logo
Trump Team Picked Fort Bragg Troops for Looks and Loyalty: ‘No Fat Soldiers'

Trump Team Picked Fort Bragg Troops for Looks and Loyalty: ‘No Fat Soldiers'

Fox News12-06-2025

Howie Kurtz on Fort Bragg being told not to have any 'fat soldiers' in the audience for Trump visit, Sen. McConnell urging Sec. Hegseth to continue to support Ukraine and Bob Costas bashing the media for not being tough on Trump.
Follow Howie on Twitter: ⁠ @HowardKurtz
For more #MediaBuzz click here

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US, China formalize deal on rare earth shipments
US, China formalize deal on rare earth shipments

CNN

time27 minutes ago

  • CNN

US, China formalize deal on rare earth shipments

China on Friday signaled it would approve the export of rare earth minerals to the US, hours after White House officials said the two sides had reached a deal, in what would be a major breakthrough following weeks of negotiations over US access to the key materials. Rare earths – essential in everything from everyday electronics to fighter jets – had become a key focus of trade frictions between the world's two largest economies in recent weeks as their tit-for-tat tariff escalation morphed into a supply chain struggle. 'China will approve the export application of controlled items that meet the conditions in accordance with the law. The United States will cancel a series of restrictive measures taken against China accordingly,' China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. The statement was framed as a response to a question that specifically referenced how 'China will accelerate the export of rare earths to the United States.' The Chinese statement followed comments from US President Donald Trump and his Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Thursday confirming that the two sides had reached a deal. The agreement appears to formalize an understanding reached between the two sides earlier this month in London, which the US at the time said needed to be approved by Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. On Thursday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was quoted by Bloomberg News as saying that China is 'going to deliver rare earths to us' and once they do that, 'we'll take down our countermeasures,' referring to the export curbs US imposed on China in May as US officials accused Beijing of not honoring a deal reached the previous month in Geneva, by holding up rare earth exports. At a White House event on Thursday Trump said: 'we just signed with China yesterday,' without elaborating. In its statement Friday, China's Commerce Ministry said it hoped that the two sides could 'continuously enhance consensus, reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation, and jointly promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations.' China controls around 90% of global rare earth processing, according to the International Energy Agency. The two countries last month in Geneva reached an agreement to de-escalate hefty tariffs that had resulted in a de-facto trade embargo, but that agreement quickly fell apart due to the Trump administration's frustrations that China was not lifting export controls on rare earths that it had imposed following Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs placed on China in April. The US, in retaliation, imposed export curbs on chips software, ethane and jet engines, while threatening to revoke the US visas of Chinese students. China said it was complying with the agreement and blamed Washington for reneging on its promises. Officials from both sides then returned to the negotiating table in London in June. Following the talks, Trump announced a deal had been reached– pending approval from both national leaders, and that both sides had agreed to ease export restrictions. The US will also allow Chinese college students to attend American universities, Trump suggested. 'Magnets and any necessary rare earths will be supplied up front by China,' he wrote on social media at the time. Reuters reported this week that the US Commerce Department has allowed ethane traders to load ethane on vessels bound for China. But it has prohibited them from unloading in China without authorization – signs experts interpret as the administration is preparing to lift the curbs. Under the dual use licensing regime China introduced for rare earths in April, exporters are required to seek approvals for each shipment to customers in any country and submit documentation to verify the intended end use of these materials. While China has in recent weeks repeatedly said that it has been 'speeding up' approvals of rare earth export licenses for 'compliant' applications, experts and industry insiders have told CNN that many companies are still struggling to secure sufficient supplies of these critical elements and magnets. Analysts also expect China's dual use export restrictions still prohibit shipments to military suppliers, leaving US defense contractors without access to such materials.

First female US ambassador to Russia to leave her role
First female US ambassador to Russia to leave her role

Yahoo

time41 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

First female US ambassador to Russia to leave her role

The first female US ambassador to Russia is leaving her role after serving through one of the most difficult periods in relations between the two countries. Lynne Tracy, who has been based in Moscow, said she is "proud to have represented my country" in the Russian capital "during such a challenging time". There is no suggestion she has been removed from her role by the administration. The departure of the career diplomat appointed by former president comes as Russia and the United States discuss a potential reset in their ties, which sharply deteriorated after Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022. President Donald Trump has said there are potentially big investment deals to be struck, but is growing increasingly frustrated that his efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine have so far not resulted in a meaningful ceasefire. In a statement shared by the US embassy in Russia on Telegram, Ms Tracy said: "As I leave Russia, I know that my colleagues at the embassy will continue to work to improve our relations and maintain ties with the Russian people. "I have been inspired by my meetings with Russians who love their country and work every day for a better future. I would like to conclude with lines from Pushkin's poem 'To Chaadayev', which speak of the love for the Motherland that lives in each of us. Goodbye!" The embassy said it wanted to "express our gratitude for her contributions based on consistent diplomacy, deep respect for Russian culture, and dedicated service to the American people". Read more from Sky News: In a statement earlier this month, the embassy said Ms Tracy, who arrived in Moscow in January 2023 and was greeted by protesters chanting anti-US slogans when she went to the foreign ministry to present her credentials, would leave her post soon. She was notably involved in efforts to win the release of US citizens jailed in Russia, and former marine Paul Whelan, who were eventually freed in August 2024 as part of a big East-West prisoner swap. Ms Tracy, who took over from John Sullivan, had previously served as the second-highest official at the US Embassy in Moscow, the deputy chief of mission, from 2014 to 2017. She was the ambassador to Armenia at the time she was nominated to replace Mr Sullivan after he retired. Ms Tracy, who speaks Russian, had also worked at US diplomatic outposts including Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. She majored in Soviet Studies and holds a law degree.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store