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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Rivals no more? Hillary Clinton backs Trump for Nobel if he ends Ukraine war; US president reacts
US President Donald Trump and former rival Hillary Clinton's relationship seems to be taking a new turn. From rivalry to maybe friendly, as Clinton promised to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he ended the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump on Friday described it as 'very nice' and said, 'Well, uh, that was … very nice." 'I may have to start liking her again,' the president added of Clinton, the former first lady, secretary of state and two-time defeated presidential candidate, as he travelled aboard Air Force One for a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. 'Honestly, if he could bring about the end to this terrible war, if he could end it without putting Ukraine in a position where it had to concede its territory to the aggressor, could really stand up to Putin — something we haven't seen, but maybe this is the opportunity — if President Trump were the architect of that, I'd nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize,' she told podcast host Jessica Tarlov, New York Post reported. The president has already been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his efforts in securing a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. The governments of Pakistan and Cambodia also indicated they have nominated Trump for the prize. Trump's role in negotiating a peace framework between Azerbaijan and Armenia similarly resulted in the leaders of both nations expressing support for Trump winning the prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is expected to announce the peace prize winner on October 10.
Politico
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Zelenskyy's two big tests
With help from John Sakellariadis, Phelim Kine and Daniel Lippman Subscribe here | Email Eric Ukrainian and Russian officials returned to the negotiating table today in Istanbul, after a more than seven-week gap in peace talks. Yet Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY has more than just Moscow's hardball demands in Turkey to worry about. Thousands of protestors took to the streets Tuesday in the largest anti-government demonstrations in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion three years ago, as Zelenskyy signed into law a bill that critics say nixes the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs. And even some of Kyiv's staunchest defenders are uneasy about the move. EU chief URSULA VON DER LEYEN today became the most senior European official to criticize Kyiv. A spokesperson for the European Commission told reporters today that 'President von der Leyen conveyed her strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments, and she requested the Ukrainian government for explanations,' per our colleagues Yurii Stasiuk, Gabriel Gavin and Tim Ross. The move is seen in many corners as a power grab by Zelenskyy's influential chief of staff ANDRIY YERMAK, who has a track record of rubbing U.S. officials the wrong way. And it will likely not allay concerns about corruption in Ukraine. 'This is such a self-inflicted wound,' said a person close to the Ukrainian government, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the move. Far-right critics of Kyiv in the United States — chiefly Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) — used the bill as a cudgel against U.S. support for Ukraine. Greene called for Zelenskyy to be ousted from office in a post on X on Tuesday. Expectations were low going into the talks Wednesday, even as President DONALD TRUMP has taken Moscow to task over its continued bombardment of Ukraine, setting a 50-day deadline last week for the Kremlin to strike a deal or face steep U.S. tariffs. 'I don't think it makes any difference at all,' said THOMAS GRAHAM, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, on Moscow's reaction to Trump's ultimatum. 'They're not particularly concerned about sanctions; they're certainly not concerned about tariffs,' Graham said. Negotiations between the two countries resumed in May after a three-year hiatus. The two previous rounds of talks in Istanbul succeeded in securing prisoner swaps but have made little headway in ending the war. In an address Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy said that he was seeking a 'complete ceasefire' through talks, as Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities with some of the most intense barrages of drone and missile strikes of the war to date in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have previously called for a 30-day cessation of hostilities as a prelude to negotiations to end the war. But Russia, which has shown little sign of climbing down from the maximalist goals it held at the outset of the war, has issued a lofty list of demands, including a pause in western arms deliveries and the demobilization of the Ukrainian military, that it seeks to secure before agreeing to any ceasefire. After a rocky start, Ukraine has been keen to win over the new Trump administration, as the president has sought to broker an end to the conflict, now in its fourth year. 