Page 3 - Us President

Elon Musk meets Iran's UN envoy as Trump prepares for January takeover

US-Iran relations: Iranian diplomats described the discussions with the tech entrepreneur as 'positive' and 'good news'

Donald Trump picks North Dakota Governor Burgum for interior secretary

Interior Secretary will oversee policies guiding the use of 500 million acres (202.3 million hectares) of federal and tribal land, a fifth of the nation's surface area

US President Biden to bid farewell at APEC, G20 under Trump's shadow

Meetings over six days are not expected to yield any major new agreements, senior Biden administration officials said, even as they are likely to touch on trade, security and global alliances

Trump picks Robert Kennedy Jr as health secy, Doug Collins for Vet Affairs

US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday announced his decision to nominate former Democratic presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. as his Secretary of Health and Human Services. The nomination for this top Cabinet position is subject to confirmation by the US Senate. Trump also announced his intent to nominate former Congressman Doug Collins of Georgia as Secretary for Veterans Affairs (VA). "I am thrilled to announce Robert F Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)," he said. For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it came to public health, the president-elect said, indicating the health policies of his second term beginning January 20, 2025. Trump said the safety and health of all Americans is the most important role of any administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everyone is protecte

Trump will pick up from where he left off with India: Ex-admin official

US president-elect Donald Trump, who enjoys very good relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to build on the progress made during his first term and continue strengthening ties with India, his South Asia point-person at the White House during his first term has said. Speaking to PTI in an interview, Lisa Curtis, who served as deputy assistant to president Trump and as National Security Council senior director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021, also said she expected the same bumps for India and the US, as in Trump's first term, including tariff, dependence on Russia over arms supply and oil purchase from Iran. "I think that President (elect) Trump will pick up where he left off with India. He clearly has good feelings, goodwill toward India, and I really see this as an opportunity to just continue building the relationship and really solidifying that partnership," Curtis said. During Trump's first term (2017-2021), there was an "elevation of the ...

Africa shows low expectations, some hope for second Trump presidency

African leaders may have been quick to congratulate Donald Trump on his election, professing a desire for mutually beneficial partnerships, but there are meagre expectations that his presidency will change things for this continent of over 1.4 billion people. In the wake of Trump's win, Kenya's William Ruto said his country stands ready to deepen its ties with Washington. Nigeria's Bola Tinubu spoke of a second Trump administration ushering in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal cooperation. Still, observers say African countries once described by Trump as shithole countries are definitely not going to be high on his to-do list. Low priority or not even a concern? U.S. foreign policy has not made Africa a priority for a long while beyond seeing the continent through the lens of countering rivals such as Russia and China, said Charles Ray, chair of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Africa Program. President Joe Biden talked about Africa as a key partner, said Ray

Trump spends 1st week as president-elect behind closed doors at Mar-a-Lago

For a man who loves the spotlight, Donald Trump has been conspicuously out of view since his triumph in last week's presidential election. There have been no rallies, no press conferences, no speeches. Instead, Trump has spent most of his first week as president-elect behind closed doors at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, where he's working the phones, reconnecting with foreign leaders and building his new administration. Trump is hardly in seclusion. He's surrounded by advisers, friends and paying members of his club, who weigh in with advice as he selects people for top government jobs. Elon Musk, the world's richest man, whose companies have billions of dollars of federal contracts, has been a constant presence. Some see Musk as the second-most influential figure in Trump's immediate orbit after his campaign chief-turned-incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Very productive day of work by the transition team, Musk posted on X, his social media company, on Monday ...

The road to inauguration: Key steps before Donald Trump takes office

As Donald Trump prepares for his second term, here's a breakdown of the official steps leading to his swearing-in on January 20, 2025

Biden's WH invitation to Trump continues a tradition Trump shunned in 2020

Before he comes back for good on Inauguration Day, Donald Trump will return to the White House briefly at the invitation of Democratic President Joe Biden, who had hoped to defeat his Republican predecessor a second time and reside there for four more years. That may make for an awkward encounter, especially given that, after Biden ousted Trump in 2020, Trump offered no such White House invitation to Biden. Trump even left Washington before the Jan. 20, 2021, inauguration, becoming the first president to do so since Andrew Johnson skipped the 1869 swearing-in of Ulysses S. Grant. Biden also has the unusual distinction of having beaten Trump in one cycle and running against him for about 15 months during this year's campaign. As he sought reelection, Biden constantly decried Trump as a threat to democracy and the nation's core values before leaving the race in July and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, who took on her own campaign and lost on Election Day. When the two meet in

'Resolution of Ukraine's war soon': Trump's secret phone call with Putin

In his first conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump urged the leader to end the war with Ukraine and bring peace to Europe

