Trump says he's ended 6 (or 7) wars. Here's some context.
Asked for clarification, the White House provided a list of the six wars he says he has resolved. It did not respond to a subsequent question about the seventh.
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Armenia and Azerbaijan
Trump brought the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the White House this month to sign a joint declaration aimed at bringing their long-running conflict closer to an end. It was not a peace deal, but it was the first commitment toward one since fighting broke out in the late 1980s when a weakening Soviet Union unleashed interethnic strife in the Caucasus.
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Both leaders praised Trump, who stepped into a conflict that had long been mediated by Russia, until President Vladimir Putin's attention shifted after his 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
As part of the agreement, Armenia said it would grant the United States rights to develop a major transit corridor through its territory, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. The project has been described as an economic game changer for the region that would better connect Europe with Azerbaijan and Central Asia.
But it is not clear when the route will open and on what terms. And major barriers to a lasting peace remain.
Azerbaijan continues to demand that Armenia change its constitution to remove mentions of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan took over in 2023. Azerbaijan also occupies small areas of Armenia, citing security concerns, and the countries have not agreed on a shared border. For now, the border between the two nations is closed, diplomatic ties remain broken.
Congo and Rwanda
In June, the top diplomats from Rwanda and Congo came to the Oval Office to sign a peace agreement aimed at ending a war that has raged for over three decades. Qatar also played a major role in the deal, which was intended to pave the way to a full peace agreement.
Trump called the accord 'a glorious triumph.'
But talks on a comprehensive agreement have since faltered and deadly fighting has continued. On Monday, the main rebel group in eastern Congo, known as M23 and backed by Rwanda, threatened to renege on the U.S.-backed deal, claiming that its primary foe, the Congolese army, had broken its terms.
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India and Pakistan
Trump has taken credit for mediating an end to a military escalation between the two nuclear powers that broke out after a terrorist attack in Kashmir this spring killed 26 civilians.
India has acknowledged the American role in mediating but says it negotiated an end to the fighting directly with Pakistan. India claims that Pakistani officials asked for ceasefire talks under pressure from India's military assaults. Pakistan denies this and has thanked Trump for helping to end the hostilities.
The differing accounts have contributed to a deterioration of relations between Washington and New Delhi, which is also playing out in Trump's trade war. Pakistan, which said it would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation, faces U.S. tariffs of 19%. India, on the other hand, faces a crippling 50% tariff, a rate that could crush the country's exporters.
Israel and Iran
After 12 days of strikes in June that included U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, Trump abruptly announced a ceasefire agreement. He said the United States had mediated it and claimed that Israel had turned around its warplanes at his behest.
'It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!' he posted on Truth Social.
Although neither side has disputed the American role in the truce, its durability remains in question. Talks have broken off between Iran and the United States on the future of Tehran's nuclear program, which Israel considers an existential threat.
And while American intelligence assesses that the U.S. bombings badly damaged Iran's most advanced nuclear enrichment site, some experts believe Tehran could eventually resume enriching uranium, which is needed to build a nuclear weapon, at other sites.
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Cambodia and Thailand
The two Southeast Asian neighbors engaged this summer in days of fighting that killed at least 42 people and displaced more than 300,000, one of the bloodiest conflicts between them in decades.
At the time, the Trump administration was discussing trade deals with a host of countries, and Trump said he had told the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia that he would stop trade talks unless they agreed to a ceasefire.
Two days later, officials met in Malaysia for talks organized by Malaysian and U.S. officials and reached a deal to pause hostilities. 'They will hopefully get along for many years to come,' Trump said afterward.
Critics of Trump's approach say his intervention did not address the underlying issues of the conflict, though fighting has stopped.
Egypt and Ethiopia
Egypt and Ethiopia face not a military conflict but a diplomatic dispute over Africa's largest hydroelectric dam. Still, there are fears that it might descend into fighting. (Trump said in 2020 that Egypt had threatened to 'blow up' the dam.)
Trump's diplomacy has done little to resolve the dispute. Ethiopia recently announced that it had completed the dam, with an official opening scheduled for next month. Egypt and Sudan continue to oppose the project, fearing it will limit the flow of water from the Nile River to their countries.