'They just want to demonstrate, rightly, that they are not the impediment,' said the person close to the Ukrainian government. The Inbox FAMOUS NAME AT ODNI: Director of National Intelligence TULSI GABBARD has installed Health Secretary ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.'s daughter-in-law to a senior role inside the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, in what appears to be one element of a broader shake-up at the U.S. spy agency. Former CIA operative AMARYLLIS FOX KENNEDY was first listed as the deputy director of national intelligence for policy and capabilities on ODNI's website last Friday, according to archived internet data. In addition, Gabbard dismissed the agency's chief financial officer, JON ROSENWASSER, earlier this month, according to three people with knowledge of the move, granted anonymity due to the sensitivity of intelligence community personnel matters. Spokespeople for Senate Intelligence Chair TOM COTTON (R-Ark.), who reportedly blocked Fox Kennedy from a top CIA appointment last year, did not respond to a request for comment on the move. It's unclear why Rosenwasser was ousted, according to the three people, though he previously worked as the budget and policy director under the then-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, MARK WARNER (D-Va.). Rosenwasser did not respond to a request for comment. Asked about the moves, a DNI official referred NatSec Daily to web pages for Fox Kennedy and TIDAL MCCOY II, a former CIA contracting official, who has assumed Rosenwasser's old role. HEGSETH'S EMAIL HEADERS: The email containing the battle plans which Defense Secretary PETE HEGSETH relayed to top Trump administration officials via the Signal app in the presence of The Atlantic's top editor was labeled 'Secret,' per The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe and John Hudson. As Lamothe and Hudson write, 'the revelation appears to contradict longstanding claims by the Trump administration that no classified information was divulged in unclassified group chats that critics have called a significant security breach.' It comes at a bad time for Hegseth, as he faces a probe from the Defense Department inspector general's office about his use of Signal requested in April by the Senate Armed Services Committee. CONGRESS CONFRONTS CHINA COERCION: The U.S. should rally allies and partners to push back against China's alleged economic coercion tactics targeting countries whose policies displease Beijing, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan RAHM EMANUEL told a hearing of the House Select Committee on China today. 'The message from China is the same — submit or suffer. Beijing exerts economic pressure to achieve its political goals and bend nations to its political will,' said Emanuel. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has deployed targeted trade restrictions — blocking imports from countries including Lithuania, Australia and South Korea — to try to compel foreign governments to change policies Beijing objects to. Emanuel called for a coalition response to such tactics, including increasing imports from countries that Beijing seeks to squeeze with trade curbs to blunt their impact on targeted economies. Former Australian Prime Minister SCOTT MORRISON told committee members that resistance to China's economic coercion is a long-term problem immune to diplomatic remedies. 'The Chinese Communist Party fundamentally has a problem with representative democracies, and there are some irreconcilable differences between an authoritarian regime in China and the activities of free and open states,' said Morrison. IT'S WEDNESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at ebazail@ and follow Eric on X @ebazaileimil. While you're at it, follow the rest of POLITICO's global security team on X and Bluesky at: @dave_brown24, @HeidiVogt, @jessicameyers, @RosiePerper, @ @PhelimKine, @ak_mack, @felschwartz, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @reporterjoe, @JackDetsch, @samuelskove, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130 and @delizanickel Keystrokes AI ACTION PLAN: The Trump administration is seeking to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence through slashing 'red tape and onerous regulation' under a new White House action plan unveiled today. The plan called for AI to be free of any 'ideological bias' and recommended that references to climate change, misinformation and diversity, equity and inclusion be removed from a government AI risk management framework. The action plan also seeks to expedite the export of U.S.-made AI systems to allies around the world, and to boost the construction of new data centers and semiconductor plants. The Complex A GOOD DAY FOR RAID? A German defense company is developing a new technology that should make government employees look twice at the critters scurrying around their alleys. As Reuters' Supantha Mukherjee, Sarah Marsh and Christoph Steitz report, German manufacturer SWARM Biotactics is working on 'spy cockroaches.' The tiny cyborgs, designed to look like everyone's least favorite pest, will be equipped with miniature 'backpacks' that allow for the robots to collect real-time data via cameras and can be controlled remotely by human users. CEO STEFAN WILHELM told Reuters, 'They can be steered individually or operate autonomously in swarms' and deployed into potentially hostile environments. The cockroaches under development are part of Germany's defense spending hike, as Berlin looks to modernize its arsenal. Europe, eager to please the Trump administration's desire for heightened defense spending, is also increasing its acquisitions, Reuters reports. FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — NUCLEAR ARMOR EFFORT: A bipartisan duo of first-term senators is joining forces to increase the use of nuclear energy at U.S. military installations as a way to insulate bases and other military sites from power disruptions. Sens. ANDY KIM (D-N.J.) and TIM SHEEHY (R-Mont.) are introducing the Advanced Reactor Modernization for Operational Resilience (ARMOR) Act of 2025, which would create a pilot program to deploy advanced nuclear microreactors or small modular reactors at some Army installations by 2030. The bill would also allow for multiyear contracts so the military can obtain energy from advanced nuclear reactors and encourage the co-location of AI infrastructure and data centers. Kim argued the bill is necessary since 'energy resilience and innovation are at the core of shaping a strong national defense and economic future.' The Trump administration has embraced nuclear energy as an added part of the