Tag: White House

Bannon leaves White House — but vows to fight on for Trump; returns to Breitbart

by Chris Lefkow and Jerome Cartillier Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump parted ways with his controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon on Friday as the White House reeled from the fallout over the president’s much-criticized response to a violent white supremacist rally. But the 63-year-old — whose departure caps one of the most disastrous weeks of the already chaotic young Trump administration — vowed to keep pushing the president’s right-wing agenda, […]

NBA: Durant says will boycott White House, slams Trump

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant said Thursday he would boycott the White House if the NBA champions are invited, accusing President Donald Trump of escalating racial tensions in the country. In an interview with ESPN, 2017 NBA Finals MVP Durant said if the Warriors were invited to Washington in keeping with recent tradition of honoring sports teams, he would skip the event in protest. “Nah, I won’t do that,” […]

White House defends Trump’s response to Virginia violence

by Jerome Cartillier with Brian Knowlton in Washington Agence France-Presse BEDMINSTER, United States (AFP) – The White House on Sunday struggled to defuse the growing criticism of President Donald Trump’s initial failure to explicitly condemn white supremacists for their role in the violent protest Saturday in Virginia, insisting that his condemnation included all such groups. A woman died and 19 people were injured in the city of Charlottesville when a car plowed into a crowd […]

US forces ‘ready’ to protect Guam against N. Korea: W. House

(Agence France Presse) — United States military forces “stand ready” to safeguard Guam after after North Korea threatened to fire ballistic missiles toward the American Pacific island territory, the White House said early Saturday. During a call with Guam Governor Eddie Calvo, President Donald Trump “reassured” him that “United States forces stand ready to ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam, along with the rest of America,” a statement read. It said White House Chief of […]

Scaramucci out as Trump’s new chief of staff takes reins

by Andrew Beatty Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Foul-mouthed spin doctor Anthony Scaramucci was axed as White House communications director Monday, just 10 days after being named to the post and hours after Donald Trump installed a new chief of staff. The 53-year-old New Yorker — whose profanity-laden rant against colleagues gained him global notoriety — was fired as four-star general John Kelly began his quest to impose order on an administration […]

Trump to host Lebanese Prime Minister: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump will meet Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Washington next week for talks on issues including refugees and combatting terrorism, the White House announced Friday. Analysts also anticipate US aid will be high on the agenda of the July 25th talks at the White House, which has made clear its intent to slash its aid budget for Lebanon, on grounds that national forces there have not […]

Spicer out amid White House shake-up

by Michael Mathes / Andrew Beatty Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, , United States – White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned Friday in protest at a major shake-up of Donald Trump’s embattled administration, as pressure mounts from a broadening investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Spicer quit in opposition to Trump’s naming of Anthony Scaramucci, a Wall Street financier and longtime supporter of the billionaire investor-turned-president, as the new White House communications director, a White […]

Trump welcomes South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the White House

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Reuters) – United States President Donald Trump welcomed newly-elected South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the White House on Thursday (June 29). The President and First Lady Melania Trump greeted the South Korean leader and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, at the White House South Lawn entrance. Reporters shouted to the President, asking questions about Donald Trump’s Twitter attack where he called an MSNBC anchor Mika Brzezinski “crazy” and alleged she had […]

NBA: Curry to pass on White House celebration visit

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said Wednesday that if the team is invited to visit the White House after winning the NBA championship then he probably won’t go. “Somebody asked me about it a couple months ago, a hypothetical, if a championship were to happen, what would I do,” Curry said. “I answered I wouldn’t go. I still feel that way today.” Curry’s comment came two days after […]

Trump and Merkel ‘get along very well’: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House poured cold water on suggestions of a transatlantic rift Tuesday, saying United States President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel “get along very well.” After Merkel seemed to question the durability of the US-European Union alliance under Trump, urging Europeans to “take our destiny in our own hands,” White House spokesperson Sean Spicer tried to scotch talk of any problems. Spicer said that during a recent […]

White House braces for more scrutiny, Trump defends Kushner

by Anita Chang Beattie Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – The White House braced Monday for a fresh wave of scrutiny in the ever-widening investigation into Russian election meddling, as President Donald Trump rallied behind his embattled son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner. The United States leader visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for the nation’s war dead, but had to quickly pivot his attention to the Russia scandal […]

White House was told Trump aide Flynn ‘could be blackmailed’

by Paul Handley Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House was warned in January that President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail, a top former official told lawmakers Monday, as the issue of Moscow’s meddling in the US election returned to the spotlight. Former acting attorney general Sally Yates, a Barack Obama appointee who was sacked by Trump early in his presidency, made the disclosure during […]