News

Embattled Trump struggles to fill key White House post

Jerome Cartiller, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 11 06:54 AM

A beleaguered President Donald Trump insisted Monday that hush payments made to women before the 2016 election were legal, as he struggled to fill the key position of chief of staff -- made toxic by two years of White House turmoil.   Read more »

Bush's single White House term shaped US history for decades

David Lindsey, Reuters
Updated as of Dec 01 06:09 PM

He was a symbol of a relatively collegial period in Washington that nevertheless set the stage for the divisive, partisan gridlock that now plagues the US capital. Read more »

Ivanka Trump used personal email for govt business: report

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 20 02:05 PM

WASHINGTON - The US president's daughter and senior advisor Ivanka Trump used a personal email account for government business in violation of federal records rules, The Washington Post reported Monday. Read more »

White House restores CNN journalist's credentials, with warning

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 20 09:41 AM

The White House said Monday it restored in full the media credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, ending a contentious legal battle, but also warned that he may be ejected again if he fails to abide by new rules being implemented for media events with the US president. Read more »

Judge orders White House to restore CNN reporter's access

Charlotte Plantive, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 17 01:22 AM

WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Friday ordered the White House to reinstate the press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, whose pass was revoked after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump. Read more »

US media in court showdown over White House access

Rob Lever and Charlotte Plantive, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 15 07:58 AM

President Donald Trump's effort to revoke a CNN reporter's credentials went to court Wednesday, in what media groups said was a matter of press freedom -- while the White House argued it had a broad right to restrict access to the US president.  Read more »

Fox News says to back CNN in court battle with White House

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 15 02:22 AM

NEW YORK - Fox News said Wednesday it would join rival CNN in its legal battle to restore the access of White House reporter Jim Acosta, maintaining that press credentials "should never be weaponized." Read more »

Defiant Trump blames media, fellow Republicans for House losses

Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton, Reuters
Posted at Nov 08 03:30 PM

The day after his party lost its lock on the US Congress, President Donald Trump walked into a White House press conference ready for political combat, name-checking Republicans who he blamed for losing their seats and lashing out at reporters who challenged his assertions. Read more »

Next up? Starting gun sounds on 2020 White House race

John Whitesides, Reuters
Posted at Nov 07 03:54 PM

Let the 2020 White House race begin. Read more »

The Tirols of Boracay

Ces Oreña-Drilon
Updated as of Oct 26 04:35 PM

Leonard Tirol, scion of one of Boracay’s most prominent clans, talks to us about the island’s past and present— but he’s giving the future mixed reviews. Find out why. Read more »

Donald Trump Jr says not worried about going to jail: report

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Sep 12 08:32 AM

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump's eldest son said he was not worried that he could be jailed over his role in the Russia probe, but suggested investigators might try to "create" legal difficulties for him. Read more »

Trump lieutenants disavow explosive 'resistance' op-ed

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Sep 07 08:43 AM

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump's top lieutenants scrambled Thursday to deny authorship of an explosive op-ed article that has plunged his presidency into its worst crisis yet by proclaiming a secret insider resistance to his "reckless" and "amoral" leadership. Read more »

Damning Woodward book depicts 'crazytown' Trump White House

Paul Handley, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Sep 05 09:23 AM

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's White House is mired in a perpetual "nervous breakdown" with staff battling to rein in the worst impulses of an angry, paranoid leader, according to an explosive new book by veteran reporter Bob Woodward. Read more »

Trump insists White House a 'smooth-running machine'

Jerome Cartillier, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Aug 31 02:59 PM

The Fake News Media has it, purposely, so wrong!" Trump tweeted. Read more »

In U-turn, Trump lowers White House flag for McCain

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Aug 28 04:53 AM

Under fire for what critics said was a lack of respect for the late U.S. senator John McCain, President Donald Trump issued Monday a formal proclamation about the lawmaker's death and ordered the White House flag back to half-staff. Read more »

Trump, White House deny wrongdoing after Cohen plea deal

Jeff Mason and James Oliphant, Reuters
Posted at Aug 23 07:39 AM

WASHINGTON - The White House pushed back forcefully on Wednesday against suggestions that a plea deal struck by President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen implicated Trump in a crime. Read more »

Putin won't be invited to address US Congress: House speaker Paul Ryan

Reuters
Posted at Jul 25 01:42 AM

Ryan's comments reflect the continuing unease among US lawmakers even within Trump's own party about the president's outreach to Putin. Read more »

Targeting critics, Trump threatens ex-officials' security clearances

Steve Holland and Jonathan Landay, Reuters
Posted at Jul 24 11:26 AM

WASHINGTON - The White House on Monday threatened to strike back at critics of President Donald Trump's contacts with Russia by revoking the security clearances of six former U.S. officials, drawing accusations that he was abusing his power and aiming to stifle dissent. Read more »

Trump invites Putin to Washington despite U.S. uproar on Helsinki summit

Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu, Reuters
Posted at Jul 20 07:35 AM

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump plans to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to Washington this autumn, the White House said on Thursday, four days after a summit that led to an uproar in the United States over Trump's failure to publicly confront Putin for Moscow's meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.   Read more »

White House struggles to contain fallout from Trump-Putin summit

Roberta Rampton, Reuters
Posted at Jul 19 05:15 AM

Since Monday's summit, Trump and the White House have twice blamed a misstatement or misunderstanding for the furor over Russia. Read more »