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18
Senate extends surveillance powers until April 30 after chaotic votes in House
WASHINGTON (AP): The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, following a chaotic, post-midnight scramble in the House to keep the authority from expiring in a matter of days. The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday, without a formal roll call — the same way it was approved hours earlier in the House — as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave a nod to the political difficulty ahead as they assess options when the temporary extension expires at the end of the month. “We’ll be preparing accordingly,” the South Dakota Republican said. It’s all setting up another showdown, in a matter of weeks, as Congress dives into the surveillance tool that pits Americans’ privacy rights against what U.S. officials have long said is a uniquely effective program for the security of the country. The stopgap came after House Republican leaders hurriedly unveiled an ambitious five-year extension late Thursday with revisions to appease skeptics of the surveillance program — a sharp pivot from the clean 18-month renewal Trump and GOP leaders had pushed all week. But both those Republican bills collapsed, failing to advance, forcing leaders to pivot. Early Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a longtime critic of the surveillance system, stalled further action in the Senate as he pressed for changes. Wyden said he has never seen this level of support on both sides of the political aisle — and in both chambers of Congress — for real revisions to the surveillance tool, although he did not stand in the way of a short-term extension, for now. “It’s not making a choice between security and liberty. That’s garbage,” Wyden said. “We’re going to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.” Chaotic, late-night House votes end in failure Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House had spent the week trying to line up support for an 18-month renewal of the spy tool with no changes. But holdouts held firm, forcing a late-night scramble. GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday for a series of back-to-back votes that fell apart before pivoting to a stopgap to keep the program from expiring Monday. First, they came out with a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Among the changes were new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys could authorize queries on U.S. people, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate. That plan also would enhance criminal penalties on those who unlawfully conduct such inquiries or disclose the surveillance information, Scott said. It provides a way for members of Congress and certain staff to access the proceedings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, which handles such requests. But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party. GOP leaders then tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Johnson had previously backed. It failed as well, with some 20 Republicans joining most Democrats in blocking its advance. Shortly after 2 a.m., they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension. “We were very close tonight,” Johnson said after the late-night action. But Democrats assailed the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus that helped stall votes throughout the week, said the outcome was predictable after the procedural votes fell short. “We warned them that this was gonna happen,” Ogles said. “Unfortunately, here we are at 2 in the morning.” Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security At the center of the standoff is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets. U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. Extending the program is a recurring fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks. “There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.” Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order. Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes. A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.” “I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.” They didn’t.
Senate extends surveillance powers until April 30 after chaotic votes in House
WASHINGTON (AP): The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, following a chaotic, post-midnight scramble in the House to keep the authority from expiring in a matter of days. The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday, without a formal roll call — the same way it was approved hours earlier in the House — as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave a nod to the political difficulty ahead as they assess options when the temporary extension expires at the end of the month. “We’ll be preparing accordingly,” the South Dakota Republican said. It’s all setting up another showdown, in a matter of weeks, as Congress dives into the surveillance tool that pits Americans’ privacy rights against what U.S. officials have long said is a uniquely effective program for the security of the country. The stopgap came after House Republican leaders hurriedly unveiled an ambitious five-year extension late Thursday with revisions to appease skeptics of the surveillance program — a sharp pivot from the clean 18-month renewal Trump and GOP leaders had pushed all week. But both those Republican bills collapsed, failing to advance, forcing leaders to pivot. Early Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a longtime critic of the surveillance system, stalled further action in the Senate as he pressed for changes. Wyden said he has never seen this level of support on both sides of the political aisle — and in both chambers of Congress — for real revisions to the surveillance tool, although he did not stand in the way of a short-term extension, for now. “It’s not making a choice between security and liberty. That’s garbage,” Wyden said. “We’re going to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.” Chaotic, late-night House votes end in failure Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House had spent the week trying to line up support for an 18-month renewal of the spy tool with no changes. But holdouts held firm, forcing a late-night scramble. GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday for a series of back-to-back votes that fell apart before pivoting to a stopgap to keep the program from expiring Monday. First, they came out with a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Among the changes were new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys could authorize queries on U.S. people, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate. That plan also would enhance criminal penalties on those who unlawfully conduct such inquiries or disclose the surveillance information, Scott said. It provides a way for members of Congress and certain staff to access the proceedings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, which handles such requests. But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party. GOP leaders then tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Johnson had previously backed. It failed as well, with some 20 Republicans joining most Democrats in blocking its advance. Shortly after 2 a.m., they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension. “We were very close tonight,” Johnson said after the late-night action. But Democrats assailed the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus that helped stall votes throughout the week, said the outcome was predictable after the procedural votes fell short. “We warned them that this was gonna happen,” Ogles said. “Unfortunately, here we are at 2 in the morning.” Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security At the center of the standoff is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets. U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. Extending the program is a recurring fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks. “There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.” Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order. Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes. A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.” “I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.” They didn’t.
