Latest news with #DougMills
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
President can only afford to lose three votes in the House for his bill to pass Congress
US President Donald Trump is putting pressure on Congress to pass his domestic policy bill. Photo / Doug Mills, the New York Times United States President Donald Trump has got almost everything he has wanted from the Republican-controlled Congress since he took office in January. GOP lawmakers approved his nominees, sometimes despite their doubts. They ceded their power over how federal dollars are distributed, impinging on constitutional authority. And they have
New Statesman
18-06-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
The cosplay dictator
Photo by Doug Mills/AFP Jesus was waiting in a long line for ice cream ahead of Donald Trump's big military parade. The Washington monument towered above, gleaming white against an increasingly ominous sky as a slow-moving thunderstorm closed in. To his right, seemingly endless rows of Portaloos stretched towards the black mesh fence that marked the edge of the security perimeter, ready for a vast crowd of spectators that failed to materialise. When I asked the man dressed in the flowing white robes why he had decided to attend the parade, he replied, 'Things have to be broken down before they can be rebuilt.' Dangling from his waist, a laminated white sign declared: 'We're all fucked.' Nominally, the 14 June parade through Washington was in honour of the US army's 250th anniversary. But it was also Trump's 79th birthday and, well, he has wanted a military parade for almost as long as he has been a president. Trump's parade-lust seems to have started with the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, which he attended alongside Emmanuel Macron in 2017. He returned to Washington marvelling at the display of 'military might', determined to hold his own. But his then defence secretary, retired four-star general Jim Mattis, said he would 'rather swallow acid'. Paul Selva, who had grown up under the military dictatorship in Portugal and was then vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the president bluntly, 'that's what dictators do'. But Trump 2.0 no longer tolerates dissenting views. The principled generals who managed to constrain his wildest impulses during his first term – the 'backbone guys' as a 68-year-old army veteran protesting the parade in Washington put it to me – are long gone. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has purged the top military leadership and staffed his cabinet with sycophants and yes-men (and women). Striding on to the stage at the start of the ceremony to the rousing strains of 'Hail to the Chief', Trump pumped his fist. As a 21-gun salute boomed across the capital, the crowd began chanting, 'USA! USA! USA!' Trump stood for the national anthem and saluted, even though as a civilian who has never served in the military, protocol requires him to put his hand on his heart instead. Then he took his seat behind the bulletproof glass in the VIP viewing stand as he waited for the promised display of fearsome American military might. For Trump's supporters in the crowd, the whole event was yet more evidence of his patriotism, and part of the reason why they had voted for him in the first place. 'I don't see how respecting our military and giving them a parade for one day is wrong,' said Crystal Fay, 58, who was wearing a red 'Make America great again' hat and had travelled six hours by train from North Carolina to attend. The criticism that military parades are the domain of dictators and strongmen did not bother her at all. 'If you don't have a strong leader, just like a teacher in the classroom, if you can't control your students, then you're gonna have chaos.' There have been military parades in the US before, most recently in 1991 for the 'National Victory Celebration' that followed the end of the first Gulf War during the George HW Bush administration. Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and John F Kennedy all had military processions as part of their inaugural parades. France, where Trump first got the idea, is not a dictatorship. But Trump's fixation on military parades fits a wider pattern of fetishising strength and admiring strongmen around the world. He has praised Vladimir Putin as a 'genius', Kim Jong Un as a 'very strong guy', and Xi Jinping, a 'king'. This is a long-running theme for Trump. A year after the widely condemned crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, Trump told Playboy magazine: 'The Chinese government almost blew it. They were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength.' Trump's desire to stage a show of military force was particularly jarring given that, at the same time, he had ordered National Guard troops and active-duty marines into Los Angeles to suppress protests over his immigration policies. He insists, falsely, that the city has been 'invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals' and that he is defending American citizens from 'violent, insurrectionist mobs'. (Never mind that one of his first acts on resuming office was to pardon all those involved in the violent insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.) Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe 'I do not want to see society militarised, and I do not want to see the military politicised,' I was told by Scott Norton, a retired army colonel who had served for 34 years, as he protested the parade in DC. He stood quietly holding up a sign that said: 'Only kings and dictators have birthday parades.' There were concerns too about growing political violence. Earlier that morning, a gunman who had disguised himself as a police officer shot and killed a Democratic state representative at her home in Minnesota along with her husband, and seriously wounded another Democratic lawmaker and his wife in what the state's governor called an act of 'targeted political violence'. Trump himself survived two assassination attempts last year. 'I wasn't sure if this would be a safe thing to go to,' a woman at the parade told me. 'But my friend told me this would actually be the safest place.' As she spoke a distant drumbeat signalled the start of the parade. The first lines of soldiers, dressed in the red, white and blue uniforms of the Revolutionary War – apparently flown in from Hollywood – slowly began to march into view. This was not my first military parade. As a reporter previously based in Russia and China, I've seen formidable processions of tanks and intercontinental ballistic missile launchers rolling through Moscow and Beijing as Vladimir Putin and Xi flaunted their military strength. If Trump was expecting the same sort of spectacle, then he was about to be underwhelmed. The American soldiers, thankfully, did not goose-step. But where the massed ranks of Russian and Chinese militaries had marched past in perfect unison, the slap of their boots on the tarmac stamping out a relentless drumbeat, the impression in Washington was more shambling. The formations were more or less in step, but it was a long way from the robotic precision Trump might have seen elsewhere. There were no loudspeakers along the parade route beyond the immediate area surrounding the VIPs, so the troops mostly walked past in silence, greeted by a line of camera phones and periodic shouts of 'Go army!' It was so quiet at times that you could hear the creaking tracks of the approaching tanks. 'I thought it was going to be rowdier,' a man behind me said. The parade was more impressive on television. Viewers at home had the advantage of watching a slickly produced video ahead of each new formation that explained the significance of the various units and their equipment, interspersed with messages thanking the official sponsors, which included Lockheed Martin, Phorm Energy (a new energy drink promoted by the UFC founder Dana White) and the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. They were arranged in historical order from the Revolutionary War, Civil War and the two World Wars, through the Korean and Vietnam Wars and the global war on terror. This had the unfortunate effect of illustrating that, with the exception of the first Gulf War in 1991, it is a long time since the US has fought a war that ended in victory. If Putin and Xi were watching, they are unlikely to have been impressed. In the end, Trump's military parade turned out to be more pageant than awe-inspiring display of firepower. In fact, the lesson the world's established strongmen seem to be learning during Trump's second term so far is that they can call his bluff. Despite promising to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of returning to power, the conflict is only escalating, with Trump reduced to demanding ineffectually on social media, 'Vladimir, STOP!' as the Russian president presses ahead with a renewed offensive. Xi similarly stood his ground when Trump launched his trade war in April, matching the US tariffs blow-for-blow and blocking the export of rare earth elements until Washington backed down and negotiated a truce. Then there is Israel's strongman, Benjamin Netanyahu, who pressed ahead with his plans to attack Iran despite the fact that negotiations between Washington and Tehran on a nuclear deal were well under way. Netanyahu calculated, correctly, that Trump would not stand in his way once he launched his assault. Less than six months into his second term, the mirage of Trump's 'peace through strength' diplomacy has dissipated, while the most dangerous war in the Middle East in decades appears to be spiralling. Playing a strongman on television, it turns out, is easier than actually imposing your will. This does not mean we should lightly dismiss Trump's authoritarian aspirations. The worse things get for him on other fronts, and the weaker he perceives his position, the more likely he is to step up his immigration crackdown at home, relishing the protests that are certain to follow. The order he signed authorising the deployment of troops to Los Angeles is applicable anywhere in the country there is deemed to be a 'form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States'. Trump's handling of immigration remains, by far, his strongest issue and he clearly believes the scenes of security forces facing down mask-wearing, Mexican flag-waving protesters play well for him. 'We couldn't script this any better,' a source close to the White House told Politico last week. It is easy to mock Trump's desultory parade, as many memes are now doing, but what he understands, in common with Putin, Xi and Netanyahu, is the power of weaponising patriotism and dividing the country further into 'us' and 'them'. As Trump declared in the days before the parade – threatening those who might dare to protest with 'very heavy force' – these are 'people who hate their country'. Beyond Trump's dictatorial cosplay, the real danger now is how he decided to use the military, both at home and in the Middle East, in the fraught days and weeks ahead. [See also: Is Trump the last neoconservative?] Related
