Latest news with #TommyPigott
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Demands ‘End' to Military Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia
Russia's propping up of North Korea "must end," the U.S. State Department said, after Moscow and Pyongyang pledged to "dynamically expand and develop" relations between the two countries. "Any support provided by the Russian Federation to the DPRK in return must end," State Department principal deputy spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, told reporters on Thursday. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is North Korea's official name. "We continue to be concerned about North Korea's direct involvement in the war [and] North Korea's military deployment to Russia," Pigott said. Pyongyang sent North Korean troops to Russia in fall 2024, and entered combat in early December against Ukrainian troops battling to hold on to territory Kyiv claimed in Russia's Kursk region from August 2024. Intelligence reports and analysis from the frontlines suggested the North Korean troops were ill-prepared - little better than "cannon fodder" - yet also described the fighters hailing from a heavily militarized society as disciplined, in good shape, and adept with weapons. International watchers believe North Korea is, or will be, receiving economic aid and a hand-up with its weapons development programs, including submarines and ballistic missiles, from Russia in exchange for munitions, missiles and troops. Russia and North Korea signed a defense pact last year. Sergei Shoigu, Russia's former defense minister now serving as the secretary of Russia's security council, visited Pyongyang and the secretive nation's strongman leader, Kim Jong Un, on Wednesday, North Korea's state media reported. The two officials agreed "to continue to dynamically expand and develop the DPRK-Russia relations into powerful and comprehensive relations of strategic partnership that fully conform to the national interests of the two countries," according to a readout published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim reassured Shoigu that North Korea would "unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies in all the crucial international political issues including the Ukrainian issue," state media reported. This is a breaking story and will be updated shortly. Related Articles Russia's Medvedev Mocks Fight Between Donald Trump and Elon MuskUS Reveals New Polar Icebreaker Amid Arctic Rivalry With Russia and ChinaPutin's Gas Pipe Dream Quietly Fizzles OutIran to Counter US Nuclear Offer as Trump Sends New Warning 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
US says NK military deployment, Russia's support in return 'must end'
A State Department spokesperson reiterated Thursday that North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and Moscow's support to the North in return "must end." Tommy Pigott, the department's principal deputy spokesperson, made the remarks, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to "unconditionally" support Russia over the war against Ukraine during a meeting with Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang earlier this week. "We continue to be concerned about North Korea's direct involvement in the war," he told a press briefing. "North Korea's military deployment to Russia and any support provided by the Russian Federation to the DPRK in return must end," he added. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He also stressed that third countries, like North Korea, "bear responsibility" for their role in the war against Ukraine. During the meeting with Shoigu, Kim said that Pyongyang will "unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies in all the crucial international political issues, including the Ukrainian issue," according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim also said his country will "responsibly" observe the articles of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed in June last year. (Yonhap)
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
US state department says World Cup fans ‘want to see' Donald Trump's travel ban
A US state department spokesperson on Thursday claimed that attendees of the upcoming World Cup and Olympics should support the restrictions on travel from 19 countries ordered by Donald Trump. On Wednesday evening, the US president signed a sweeping order banning travel from 12 countries and restricting travel from seven others, reviving and expanding a policy from his first term. 'I think people from around the world, and Americans going to these events, would want to see actions like this,' said US state department spokesperson Tommy Pigott at a press briefing on Thursday afternoon. 'This is part of what it means to host an event. We take security concerns extremely seriously, we want people to be able to go to the World Cup and do so safely.' The order claims at various points that the restrictions are a response to supposed deficiencies in each country's own vetting procedures. Pressed on Thursday on what relevance other country's procedures had on the US's ability to vet immigrants themselves, Pigott declined to elaborate. Nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be 'fully' restricted from entering the US, according to Wednesday's proclamation. Meanwhile, the entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will be partly restricted. The order is set to go into effect on 9 June. The order does contain an exception for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, travelling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' However, that exception does not explicitly cover a number of specific cases or situations that will be relevant for players from affected countries who intend to play in the United States. First, the exception does not specify whether the 'World Cup' referred to in the order includes the Club World Cup, which starts this month and is being hosted by the US. Asked by the Guardian whether the Club World Cup – in which a number of players from the banned countries are due to play – was included in the exception, a state department spokesperson declined to comment other than to say they would not get into hypotheticals or specific cases. Fifa also declined to comment to the Guardian when asked about this distinction and whether the organization was involved in lobbying Trump to carve out this exception as part of the travel ban. The definition of 'major event' is also left open to interpretation, making it unclear whether or not this summer's Gold Cup qualifies. That tournament, the regional soccer championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean will feature Haiti, who are scheduled to play the United States in Austin, Texas on 19 June in addition to group games in San Diego, California and Arlington, Texas. A spokesperson for Concacaf, the confederation that oversees the Gold Cup, did not respond to a request for comment. The state department declined to comment. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion The order also lays out a number of exceptions regarding current visa holders, providing a list of visa types for which holders will not be subject to travel restrictions. The P-1 visa most often issued to professional soccer players in MLS, the NWSL and other leagues is not listed among those who qualify for the exception, but specific type of banned visas are specified for individual countries in the order. Venezuela, for example, has various types of B, F, M and J visas that are banned under the order. That means that the order does not impact P-1 visas issued to nationals of Venezuela. MLS currently has three players on international duty with Venezuela. One, the San Jose Earthquakes' Josef Martínez, became a US citizen last year. The other two, Inter Miami's Telasco Segovia and LAFC's David Martínez, are recent arrivals to MLS and do not yet have permanent residency. Venezuela are set to play a World Cup qualifier on Thursday night against Bolivia, and are scheduled for another at Uruguay on Tuesday 10 June – one day after the ban is set to be enforced. An MLS spokesperson declined to elaborate when asked if there were concerns about the Venezuelan players' immigration status. Asked on Thursday if the travel ban could impact current US visa holders from these countries, Pigott said that the exceptions will apply on a 'case-by-case basis.'