nation's energy strategy. There is also growing concern that increased usage of AI technology will drive up the demand for electricity and that the current power grid isn't well-equipped to meet the expected increase in energy consumption. That makes it more likely the bill could become law. On the Hill FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — ARMENIAN RIGHT TO RETURN PUSH: A bipartisan group of House members is calling on the Trump administration to advocate for the rights of Armenians displaced from the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave during a 2023 military invasion by Azerbaijan. Eighty-seven lawmakers wrote a letter to Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO calling on 'the Administration to actively engage with international partners and multilateral institutions to facilitate the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh.' The letter was led by Reps. FRANK PALLONE (D-N.J.), GUS BILIRAKIS (R-Fla), DAVID VALADAO (R-Calif.) and BRAD SHERMAN (D-Calif), all co-chairs of the House Armenian Caucus. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians have been displaced since Azerbaijan launched a one-day incursion into the Armenian enclave in September 2023. The invasion followed a months-long Azerbaijani blockade of the territory, which Armenian diaspora groups in the United States condemned as a crime against humanity. Trump in recent weeks has suggested that a peace deal to end the decades-long border dispute between the two Caucasus countries is imminent. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have moved closer to the United States — Armenia since Russia invaded Ukraine and Azerbaijan since Trump took office. FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — FOR THE CHILDREN: A group of progressives wants to divert money from a controversial missile program to the nation's public schools. Rep. RO KHANNA (D-Calif.) and Sen. ED MARKEY (D-Mass.) introduced legislation in both the House and Senate today that would direct the funding going toward the Sentinel nuclear Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program toward the Department of Education. Sentinel, the progressives argue, is heavily over budget and delays with the program are derailing other efforts to restructure the nuclear arsenal. 'We are literally throwing taxpayer dollars down the deepest money pit ever created. When you are in a hole, stop digging,' Markey said. It's unlikely the bill will become law — Sentinel has been a priority for many defense hawks on congressional spending panels. But it could expose fault lines within the Democratic and Republican caucuses in both chambers of Congress, as a cross-party coalition has emerged that's skeptical of unfettered defense spending. Broadsides STATE'S HARVARD PROBE: The State Department launched another investigation into Harvard University today, our colleague Nicole Markus reports, homing in on a program that allows the Ivy League school to sponsor international students and researchers to briefly work and study. 'The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students,' said Rubio in a statement. 'The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation's interests.' It's the latest effort by the White House targeting the prestigious university. In June, a federal judge blocked a Trump administration effort to prevent international students from enrolling at the university. Harvard was also the first school singled out for a pilot of expanded visa screening for students and researchers. Harvard has been under the microscope since the outbreak of campus protests against Israel's conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip; critics say Harvard and other elite institutions were too slow to respond to antisemitic actions on campus that stemmed from those protests. Transitions — The Senate on Tuesday night confirmed the appointment of senior U.S. intelligence officials at the Pentagon and Office of Director of National Intelligence. The upper chamber voted 51-46 to approve former career spy AARON LUKAS as the next principal deputy director of national intelligence, and 61-35 to approve BRADLEY HANSELL as the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, the top intelligence role at the Pentagon. — The Senate today also voted to confirm JOHN HURLEY as the next undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence. — ASH JAIN is now a senior fellow with the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China. He served previously as a senior policy adviser with the Department of Homeland Security. — MARY SPRINGER SFORZA is now senior vice president of government relations for Rolls-Royce. She previously was director of legislative affairs at Lockheed Martin. — AVERY BLANK is joining Qualcomm's AI legal team as senior legal counsel. She was previously counsel for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. What to Read — Mickey Djuric, POLITICO: A Separatist Movement Is Brewing in Canada — But Don't Count on a 51st State — Megan Janetsky, The Associated Press: El Salvador's new wave of political exiles say history is repeating itself — Mara Hvistendahl, The New York Times: China Flexes Muscles at U.N. Cultural Agency, Just as Trump Walks Away Tomorrow Today — Atlantic Council, 8:45 a.m.: 'Europe's Digital Competitiveness,' with German Digital Minister KARSTEN WILDBERGER — Senate Armed Services Committee, 9:30 a.m.: The nomination of Navy Adm. DARYL CAUDLE to be chief of naval operations — Hudson Institute, 11 a.m.: Achieving Adaptable Scale: Fielding Military Capabilities as a Service — Atlantic Council, 1 p.m.: Eleven years on: The Yezidi genocide and the road to recovery — Atlantic Council, 4:15 p.m.: A discussion on 'mission integration in the defense ecosystem' — Council on Foreign Relations, 6:30 p.m.: American Views on Global Leadership Thanks to our editors, Rosie Perper and Emily Lussier, who should be targeted by spy cockroaches.