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Said He Would Lift Sanctions on Syria
President Trump announced today that the U.S. would end its sanctions on Syria, which have effectively cut it off from international commerce. The decision offered an economic lifeline for a country devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war and decades of dictatorship. He is expected to meet tomorrow with the country's new leader. Trump announced the policy change at the start of his four-day tour of the Middle East. He received a lavish welcome in Saudi Arabia today, complete with a lavender carpet, a team of Arabian horses and a delegation of royals. Executives from some of America's largest companies also joined him for lunch. Our photographer Doug Mills photographed the day's extravagant events. White House officials said that Trump had already secured $600 billion in deals with the Saudi government and Saudi companies. But the details his aides provided were vague and totaled less than half that number. Several were already in the works before Trump returned to the White House in January. In other news from Washington: Israeli officers concluded Gaza is on the brink of starvation In public, Israel has for months maintained that its blockade on food and fuel to Gaza did not pose a major threat to civilian life. But in private, some senior Israeli officials have said that Palestinians in Gaza face widespread starvation unless aid deliveries are restored within weeks. Israeli military officers who monitor humanitarian conditions in Gaza have warned their commanders in recent days that unless the blockade is lifted quickly, many areas of the enclave are likely to run out of enough food to meet minimum daily nutritional needs. They said that immediate steps were needed to ensure that the aid system could be reinstated fast enough to prevent starvation. In related news, Israel bombarded Khan Younis in Gaza in an attempt to kill Muhammad Sinwar, one of Hamas's top remaining leaders. A star witness took the stand in Sean Combs's trial Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, testified today in the sex trafficking trial of the music mogul Sean Combs. It was her 2023 lawsuit, which accused Combs of rape and years of abuse, that led to his downfall. Her testimony is vital to the prosecution's case. In tear-filled testimony, Ventura told the jury today that Combs's drug-fueled sex sessions with prostitutes could last several days and made her feel 'disgusting' and 'humiliated.' She also said there were 'violent arguments' and 'physical abuse' during her long-term relationship with Combs, describing busted lips, black eyes and 'bruises all over my body.' Data shows that boys are falling behind Boys and young men are struggling. Research suggests that across their lives — in their educational achievement, mental health and transitions to adulthood — they are stagnating, as their female peers surge ahead. My colleague Claire Cain Miller highlighted the warning signs in the data. More top news A Hollywood takeover at Cannes The lineup for this year's Cannes Film Festival, which began today, has so many English-language films that it could be mistaken for a Hollywood event. The biggest premieres include 'Die My Love,' with Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, and the Spike Lee film 'Highest 2 Lowest.' Several actors, like Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson, will be presenting their directorial debuts. Here's what to look out for. For more: The 'naked dress,' a Cannes mainstay, will be covered up by a new dress code. Chernow's new biography is an endurance test Ron Chernow is one of the best-known biographers of his time. So 'Mark Twain,' published today, was among the most hotly anticipated nonfiction releases of the season. Unfortunately, our critic Dwight Garner found the 1,174-page book to be bland and remote. 'It squats over Twain's career like a McMansion,' Dwight wrote. He observed that Chernow blows through the first third of the writer's life in 150 pages, and that he 'skimps on the things that formed Twain and made him the most lucid, profound, unpredictable and irascibly witty American of his time.' Dinner table topics Cook: Spice up your dinner with this bulgogi cheese steak. Watch: 'Reversi' is one of the best science fiction movies to stream right now. Exercise: Here's how to make each one of your push-ups count. Consider: How healthy are mangoes? Design: Interior murals are gaining popularity. Compete: Take our quiz to see if you can match famous quotes to their novels. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. A celebrity on four wheels When Joe McCallen drives through cities, people point, wave and stare. That's because, for the last three years, he has been patrolling America's roads inside the Google Street View car. With a camera turret strapped to the top, McCallen has helped map out roughly 100,000 miles of roads across the Midwest and East Coast. Thanks to him and many other drivers, the views Google Maps offers across 110 countries are the closest thing humans have to teleportation. Recently, a Times reporter rode along with McCallen to see what it's like. Have an eye-catching evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Laurence Tan was our photo editor. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