New York Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
World Cup travel ban fallout is ‘part of what it means to host an event': State Dept
The U.S. State Department has sought to justify a travel ban that leaves nationals from over a dozen countries at risk of being blocked from entering the United States for the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games, saying that addressing security concerns is 'part of what it means to host an event.' In a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, the State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott was quizzed by journalists following the announcement of full bans for citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Partial restrictions have also been imposed on the entry of nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Advertisement While President Trump's executive order, signed on Wednesday, contains exemptions for nationals who would be entering the country as athletes for major sporting events, as well as support staff and immediate relatives of athletes or teams, there are no such assurances for fans. Iran has already qualified for the men's World Cup in 2026, which will be co-hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba and Libya are among the teams with varying degrees of probability of qualifying for the tournament. Haiti's ability to play in this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup appeared to be confirmed on Thursday, having initially been placed into doubt by the executive order. This is because the order made a specified exemption for the World Cup and Olympics, but added other events would be assessed as whether they are deemed sufficiently 'major' by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Thursday morning, the State Department did not answer directly when asked whether either the FIFA Club World Cup or the Gold Cup, both of which will be played in the U.S. this summer, are 'major sporting events.' A State Department spokesperson simply told The Athletic: 'We are implementing the President's directive to secure U.S. borders and protect American communities and citizens.' However, despite the executive order saying events would be adjudicated upon by the State Department, a White House spokesperson told The Athletic that both the Gold Cup and Club World Cup are deemed major events. This appears to pave the way for Haiti to compete in the Gold Cup and also enables nationals from the banned countries to compete in their club teams during the Club World Cup. There was less reassuring news, however, for supporters of these nations. During a news conference, Pigott said: 'I think both people that are coming and Americans would hope that we can have confidence that when people come to the United States, when they come, that they are properly vetted. Advertisement 'I think this goes to the exact same consideration. I think that this is part of what it means to host an event of this magnitude, to make sure that we have that confidence. Again, we're in constant communication with countries about ways that we can see the vetting process we need to see, to have that collaboration and make sure that we're having those security concerns addressed. This is part of what it means to host an event. I believe people coming from all around the world, Americans going to these events, would want to see actions like this. We take security concerns extremely seriously. We want people to be able to go to the World Cup and do so safely.' Trump's executive order describes Iran as a 'state sponsor of terrorism,' alleging that the state 'regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government in identifying security risks.' Venezuelan nationals are accused of overstaying their visas at a rate of just under 10 per cent when visiting the country on a short-term tourist or business visas, while Trump's order claimed that 'hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration.' Exemptions are made for individuals, such as Iranian dual citizens who are traveling with a passport from a non-banned country. There will also be entry granted to Iranians on immigrant visas owing to ethnic or religious persecution in their home country.
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
State Department confirms 'constructive' nuclear talks with Iran; Trump says deal 'sort of' agreed to
The State Department said nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran have been constructive, and President Donald Trump has been clear about wanting to see diplomacy. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott was asked during a press briefing Thursday about comments made by Trump, and he said the U.S. and Iran were close to an Iran nuclear deal. Trump, speaking in Doha, Qatar, said he thinks the U.S. and Iran "are getting close" to making a deal without any violence. In Trump fashion, he said there are two steps — "a very nice step and a violent step" — which he added consists of violence people have never seen before. The president also said Thursday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), that the U.S. and Iran have "sort of" agreed to terms on a nuclear deal. "Iran has sort of agreed to the terms. They're not going to make — I call it, in a friendly way — nuclear dust," Trump told reporters, suggesting a growing alignment with the terms he has been seeking. "We're not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran." While Pigott would not comment on private diplomatic conversations or negotiations, he reiterated Trump's stance on the matter. "The president has been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," Pigott told reporters. "The talks have been described as constructive by the participants in them, and so, again, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. And the president has been clear. He wants diplomacy. He wants to see a diplomatic solution here." Pigott made his remarks as Trump tours the Middle East, making stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Trump, while speaking at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh Wednesday, reiterated his desire to make a deal with Iran and called for building upon the progress of the Abraham Accords by adding more countries to the historic agreement. Trump made the comments while addressing leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council as part of his four-day visit to the region. "I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something if possible. But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. Though Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran and see Tehran prosper, he also recently accused the Iranian regime of not only hurting its own nation, but the region at large. "Iran's leaders have focused on stealing their people's wealth to fund terror and bloodshed abroad. Most tragic of all, they have dragged down an entire region with them," Trump said. The president pointed to the "countless lives lost" in Iran's effort to prop up the former Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, which collapsed in December, and accused its support of Hezbollah for the downfall of Beirut, which he said was "once called the Paris of the Middle East." It is unclear how Trump's negative comments toward Tehran could affect ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Still, The Associated Press reported Thursday that a top political, military and nuclear advisor to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told NBC News Wednesday that Tehran stands ready to get rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium that can be weaponized, agree to enrich uranium only to the lower levels needed for civilian use and allow international inspectors to supervise the process. In return, Ali Shamkhani, the advisor, said Iran wants an immediate lifting of all economic sanctions.