Senate extends surveillance powers until April 30 after chaotic votes in House
WASHINGTON (AP): The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, following a chaotic, post-midnight scramble in the House to keep the authority from expiring in a matter of days. The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday, without a formal roll call — the same way it was approved hours earlier in the House — as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave a nod to the political difficulty ahead as they assess options when the temporary extension expires at the end of the month. “We’ll be preparing accordingly,” the South Dakota Republican said. It’s all setting up another showdown, in a matter of weeks, as Congress dives into the surveillance tool that pits Americans’ privacy rights against what U.S. officials have long said is a uniquely effective program for the security of the country. The stopgap came after House Republican leaders hurriedly unveiled an ambitious five-year extension late Thursday with revisions to appease skeptics of the surveillance program — a sharp pivot from the clean 18-month renewal Trump and GOP leaders had pushed all week. But both those Republican bills collapsed, failing to advance, forcing leaders to pivot. Early Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a longtime critic of the surveillance system, stalled further action in the Senate as he pressed for changes. Wyden said he has never seen this level of support on both sides of the political aisle — and in both chambers of Congress — for real revisions to the surveillance tool, although he did not stand in the way of a short-term extension, for now. “It’s not making a choice between security and liberty. That’s garbage,” Wyden said. “We’re going to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.” Chaotic, late-night House votes end in failure Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House had spent the week trying to line up support for an 18-month renewal of the spy tool with no changes. But holdouts held firm, forcing a late-night scramble. GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday for a series of back-to-back votes that fell apart before pivoting to a stopgap to keep the program from expiring Monday. First, they came out with a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Among the changes were new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys could authorize queries on U.S. people, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate. That plan also would enhance criminal penalties on those who unlawfully conduct such inquiries or disclose the surveillance information, Scott said. It provides a way for members of Congress and certain staff to access the proceedings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, which handles such requests. But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party. GOP leaders then tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Johnson had previously backed. It failed as well, with some 20 Republicans joining most Democrats in blocking its advance. Shortly after 2 a.m., they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension. “We were very close tonight,” Johnson said after the late-night action. But Democrats assailed the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus that helped stall votes throughout the week, said the outcome was predictable after the procedural votes fell short. “We warned them that this was gonna happen,” Ogles said. “Unfortunately, here we are at 2 in the morning.” Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security At the center of the standoff is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets. U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. Extending the program is a recurring fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks. “There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.” Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order. Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes. A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.” “I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.” They didn’t.
Senate extends surveillance powers until April 30 after chaotic votes in House
WASHINGTON (AP): The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, following a chaotic, post-midnight scramble in the House to keep the authority from expiring in a matter of days. The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday, without a formal roll call — the same way it was approved hours earlier in the House — as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave a nod to the political difficulty ahead as they assess options when the temporary extension expires at the end of the month. “We’ll be preparing accordingly,” the South Dakota Republican said. It’s all setting up another showdown, in a matter of weeks, as Congress dives into the surveillance tool that pits Americans’ privacy rights against what U.S. officials have long said is a uniquely effective program for the security of the country. The stopgap came after House Republican leaders hurriedly unveiled an ambitious five-year extension late Thursday with revisions to appease skeptics of the surveillance program — a sharp pivot from the clean 18-month renewal Trump and GOP leaders had pushed all week. But both those Republican bills collapsed, failing to advance, forcing leaders to pivot. Early Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a longtime critic of the surveillance system, stalled further action in the Senate as he pressed for changes. Wyden said he has never seen this level of support on both sides of the political aisle — and in both chambers of Congress — for real revisions to the surveillance tool, although he did not stand in the way of a short-term extension, for now. “It’s not making a choice between security and liberty. That’s garbage,” Wyden said. “We’re going to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.” Chaotic, late-night House votes end in failure Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House had spent the week trying to line up support for an 18-month renewal of the spy tool with no changes. But holdouts held firm, forcing a late-night scramble. GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday for a series of back-to-back votes that fell apart before pivoting to a stopgap to keep the program from expiring Monday. First, they came out with a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Among the changes were new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys could authorize queries on U.S. people, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate. That plan also would enhance criminal penalties on those who unlawfully conduct such inquiries or disclose the surveillance information, Scott said. It provides a way for members of Congress and certain staff to access the proceedings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, which handles such requests. But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party. GOP leaders then tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Johnson had previously backed. It failed as well, with some 20 Republicans joining most Democrats in blocking its advance. Shortly after 2 a.m., they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension. “We were very close tonight,” Johnson said after the late-night action. But Democrats assailed the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus that helped stall votes throughout the week, said the outcome was predictable after the procedural votes fell short. “We warned them that this was gonna happen,” Ogles said. “Unfortunately, here we are at 2 in the morning.” Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security At the center of the standoff is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets. U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. Extending the program is a recurring fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks. “There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.” Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order. Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes. A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.” “I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.” They didn’t.