Axios
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Trump's MAGA purity test
Ten years after Donald Trump hijacked the GOP with a promise to burn down the establishment, his own movement is warning him not to go soft. Why it matters: On two core articles of faith — no foreign wars and no protections for unauthorized immigrants — the Trump administration is facing a rare MAGA purity test. Zoom in: No debate has proven more divisive for the "America First" movement than Israel's war against Iran, and whether the U.S. should intervene to fully eliminate Tehran's nuclear program. MAGA's most outspoken isolationists — Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — have warned that joining the war would betray Trump's legacy and potentially destroy his presidency. Pro-Israel hardliners — Laura Loomer, Mark Levin, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) — argue that nothing would be more "America First" than striking a regime that chants "Death to America" and has plotted to assassinate Trump. The intrigue: Amid mounting signs that the U.S. is considering joining the war, Trump says his fundamental position — that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon — has never wavered. Trump even publicly smacked down Carlson over his criticism of U.S. involvement, telling The Atlantic: "Well, considering that I'm the one that developed 'America First' ... I think I'm the one that decides that." Vice President Vance, a fierce critic of foreign interventions, defended Trump's position in a lengthy X post in which he said the president "may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment." Back at home, prominent MAGA voices were stunned to read Trump's Truth Social post last week suggesting that unauthorized immigrants who work in agriculture or hospitality might be spared from deportation. MAGA purists such as Bannon and Charlie Kirk believe that every immigrant here illegally should be deported — with some claiming Trump's new guidance created unfair carve-outs for "big agriculture." Much of the backlash landed on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, after Axios and others reported she had lobbied for the exemption, citing potential labor shortages. "She needs to be removed," activist Ned Ryun wrote Sunday. Rollins hit back at the criticism, urging MAGA to "ignore the noise from the fake news media and the grifters trying to divide us," and declaring she supports "deportations of EVERY illegal alien." The latest: Amid the backlash, the Department of Homeland Security reversed Trump's guidance just a few days later, telling immigration agents to continue raids at farms, hotels and restaurants after all, the Washington Post first reported. Trump, sensitive to the outrage from his base and hardline immigration advisers, also on Sunday ordered expanded operations in Democrat-run cities and stressed that "all" undocumented immigrants must be deported. The big picture: Some MAGA influencers see the Iran and immigration flashpoints as inextricably linked. Bannon warned on his "War Room" podcast that getting "sucked into" a prolonged war in the Middle East would distract from Trump's most important domestic priority: mass deportations. Other Trump supporters view the two issues — helping Israel attack Iran and deporting unauthorized immigrants — as part of the same fight to preserve "Western Civilization."
