign to defeat...

Don't let Iran becomes the next North Korea US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley delivers remarks at a security council meeting WASHINGTON (REUTERS) Oct. 15, 2017  - Senior Trump administration officials said on Sunday (Oct 15) that the United States was committed to remaining part of the Iran nuclear accord for now, despite President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the deal and his warnings that he might pull out. In a speech on Friday (Oct 13), Trump laid out an aggressive approach on Iran and said he would not certify it is complying with the nuclear accord, despite a determination by the  United Nations  ’nuclear watchdog that Tehran is meeting its terms. The Republican president threw the issue to the US Congress, which has 60 days to decide whether to reinstate US sanctions. He warned that if “we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.” In her Meet the Press inter...

Trump to unveil new responses to Iranian 'bad behavior': White House 10/7/2017 6:53:32 AM The US administration was considering Oct. 12 for Trump to give a speech on Iran, but no final decision had been made, an official said. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -OCTOBER 7, 2017-   President Donald Trump will announce new U.S. responses to Iran’s missile tests, support for “terrorism” and cyber operations as part of his new Iran strategy, the White House said on Friday. “The president isn’t looking at one piece of this. He’s looking at all of the bad behavior of Iran,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, told reporters. “Not just the nuclear deal as bad behavior, but the ballistic missile testing, destabilizing of the region, Number One state sponsor of terrorism, cyber attacks, illicit nuclear program,” Sanders continued. Trump “wants to look for a broad strategy that addresses all of those problems, not just one-offing those,” she said....

In meeting with military, Trump talks of 'calm before the storm' U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a briefing with senior military leaders at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 5, 2017. REUTERS WASHINGTON (Reuters) - OCTOBER 6, 2017-  After discussing Iran and North Korea with U.S. military leaders on Thursday, President Donald Trump posed for a photo with them before dinner and declared the moment “the calm before the storm.” “You guys know what this represents?” Trump said after journalists gathered in the White House state dining room to photograph him and first lady Melania Trump with the uniformed military leaders and their spouses. “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm,” he said. What storm? “You’ll find out,” Trump told questioning reporters. Classical music played in the background and tables were set in the nearby Blue Room for a fancy meal. The White House did not immediately reply to a request to clarify Trump’s remark. Earlier...