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NDTV
18-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
As Donald Trump Hosts Pak Army Chief For Lunch, What The White House Said
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for a special luncheon at the White House on Wednesday. The meeting comes at a time when Israel is intensifying its military strikes on Iran, with whom Pakistan shares a nearly 1,000-kilometre border. The United States, which backs Israel's actions may also join them in ensuring they put an end to Tehran's nuclear ambitions. THE IRAN FACTOR History and geography have once again led Washington to Islamabad, and more importantly, Rawalpindi's doorstep. Two US aircraft carriers - the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Harry S Truman - are stationed in the Arabian Sea, and a fleet of B-2 Stealth bombers are lined-up at the US' Indian Ocean air force base in Diego Garcia - all awaiting orders from their Commander-and-Chief - President Trump. Speaking about the US making a military move on Iran hours before meeting Pakistan's army chief, President Trump said at a White House press briefing that "I may do it, I may not do it - nobody knows what I'm going to do." But any prolonged efforts against Iran, would mean the United States would need a land access to the enemy country - something Pakistan can provide. PAK ARMY CHIEF WANTS 'NOBEL PRIZE FOR TRUMP' Meanwhile, a statement issued by the White House Deputy Press Secretary, Anna Kelly, mentioned that the reason President Trump is meeting Pakistan's army chief is because the latter has called for a Nobel Prize to be given to the US President for averting a "nuclear war between India and Pakistan" last month. #WATCH | Pakistan Army Chief, Asim Munir, reaches The White House in Washington, DC to meet the US President Donald Trump. — ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2025 "President Trump will host Field Marshal Munir after he called for the President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan," Ms Kelly said in her statement. Shortly thereafter, Donald Trump said that he "loves Pakistan", but was quick to balance it by saying he thinks "Modi is fantastic" too. "Well, I stopped the war between Pakistan - I love Pakistan - I think Modi is a fantastic man, I spoke to him last night. We are going to make a trade deal with Modi of India... And I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man (possibly referring to Asim Munir) was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistani side, Modi from the India side, and others. And they were going at it, they are both nuclear countries. I got it stopped," Mr Trump claimed for the nth time -- a claim India and Prime Minister Modi have rejected each time the US President mentioned it, the latest being Wednesday morning. A BIT OF SELF-PROMOTION Both Donald Trump and Asim Munir have indulged in self-promotion in their own ways. While Trump has been promoting himself as a "peace-maker" and a "deal-broker" globally, be it the Russia-Ukraine war, or the Israel-Gaza conflict, or most recently, the military exchange between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pakistan-linked terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Asim Munir, on the other hand, who has been promoted to the topmost army rank of Field Marshal by Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif, has been promoting himself by meeting several Heads of States, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, and now the United States of America. These meetings between Heads of States are usually for civilian government leadership, not military generals, but Pakistan, which has a history of military coups and dictatorships, has broken this convention several times. PAK ARMY CHIEFS AND US PRESIDENTS - A BRIEF HISTORY In the past too, Pakistan's military dictators - Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf - have met US Presidents and dined with them. During General Zia-ul-Haq's regime, Pakistan became an ally of the United States to counter the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, while under Pervez Musharraf's regime, Pakistan aided the US' efforts in Afghanistan in America's "war against terror". This time the US has its eyes set on Iran - another neighbour of Pakistan, and the timing of President Trump's lunch with Pakistan's army chief is being watched keenly by China and the rest of Asia. China considers Iran an ally and has expressed its support to the Khamenei regime in recent times. Pakistan considers china an "unshakable" friend and an "all-weather ally". Islamabad also detests Israel, so much so, that it does not even recognize the country, and reports suggest that Pakistan has even threatened to "nuke Israel" if Israel plans to do so the Tehran. Wednesday's meeting between Donald Trump and Asim Munir is a closed-door discussion, the White House has said. It is unclear whether a statement from either country will be issued at the end of today's talks.
Wall Street Journal
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
How the Houthis Rattled the U.S. Navy—and Transformed Maritime War
The evening of May 6, an F/A-18 Super Hornet was coming in for a landing on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. An onboard mechanism to slow down the fighter jet failed, and the $67 million aircraft slid off the carrier's runway and into the water. It was the third fighter jet that the Truman had lost in less than five months, and came hours after President Trump surprised Pentagon officials with the announcement that the U.S. had reached a truce with the Houthis in Yemen. The Truman had arrived at the Red Sea in December 2024 to battle the Iran-aligned militants—joining a campaign filled with heavy exchanges and close calls that strained the U.S. Navy.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘We didn't just deploy. We delivered': USS Harry S. Truman strike group returns home to Norfolk
NORFOLK — After nearly nine months at sea, sailors aboard the USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group look forward to fast food and home-cooked meals, birthday celebrations and trips across the country now that they're back on land. Cheers reverberated and happy tears flowed Sunday as thousands gathered to welcome home sailors from a deployment mostly spent near the Red Sea in active combat. The strike group that returned over the weekend to Naval Station Norfolk includes the aircraft carrier Truman, cruiser USS Gettysburg and destroyer USS Stout. Family members and loved ones had plenty of reasons to be nervous during this deployment. The Truman spent at least five of the eight months defending merchant ships and military vessels and carrying out missile strikes against the Houthi regime in Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Along the way, the Truman lost three fighter jets, collided with a cargo ship and brought aboard a new commanding officer. It was 'unique' — even for seasoned sailors such as Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of the Truman carrier strike group. 'From the high north to the Red Sea, our strike group safeguarded America's national security interests and maintained the U.S. Navy's maritime dominance,' Bailey said during a news conference Sunday. 