MAGA unleashes on Pulitzer Prize judges after iconic Trump assassination attempt photo is brutally snubbed
President Donald Trump 's supporters expressed outrage after an iconic photo from the presidential campaign was not recognized for a coveted Pulitzer Prize award. The photo of Trump raising his fist and shouting 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' after he was shot in the ear by an attempted assassin, was taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci. TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk described the photo as 'maybe the single most famous photo of the past decade.' 'But because it made Trump look good, the Pulitzer Prize committee just refused to give it the award for best breaking news photograph of 2024,' he wrote on X. 'Total joke.' 'So telling and tragic,' agreed Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on X. The photo became a powerful symbol during the presidential campaign as Trump supporters rallied to his cause. It was so iconic that a photo editor at a major news outlet suggested it was 'dangerous' to keep using it during the campaign. The 'amount that publications have been using Evan's photo is kind of free P.R. for Trump in a way, and its dangerous for media organizations to keep sharing that photo despite how good it is' an unnamed editor of a major news organization told Axios. A photo from the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania by New York Times photographer Doug Mills won the Pulitzer award instead, as it captured the would-be assassin's bullet before it struck Trump in the ear. 'I know the winner is enormously deserving, but I still find it hard to believe that this photo did *not* win the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news photography,' Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York wrote on X. Trump supporters felt the president's fight photo was more iconic and at least deserved consideration. 'Regardless of obvious bias, we all know this is the best photo,' Judy Keister wrote on X. 'That is absolutely one of the best pictures, ever, for an American president,' Sandy Coatney agree d on X. 'That is absolutely ridiculous. Like Trump or not you cannot deny that photo is amazing and absolutely captures Trumps Fight to regain the Whitehouse. It's ludicrous actually,' Albert Connell wrote on X 'This is clearly the #1 most iconic photo of 2024. Possibly the most iconic photo of the last 20 years,' wrote Matt Van Swol on X 'I totally agree with you on this. I have a lot of issues with the Associated Press but AP's Evan Vucci was ROBBED by the Pulitzer committee for not getting their photography award of the Trump assassination attempt. Of the many photos taken that day HIS was the THE iconic one,' wrote social media user 'Wooly Mammoth.' 'Evan Vucci's photo of Trump moments after the 2024 assassination attempt—bloodied face, fist raised—defined the decade. But because it made Trump look strong, the Pulitzer committee snubbed it,' wrote X user Lionel. 'That's not journalism. That's partisan theater.' Vucci's photo was not even a finalist for the Pulitzer prize, despite the extraordinary risks he took to capture it. He later revealed to Poynter that he sprang into action after he heard the sounds of gunfire over his shoulder. 'At the moment I heard the shots being fired,' Vucci explained, 'I knew that this was a moment in American history that had to be documented. It's our job as journalists to do this work.' Vucci's photo was soon described as the 'definitive' photo from that day, after the president was rushed out of the rally location to the emergency room. 'Without question, Evan's photo will become the definitive photo from the (assassination) attempt,' Patrick Witty, a former photo editor at Time, The New York Times and National Geographic told the Associated Press. 'It captures a range of complex details and emotions in one still image — the defiantly raised fist, the blood, the agents clamoring to push Trump off stage and, most importantly, the flag. That's what elevates the photo.' President Trump is a fan of the photo and hung up a painted version of the iconic scene at the White House. Trump's painting
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Doug Mills, the veteran photojournalist behind the Pulitzer-winning Trump shooting images?
Veteran photojournalist Doug Mills has been awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for his striking images of the July 2024 shooting of President Donald Trump. A senior photographer for The New York Times since 2002, Mills specializes in White House coverage. He has covered major political moments throughout his four-decade career. Mills has previously won two Pulitzer Prizes. He was honored in 1993 for team coverage of the Clinton/Gore campaign. He won his Pulitzer for investigative reporting on the Monica Lewinsky affair.