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Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Putin's demand to Ukraine: give up Donbas, no NATO and no Western troops, sources say
By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join NATO, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country, three sources familiar with top-level Kremlin thinking told Reuters. The Russian president met Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday for the first Russia-U.S. summit in more than four years and spent almost all of their three-hour closed meeting discussing what a compromise on Ukraine might look like, according to the sources who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Speaking afterwards beside Trump, Putin said the meeting would hopefully open up the road to peace in Ukraine - but neither leader gave specifics about what they discussed. In the most detailed Russian-based reporting to date on Putin's offer at the summit, Reuters was able to outline the contours of what the Kremlin would like to see in a possible peace deal to end a war that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people. In essence, the Russian sources said, Putin has compromised on territorial demands he laid out in June 2024, which required Kyiv to cede the entirety of the four provinces Moscow claims as part of Russia: Dontesk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine - which make up the Donbas - plus Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. Kyiv rejected those terms as tantamount to surrender. In his new proposal, the Russian president has stuck to his demand that Ukraine completely withdraw from the parts of the Donbas it still controls, according to the three sources. In return, though, Moscow would halt the current front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, they added. Russia controls about 88% of the Donbas and 73% of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, according to U.S. estimates and open-source data. Moscow is also willing to hand over the small parts of the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions of Ukraine it controls as part of a possible deal, the sources said. Putin is sticking, too, to his previous demands that Ukraine give up its NATO ambitions and for a legally binding pledge from the U.S.-led military alliance that it will not expand further eastwards, as well as for limits on the Ukrainian army and an agreement that no Western troops will be deployed on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force, the sources said. Yet the two sides remain far apart, more than three years after Putin ordered thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine in a full-scale invasion that followed the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and prolonged fighting in the country's east between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. Ukraine's foreign ministry had no immediate comment on the proposals. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly dismissed the idea of withdrawing from internationally recognised Ukrainian land as part of a deal, and has said the industrial Donbas region serves as a fortress holding back Russian advances deeper into Ukraine. "If we're talking about simply withdrawing from the east, we cannot do that," he told reporters in comments released by Kyiv on Thursday. "It is a matter of our country's survival, involving the strongest defensive lines." Joining NATO, meanwhile, is a strategic objective enshrined in the country's constitution and one which Kyiv sees as its most reliable security guarantee. Zelenskiy said it was not up to Russia to decide on the alliance's membership. The White House and NATO didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the Russian proposals. Political scientist Samuel Charap, chair in Russia and Eurasia Policy at RAND, a U.S.-based global policy think-tank, said any requirement for Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbas remained a non-starter for Kyiv, both politically and strategically. "Openness to 'peace' on terms categorically unacceptable to the other side could be more of a performance for Trump than a sign of a true willingness to compromise," he added. "The only way to test that proposition is to begin a serious process at the working level to hash out those details." TRUMP: PUTIN WANTS TO SEE IT ENDED Russian forces currently control a fifth of Ukraine, an area about the size of the American state of Ohio, according to U.S. estimates and open-source maps. The three sources close to the Kremlin said the summit in the Alaskan city of Anchorage had ushered in the best chance for peace since the war began because there had been specific discussions about Russia's terms and Putin had shown a willingness to give ground. "Putin is ready for peace - for compromise. That is the message that was conveyed to Trump," one of the people said. The sources cautioned that it was unclear to Moscow whether Ukraine would be prepared to cede the remains of the Donbas, and that if it did not then the war would continue. Also unclear was whether or not the United States would give any recognition to Russian-held Ukrainian territory, they added. A fourth source said that though economic issues were secondary for Putin, he understood the economic vulnerability of Russia and the scale of the effort needed to go far further into Ukraine. Trump has said he wants to end the "bloodbath" of the war and be remembered as a "peacemaker president". He said on Monday he had begun arranging a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, to be followed by a trilateral summit with the U.S. president. "I believe Vladimir Putin wants to see it ended," Trump said beside Zelenskiy in the Oval office. "I feel confident we are going to get it solved." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Putin was prepared to meet Zelenskiy but that all issues had to be worked through first and there was a question about Zelenskiy's authority to sign a peace deal. Putin has repeatedly raised doubts about Zelenskiy's legitimacy as his term in office was due to expire in May 2024 but the war means no new presidential election has yet been held. Kyiv says Zelenskiy remains the legitimate president. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have said they are sceptical that Putin wants to end the war. SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff was instrumental in paving the way for the summit, and the latest drive for peace, according to two of the Russian sources. Witkoff met Putin in the Kremlin on August 6 with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. At the meeting, Putin conveyed clearly to Witkoff that he was ready to compromise and set out the contours of what he could accept for peace, according to two Russian sources. If Russia and Ukraine could reach an agreement, then there are various options for a formal deal - including a possible three-way Russia-Ukraine-U.S. deal that is recognised by the U.N. Security Council, one of the sources said. Another option is to go back to the failed 2022 Istanbul agreements, where Russia and Ukraine discussed Ukraine's permanent neutrality in return for security guarantees from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the sources added. "There are two choices: war or peace, and if there is no peace, then there is more war," one of the people said. Solve the daily Crossword
San Francisco Chronicle
25 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Illegal immigration hit a record-high of 14 million in the US in 2023, Pew report finds
The number of people in the United States illegally surged to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, a research group said Thursday, a major increase that still falls well short of estimates from President Donald Trump and some critics of immigration. The Pew Research Center's closely watched gauge rose from 11.8 million a year earlier and surpassed the previous high of 12.2 million in 2007. The increase was driven by some 6 million who were in the country with some form of legal protection. Trump has stripped many of those protections since taking office in January. Pew, whose estimates date back to 1990, said that, while 2023 is its latest full analysis, preliminary findings show the number rose in 2024, though at a slower rate after then-President Joe Biden severely restricted asylum at the border in June of that year. The number dropped this year under Trump, but is still likely above 14 million. The overall U.S. immigrant population, regardless of legal status, reached an all-time high of more than 53 million in January 2025, accounting for a record 15.8% of the U.S. population. The number has since dropped, which Pew said would be the first time it has shrunk since the 1960s. While the findings are unlikely to settle debate, Pew's report is one of the most complete attempts to measure illegal immigration. Nearly all the increase came from countries other than Mexico. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and India accounted for the largest numbers after Mexico. Totals from Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Ukraine and Peru each more than doubled in two years. Trump said in an address to Congress in March that 21 million people 'poured into the United States' during the previous four years, far exceeding estimates from Pew and what figures on border arrests suggest. The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group largely aligned with his policies, estimated 18.6 million in March. The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors immigration restrictions, reported that there were 14.2 million people in the U.S. illegally last month, down from a peak of 15.8 million in January. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem touted the reported drop of 1.6 million in six months. 'This is massive,' she said in a press release last week. Noem's own department, through its Office of Homeland Security Statistics, estimates there were 11 million people in the U.S. illegally in 2022, its most recent count. The Center for Migration Studies, author of another closely watched survey, most recently pegged the number at 12.2 million in 2022, topping its previous high of 12 million in 2008. Pew's findings, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau survey and Department of Homeland Security, reflect an increase in people crossing the border illegally to exercise rights to seek asylum and Biden-era policies to grant temporary legal status. Those policies included a border appointment system called CBP One and permits for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. Trump has ended those policies and also sought to reverse Biden's expansion of Temporary Protected Status for people already in the United States whose countries are deemed unsafe to return to. Mexicans were the largest nationality among people in the country illegally, a number that grew slightly to 4.3 million in 2023. The increase came almost entirely from other countries, totaling 9.7 million, up from 6.4 million two years earlier. States with the largest numbers of people in the country illegally were, in order, California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, though Texas sharply narrowed its gap with California. Even with the increases in recent years, six states had smaller numbers in 2023 than in the previous peak in 2007: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Oregon. Pew estimated that a record 9.7 million people without legal status were in the workforce, or about 5.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023, with Nevada, Florida, New Jersey and Texas having the largest shares. ___
Los Angeles Times
25 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Christmas decorations come with a higher price tag this holiday season, thanks to tariffs.
