Trump pulls sanctions on Syria, extends olive branch to Iran
Trump's speech, which kicked off the first major foreign trip of his second term, offered a sweeping but at times contradictory vision of the role of U.S. military force in the world. He declared his opposition to past U.S. interventions in the Middle East but also a willingness to use force to defend the United States and its allies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
Over Half of Americans Don't Trust Trump on Ukraine, Russia War: Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Over half of U.S. adults are not confident that President Donald Trump can make "wise decisions" when it comes to the Ukraine and Russia war, a new survey from the Pew Research Center shows on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for additional comment. Why It Matters The poll's findings frame public expectations ahead of a high-profile bilateral meeting on Friday between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at discussing a potential ceasefire in Ukraine and broader U.S.-Russia issues, including Arctic cooperation. What To Know The Pew Research Center survey found 59 percent of U.S. adults were either "not too confident" or "not at all confident" that President Trump could make wise decisions about the Russia-Ukraine war; 40 percent expressed at least some confidence. The poll interviewed 3,554 U.S. adults between August 4 and August 10 with a margin of error of 1.8 percent. The survey also shows key partisan differences: a substantial majority of Democrats say that the U.S. has a responsibility to help Ukraine, with 66 percent, compared to 35 percent of Republicans. This number is up from 23 percent in a March survey, however. The public also expressed views on U.S. assistance: Pew found 29 percent said the U.S. was not providing enough support to Ukraine, and 18 percent said it was providing too much, while 50 percent of Americans said the U.S. had a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself, and 47 percent said it did not. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can be seen meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., February 28, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL... President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can be seen meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., February 28, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) More What People Are Saying Democratic Representative Jason Crow of Colorado on X this week: "Everyone wants Russia to stop its aggression & for an end to the war in Ukraine. But Trump keeps handing Vladimir Putin victories. Meeting in the U.S., without Ukraine at the table, is exactly what a dictator like Putin wants." Trump on Truth Social on Wednesday: "Very unfair media is at work on my meeting with Putin. Constantly quoting fired losers and really dumb people like John Bolton, who just said that, even though the meeting is on American soil, 'Putin has already won.' What's that all about? We are winning on EVERYTHING. The Fake News is working overtime (No tax on overtime!)." The president continued: "If I got Moscow and Leningrad free, as part of the deal with Russia, the Fake News would say that I made a bad deal! But now they've been caught. Look at all of the real news that's coming out about their CORRUPTION. They are sick and dishonest people, who probably hate our Country. But it doesn't matter because we are winning on everything!!! MAGA" What Happens Next Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. Observers said the outcome could influence U.S. relationships with allies, Kyiv's negotiating position and congressional appetite for future assistance to Ukraine.
Associated Press
a minute ago
- Associated Press
In Washington police takeover, federal agents and National Guard take on new tasks
They typically investigate drug lords, weapons traffickers or cyber criminals. This week, though, federal agents are fanning out across the nation's capital as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to clamp down on crime in the city. The sometimes-masked agents joined members of the National Guard as well as the United States Park Police, whose responsibilities include protecting the country's monuments and managing crowds during demonstrations. Soldiers in fatigues kept watch near Union Station, while officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration patrolled along the National Mall. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped question a couple in northwest Washington who were parked illegally and eating McDonald's takeout. Trump said Monday that he's taking over Washington's police department in hopes of reducing crime, even as city officials stressed that crime is already falling. The District of Columbia's status as a congressionally established federal district allows the president to take control, although he's limited to 30 days under statute unless he gets approval from Congress. Amid the takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, or MPD, here's a list of some of the federal agencies involved and what they typically do: The National Guard THIS WEEK: The Pentagon said that 800 Guard members have been activated for missions in Washington that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the troops won't be armed and declined to give more details on what the safety patrols or beautification efforts would entail. The White House said Thursday that Guard members aren't making arrests but are 'protecting federal assets, providing a safe environment for law enforcement officers to make arrests, and deterring violent crime with a visible law enforcement presence.' THE BACKSTORY: The National Guard serves as the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force, according to its website. But it also responds when 'disaster strikes in the homeland' to protect life and property in communities. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) THIS WEEK: DEA agents have also fanned out across Washington, working with police on traffic stops and other enforcement efforts. The agency has touted this week that its agents have helped to recover guns and drugs. THE BACKSTORY: The agency typically enforces the nation's controlled substances laws and regulations, while going after drug cartels, gangs and traffickers in the U.S. and abroad. For example, a DEA-led investigation scored a record seizure of fentanyl in May, 'dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history,' the agency said in a news release. The DEA also operates a little-known research lab in northern Virginia that's working to analyze seized narcotics to find ways to stop the supply. Its chemists identify the ever-evolving tactics employed by cartels to manufacture drugs flowing into the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) THIS WEEK: Agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, could be seen on Wednesday alongside MPD officers as they conducted traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington. THE BACKSTORY: HSI investigates a wide variety of crimes on a global scale – at home, abroad and online – with hundreds of offices across the country and abroad. Those crimes include 'illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of and through the United States,' the agency says on its website. In the last few months, as the Trump administration has ramped up its immigration enforcement efforts across the U.S., HSI agents have been out on raids and involved in immigration arrests at courthouses and other sites around the country. HSI agents also investigate a vast array of crime, including cyber and financial crimes and intellectual property offenses. United States Park Police THIS WEEK: United States Park Police have been seen helping with traffic stops this week in the district and are a regular presence in Washington. D.C. The federal agency is actually one of the nation's oldest, being founded in 1791 by George Washington. THE BACKSTORY: The police are part of the National Park Service and has jurisdiction in all federal parks, with offices in Washington, New York and San Francisco, according to the agency's website. Before this week's takeover, it already had the authority to make an arrest in the District of Columbia. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) THIS WEEK: ATF agents have been helping out with traffic stops. THE BACKSTORY: The agency primarily focuses on the illegal use of guns and explosives, bombings and acts of terrorism, and the trafficking of illicit liquor or contraband tobacco.
Washington Post
a minute ago
- Washington Post
Trump claims credit for fixing Social Security as it barrels to insolvency
President Donald Trump marked the 90th anniversary of Social Security on Thursday with an Oval Office signing of a proclamation that the safety net was 'more resilient than ever before,' thanks to him. He claimed improvements to the program's customer service. He also misleadingly declared that he had checked off his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on benefits for seniors.