Biden should resign, make Harris first female President, says former aide

A former staffer of Vice President Kamala Harris urged President Joe Biden to resign and install his deputy as the first woman president of the country, although for a short duration. Joe Biden has been amazing but he should fulfil one last promise - to be transitional," Jamal Simmons, former communications director for the vice president said on a social media post after making a similar suggestion during a Sunday talk show. Joe Biden's been a phenomenal president, he's lived up to so many of the promises he's made. There's one promise left that he could fulfil, being a transitional figure. He could resign the presidency in the next 30 days, make Kamala Harris President of the United States," Simmons told CNN's"Situation Room in an interview. "It'd turn tables on Trump, keep Kamala from presiding over January 6 and make it easier for the next woman to run, he said. It would absolve her from having to oversee the January 6 transition of her own defeat. And it would make sure, it wo

Here's why Donald Trump won't take world by surprise a second time

For many countries, however, the prospect of Trump's return is less disconcerting than one might imagine

Trump pressures candidates for Senate GOP leader to fill Cabinet right away

Days before Senate Republicans pick their new leader, President-elect Donald Trump is pressuring the candidates to change the rules and empower him to appoint some nominees without a Senate vote. Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida are running in a secret ballot election Wednesday to lead the GOP conference and replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who is stepping aside from the job after almost two decades. All three have courted Trump's support in the race, vying to show who is the closest to the president-elect as they campaign to become majority leader. Trump has not endorsed in the race, but on Sunday he made clear that he expects the new leader to go around regular Senate order, if necessary, to allow him to fill his Cabinet quickly. In a statement on X and Truth Social, Trump said that the next leader must agree to allow him to make appointments when the chamber is on recess, bypassing a confirmation vote. Any ..

Trump announces Inaugural Committee to plan his inaugural events in 2025

US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday announced the formation of a committee to plan and celebrate his inauguration on January 20, 2025. Trump, 78, was elected as the 47th president of the United States in a stunning victory in the November 5 general elections. He succeeds outgoing President Joe Biden. The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee, which will plan the inaugural events, will be co-chaired by his longtime friends Steve Witkoff and Senator Kelly Loeffler. "On Election Night, we made history and I have the extraordinary honour of having been elected the 47th president of the United States thanks to tens of millions of hardworking Americans across the nation who supported our America First agenda," Trump said. The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee will honor this magnificent victory in a celebration of the American People and our nation, he said. "This will be the kick-off to my administration, which will deliver on bold promises to Make America Great Again. Together, we wil

Democracy motivating factor for both Harris, Trump voters in Prez poll

While inflation and immigration emerged as the dominant themes in this year's presidential race, another issue was prominent in the minds of voters for both major candidates: the stakes for democracy. Half of voters identified democracy as the single most important motivating factor for their vote. That was higher than the share of voters who answered the same way about inflation, the situation at the US-Mexico border, abortion policy or free speech, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. Notably, backers of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, the president-elect, saw the issue from different perspectives. About two-thirds of Harris voters said the future of democracy was the most important factor for their votes. No other topic high prices, abortion policy, free speech or the potential of the first woman to be elected as president was as big a factor for her supporters. Harris especially leaned into this messagi

What makes Trump one of the most powerful US presidents in his second term?

From presidential immunity to control over the Supreme Court, Donald Trump marks a powerful comeback in his second term as US president

Incumbent WTO head Iweala lone contender for top job in Trump era 2.0

During his first term, Trump paralysed WTO's top adjudications court by blocking judge appointments - a status that continues today - and announced tariffs on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum

US banks to gain from looser capital, merger policies under Trump admin

The President-elect's picks are likely to further dilute the contentious Basel III endgame proposal aimed at requiring big lenders to hold more capital to safeguard against soured loans

Here is how five key demographic groups voted in 2024 US Presidential poll

Donald Trump won the presidency after holding tight to his core base of voters and slightly expanding his coalition to include several groups that have traditionally been a part of the Democratic base. That finding comes from AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide that shows what issues mattered to voters in this election. Trump picked up a small but significant share of Black and Hispanic voters, and made narrow gains with men and women. As Trump chipped away at parts of Democrats' coalition, Vice President Kamala Harris wasn't able to make enough of her own gains. Trump succeeded in locking down his traditionally older, white base of voters, and he slightly expanded his margins with other groups into a winning coalition. Here's how five key demographic groups voted, according to AP VoteCast. Most Trump voters were white, a trend that continued from 2020 Slightly more than 8 in 10 Trump voters in this election were white, roughly in line with 2020.

Republicans try for slim House majority as 3 races uncalled in Pennsylvania

Three races for the US House in Pennsylvania remained uncalled by The Associated Press on Wednesday, as vote counting continued and Republicans fought to keep their slim majority in the chamber. A House majority would give the GOP a full sweep of power in Congress alongside President-elect Donald Trump in the White House. In all three of Pennsylvania's uncalled races, the Republican candidate held a slight lead, with some votes still outstanding. One uncalled race was the contest in an Allentown-based district in eastern Pennsylvania, where three-term Democratic US Rep. Susan Wild conceded to Republican Ryan Mackenzie. Mackenzie is a member of the state House of Representatives. Democrats hold a slight registration advantage in the district, but its close political divide made Wild a perennial target of Republicans. Also uncalled was a race in a northeastern Pennsylvania district around Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, where six-term Democratic US Rep. Matt Cartwright was trying to fend