'It was certainly a long, challenging deployment across the board and pretty unique for my entire career as well.' Bailey said those incidents are being investigated and will serve as lessons in the future. The strike group also worked with Africa Command to conduct an airstrike that delivered more than 120,000 pounds of munitions against ISIS Somalia operatives, 'demonstrating that we are the world's strongest and most lethal fighting force,' Bailey said. 'We didn't just deploy. We delivered,' he said. It was the ninth deployment for Chief Warrant Officer Travis Rivers, who was welcomed home by his wife, Latoya Rivers, and children Travis and Troi. Latoya Rivers said he'd soon get to enjoy a big home-cooked meal — potentially his favorite of ox tails and yellow rice. And he'll get to celebrate Troi's 16th birthday this week, and catch up on movies with Travis, like the recently released 'Thunderbolts.' 'Even with everything going on, we knew that we were protected,' Latoya Rivers said. 'We trust the U.S. Navy and we trust God as well.' The family said it did its best to detach from the news during the deployment to ease their worry, and that it was particularly challenging since it was 'out of our control.' 'It was worth it and something that needed to be done,' Travis Rivers said about the deployment. 'It was hard at times but we came together as a team and we got through it.' Meanwhile, Cryptologic Technician DeJour Glasgow made a special request to stop by McDonald's for three McChickens and large fries following his first deployment, his mother said. Glasgow will get to celebrate his birthday and move in with girlfriend Adrianna Waring, who is also in the Navy and was deployed in Bahrain before the Truman's departure. His brother, Delahn Glasgow, also is in the Navy, and both were able to pass along advice about the 'stressful environment.' 'It was so stressful,' said his mother, Angela Thomas. 'I tried not to watch the news as much but I had to follow it on Facebook. Today is like a joy.' Debbie and Richard Johnston drove more than 1,200 miles from Heavener, Oklahoma, to welcome their son, Lt. Brandon Dedmon, who spent more than two decades with the Air Force before transferring to the Navy last year. Around a dozen family members showed up for Petty Officer Andrea Mosquera, on her first deployment. She said she's ready for a return to her native California. Capt. Chris Hill, who took command of the Truman aircraft carrier in February after the collision, said the return home from this deployment was 'absolutely eye watering.' Hill is the commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which completed a deployment in the Red Sea last year. 'The crew operated on the front lines, thwarting numerous attacks, and never gave up the fight,' Hill said. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133,
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Thankful for all of them': The ‘Proud Warriors' return to Jacksonville after 8-month deployment
Family and friends gathered at Naval Air Station Jacksonville Saturday afternoon to welcome back the 'Proud Warriors' - a team of servicemembers who have been gone on deployment for months. They make up Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 72, which embarked on its latest mission back in September, eight months ago. NAS Jax says the squadron was never meant to be gone so long -their time away was extended three times before Saturday's homecoming. 'It definitely never gets easier. This is, this is the longest one I've done,' said Commanding Officer John Zilai. 'Eight hurts. But you know, whatever. It's been fantastic to come home.' >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The squadron left on the the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), along with her escort ships, the USS Gettysburg (CG 64), and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109). 'We spent the first two months conducting exercises with NATO allies, with port visits in Norway and France. In late 2024, we entered the Red Sea as the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) began combat operations to safeguard America's national security interests and maintain the U.S. Navy's maritime dominance worldwide,' said Cmdr. Zilai. While on the Red Sea in February, the strike group supported a large-scale airstrike on ISIS-Somalia operatives, delivering 124,000 pounds of ordinance. Later, in March, they also led initial strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as part of Operation Rough Rider. Those missions came with a lot of risk and danger, making the homecoming even more special for family members. 'Just out-of-our-minds excited to have him come home safe,' said Cmdr. Zilai's father, Rob. Now that he's home, Zilai is excited for some well-earned time home relaxing. 'If I could pick one thing, it's take the boots off, put some flip flops on for a little bit, that would be fantastic.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Russia Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
US launched ‘largest-ever strike from aircraft carrier'
The US Navy conducted the largest-ever airstrike from an aircraft carrier during an operation in Somalia earlier this year, Admiral James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations, has said. The USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group 'launched the largest airstrike in the history of the world – 125,000 pounds (62.5 tons) – from a single aircraft carrier,' the US Navy's top admiral claimed at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in Washington on Monday. A defense official told Business Insider on Wednesday that the bombing run took place on February 1 and involved 16 F/A-18 Super Hornets. According to US Africa Command, a total of 25 airstrikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Qaeda affiliate group Al-Shabaab have been carried out by American forces in Somalia since January. The Truman carrier strike group, which had been deployed to the Middle East in the autumn, left the Red Sea earlier this month to participate in NATO drills in the Mediterranean before heading back to its home port of Norfolk, Virginia. Over the last half a year, it has played a key role in US efforts to prevent Houthi fighters from targeting shipping off Yemen's coast. The Truman conducted 670 strikes against the Houthis and intercepted around 160 enemy drones and missiles during the period, Kilby said. The Houthis 'are not China, but they are a threat, and they are hunting our ships. Understanding that and not being dismissive about that and being prepared is what we are focused on now,' the admiral stressed. The Truman's stay in the Red Sea was marred by several incidents. In December, one of the warships in its strike group shot down an American F/A-18 in what the US military later described as an 'apparent case of friendly fire.' In late April, an F/A-18 and a tow tractor fell overboard from the carrier's hangar bay as the ship was maneuvering to avoid an attack by the Houthis. Earlier this month, the Truman's arresting cables failed during the landing of another F/A-18, sending the jet, which costs an estimated $60 million, overboard.