The Hill
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Navy loses another aircraft to Red Sea
The fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier was landing on the flight deck 'when the arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to go overboard,' a defense official told The Hill. The arrestment is the hook system aircraft use to catch steel wire ropes on the flight deck as it lands, and it is unclear what part of the system was faulty. As the fighter went overboard, its two pilots were forced to eject, but they were rescued by a search-and-rescue helicopter and only had minor injuries, with no flight deck personnel injured, according to the official. The loss of the more than $60 million Super Hornet is the latest incident aboard the Truman as it engaged in a U.S. airstrike campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, which began March 15 but appears to be paused following President Trump's announcement Tuesday that there is now a ceasefire between the two sides. The ceasefire, mediated by Oman, has secured a tentative end to attacks on American ships in the Red Sea, but details are slim on the concessions made by both sides. Still, the ceasefire allows the Trump administration to claim victory in clearing the pathway for commercial shipping and that served to justify the military campaign against the designated-terrorist group in Yemen. Trump on Wednesday credited the U.S. strikes with bringing the Houthis to the table. Since mid-March, the U.S. military has said it has struck more than 1,000 targets in Yemen as part of Operation Rough Rider. The strikes have killed 'hundreds' of Houthi fighters and leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials, and degraded their capabilities, Pentagon officials claimed late last month. ' We hit them very hard. They had a great capacity to withstand punishment. They took tremendous punishment… But we honored their commitment and their word, they gave us their word that they wouldn't be shooting ships anymore and we honor that,' Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office for his new ambassador to China, former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga). The Truman aircraft carrier strike group has been in the Middle East region since this past fall, and in that time it has lost at least three F/A-18s. The first was shot down in the Red Sea in December when it was 'mistakenly fired' upon by the USS Gettysburg, though both pilots ejected safely. The Truman lost the second Super Hornet on April 28 when the jet 'was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft' and it fell overboard, according to the Navy. Initial reports suggested that the carrier was forced to make a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, leading to the F/A-18 sliding off the deck.
Observer
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
AI action figures flood social media
This week, actress Brooke Shields posted an image of an action-figure version of herself that came with a needlepoint kit and a pet terrier. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga, imagined her own figurine accompanied by a gavel and a Bible. These hyper-realistic dolls are nowhere to be found in toy stores, at least for the time being. They are being created using artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT. In recent weeks, social media users have been turning to AI to generate Barbie-fied versions of themselves, their dogs or their favorite famous figures. Anna Wintour has not been spared the AI-doll treatment. Neither has Ludwig van Beethoven. The trend has frustrated illustrators who oppose the use of unlicensed artwork to train these artificial intelligence tools and who remain concerned about the effects of AI on their livelihoods. Several have responded by posting similar images of figurines that they illustrated themselves. 'Human Made,' reads a text bubble in the corner of one such illustration by Linh Truong, who depicted herself with her sketchbook and her cat, Kayla. Truong, 23, an artist who lives in New York City, sees the AI action figures, the latest of several AI portraiture trends, as a way that tech companies are trying to connect with users on a personal level. 'They're like, 'We want you to see yourself in our product,'' she said. To plenty of people, that's a tempting possibility. Suzie Geria, 37, a fitness trainer in Toronto, thought the action figure created for her by ChatGPT was surprisingly realistic. It came with a kettlebell and a cartoon peach to represent the glute-focused class she teaches at a nearby gym. 'It's kind of cool to see yourself reflected in a cartoon form,' she said. 'I think we're looking at other ways to see ourselves in the world we live in, which is very much online.' Geria said she had empathy for those who worked in industries that might suffer job loss because of AI. 'It's a tough one, but it's bringing people joy as well,' she said. Pat Bassermann, 42, who works in marketing and lives in Andover, Massachusetts, typed a paragraph-long prompt into ChatGPT to create an action figure of himself. 'Use this photo of me to create an action figure of myself in a blister pack, in the style like a premium collectible toy,' he wrote, adding requests for grilling tongs and a 'relaxed, friendly smile.' He uploaded a headshot and was presented with an image seconds later. 'Wife & Kids Not Included. Messy House Sold Separately,' reads a line of text at the bottom of the image. Soon, his three daughters wanted their own versions. In a few more minutes, they were presented with figurines with ponytails, accessorised with ballet slippers, a video game controller and a cup of Boba tea. As AI platforms have surged in popularity, their image-generating abilities have come under scrutiny. Artists and musicians have argued that the technology threatens their livelihoods. Deepfake images, many of them explicit, have confounded schools, political campaigns and celebrities. In March, social media was flooded with videos that used ChatGPT to replicate the style of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. In response, some users circulated a clip of Miyazaki calling AI 'an insult to life itself' in a 2016 documentary. Martha Ratcliff, 29, an illustrator in Leeds, England, said she spent years developing a distinctive style of portraiture. She said she felt frustrated every time she saw a new AI portrait trend that ostensibly drew from the work of real artists without compensation. She gets that it's fun to hop on a trend, she said. 'But I think if you look at the bigger picture, there are a lot of creatives that are worried,' she added. 'You just don't want it to wipe out the whole creative industry.' She spent about 20 minutes making her own hand-drawn rendition of the trend. She depicted herself holding her newborn, surrounded by flowers, coloured pencils and a steaming mug that said 'mama.' — The New York Times