The Christmas decorations industry is hoping Donald Trump's tariffs don't ruin the holidays. The vast majority of artificial Christmas trees, lights and other decor are imported — mostly from China. Because seasonal items typically need to be shipped months ahead of time, stiffer levies have already added millions of dollars in unexpected costs. Jared Hendricks, founder and chief executive officer of Village Lighting Company in West Valley City, Utah, had to take a line of credit leveraged by his house and office to help cover the $1.5 million in extra tariff costs. 'This is the most stressful year I've ever had,' said Hendricks, whose business sells lights, garlands and wreaths to professional installers and consumers. 'Over the last 20-some-odd years we've been through a lot, and I'm just kind of operating on faith that we'll find a way.' As Trump's ever-changing announcements on tariffs rolled in during the crucial shipping period for the industry, managers from across the country said they had to cancel shipments, cut down on orders and lay off workers to be able to pay the duties. Some expressed concerns about staying in business. For shoppers this holiday season, the shipping disruptions will mean less choice of products in the stores and prices that could be 10% to 20% higher than last year as a result of tariffs, said Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association. An artificial tree that cost $299 in 2024, say, could fetch as much as $359 this year. 'This is a happy industry, and this is a pretty unhappy time to be in it,' Warner said. By the end of August, much of the year's imported Christmas trees and other decorations have been shipped, and retailers are busy preparing for the holiday season when they make the bulk of their sales. Another question this year is whether uncertainty about the direction of the economy will weigh on holiday spending.'It's going to be a challenging holiday season for lots of retailers,' said Natalie Kotlyar, a retail analyst at advisory firm BDO. U.S. companies imported $3.4 billion in artificial Christmas trees, ornaments, and other holiday decorations last year, and 87% came from China, according to the U.S. Census Bureau trade data. In addition, roughly $420 million in light strings came from abroad, a majority from Cambodia, a country that also faces a high tariff rate. Trump often says that companies can avoid import levies by making their products in the U.S. The administration's America First policies, including tariffs, are focused on unleashing real prosperity for American workers with good-paying jobs — 'not cheap imports,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said in an emailed statement. Craig Batten, president of S4 Lights in Toano, Virginia, said he has explored making Christmas lights in the U.S. but 'found that that was about impossible.' The only place to get many raw materials is in China and Southeast Asia, and finding enough workers here is a problem, he said. Batten added a line item to his invoices called 'tariff impact,' but he can't pass along the entire cost of the duties because that would raise prices too high. 'We're taking a hit, hoping that our existing inventory that we got pre-tariff helps offset the sticker shock,' he said. When tariffs on goods imported from China temporarily reached 145% in April, American Christmas LLC, stopped shipments and canceled 10% of orders, said CEO Dan Casterella. The Mount Vernon, New York-based company, which installs holiday displays in places such as retail stores, corporate headquarters and Christmas sites like the Rockefeller Center, resumed shipping when the duties were temporarily reduced to 30% in May as part of a trade-war truce with China. After another 90-day extension earlier this month, the new deadline for a trade deal is Nov. 10. The rate could go up or down, depending on negotiations between the US and China. Casterella says it's impossible to plan for next year without knowing what the tariff rates will be. He usually starts ordering in October or November for the following Christmas. 'I don't necessarily disagree with the mindset of having tariffs,' Casterella said. 'It's just the uncertainty right now of that around them is making it difficult to run a business.' Three Kings Gifts in Cockeysville, Maryland, specializes in nativity sets and small chests of gold, frankincense, and myrrh — the three gifts given to baby Jesus in the Bible. Rich Terlep says he's used contractors in China since starting the company in 2005. For instance, workers use a tiny tip of a peacock feather to put the pupils in the eyes of figurines. It's a low-wage job that wouldn't be filled in the U.S., he said. Terlep scurried to get 11 containers carrying about 700 sets each shipped so they would land in the U.S. before the initial Aug. 12 deadline. He's decided to eat the tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs from tariffs. 'Everyone is hoping against hope that somehow or another sanity is going to emerge out of this because it is unsustainable,' Terlep said. At Balsam Hill, one of the leading companies in the holiday-decorations business, the tariffs bill is expected to come to about $15 million this year — up from $1 million last year, according to Mac Harman, founder and CEO of parent company Balsam Brands. To preserve cash to pay tariffs, the California-based firm scaled back orders, cut 10% of its global workforce of 350 employees, and froze raises and travel. But none of those actions come close to covering the cost of the tariffs, Harman said. The Christmas Trade Group, which represents small and medium-sized decoration firms, has requested a tariff exemption from the Trump administration. The group argues that domestic production is impossible, decorations are critical to holiday retail sales and that tariffs effectively force businesses to choose between operating at a loss and closing. Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, said he's heard from a number of owners who are concerned about the viability of their business. The Christmas Trade Group has been encouraged by conversations it's had both with members of Congress and the administration, said Josh Fendrick, a principal with Williams & Jensen representing the coalition. The White House didn't say whether the exclusion request would be considered. There's a precedent for relief. In his first term, Trump delayed some tariffs on Chinese imports, saying at the time 'so it won't be relevant to the Christmas shopping season.' 'We sell joy, we sell memories,' said Chris Butler of National Tree Company in New Jersey. 'If any industry had a shot at getting some kind of exemption from the administration, it would be us.' Niquette writes for Bloomberg.