US House rejects bid to curb Trump’s Iran war powers
WASHINGTON (AFP) : The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected an effort to curb President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war in Iran, another setback in Democrats’ campaign to force Congress back into decisions over military action in the Middle East. The vote, held after Democrats forced the issue onto the floor, came as unease over the six-week conflict continued to spread on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers wary of rising costs, an unclear endgame and the risk of a wider war. The measure would have required Trump to end US military operations against Tehran unless Congress explicitly approved them, invoking the 1973 War Powers Resolution that limits presidential freedom to conduct prolonged hostilities without lawmakers’ consent. It was largely party-line vote, although one of Trump’s Republicans supported the resolution and another abstained, while a Democrat voted against it. Democrats argue that Trump launched the conflict jointly with Israel on February 28 without the congressional authorization required by the constitution, which gives Congress sole power to declare war. “We are standing at the edge of a cliff, and Congress must act before this president pushes us off. Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp,” Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said ahead of the vote. The defeat came despite Democrats narrowing the margin from a previous failed House vote in March, when a similar resolution lost by seven votes. But in the end, Republican support remained too thin. Trump has so far retained broad backing from his party, despite frustration among some lawmakers over the administration’s refusal to publicly detail the financial and military burden of the war. At congressional hearings on Wednesday and Thursday, White House budget director Russ Vought declined to estimate the taxpayer cost, and would not confirm an estimate by the Senate Budget Committee’s top Democrat Jeff Merkely that the figure was around $50 billion so far. Democrats insist failed war powers votes are still valuable because they force lawmakers to go on the record. The House vote came a day after the Senate again rejected its own war powers effort, though Democratic leaders in both chambers have vowed to keep bringing the issue back. “Americans are seeing hundreds of casualties in a war that no one has given them the respect to explain,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “But one thing is clear: Americans are being asked to foot the bill. With the lives of their sons and daughters. And with the $2 billion a day that we are spending on this conflict that could be going to help Americans afford to go see a doctor.”
US House rejects bid to curb Trump’s Iran war powers
WASHINGTON (AFP) : The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected an effort to curb President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war in Iran, another setback in Democrats’ campaign to force Congress back into decisions over military action in the Middle East. The vote, held after Democrats forced the issue onto the floor, came as unease over the six-week conflict continued to spread on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers wary of rising costs, an unclear endgame and the risk of a wider war. The measure would have required Trump to end US military operations against Tehran unless Congress explicitly approved them, invoking the 1973 War Powers Resolution that limits presidential freedom to conduct prolonged hostilities without lawmakers’ consent. It was largely party-line vote, although one of Trump’s Republicans supported the resolution and another abstained, while a Democrat voted against it. Democrats argue that Trump launched the conflict jointly with Israel on February 28 without the congressional authorization required by the constitution, which gives Congress sole power to declare war. “We are standing at the edge of a cliff, and Congress must act before this president pushes us off. Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp,” Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said ahead of the vote. The defeat came despite Democrats narrowing the margin from a previous failed House vote in March, when a similar resolution lost by seven votes. But in the end, Republican support remained too thin. Trump has so far retained broad backing from his party, despite frustration among some lawmakers over the administration’s refusal to publicly detail the financial and military burden of the war. At congressional hearings on Wednesday and Thursday, White House budget director Russ Vought declined to estimate the taxpayer cost, and would not confirm an estimate by the Senate Budget Committee’s top Democrat Jeff Merkely that the figure was around $50 billion so far. Democrats insist failed war powers votes are still valuable because they force lawmakers to go on the record. The House vote came a day after the Senate again rejected its own war powers effort, though Democratic leaders in both chambers have vowed to keep bringing the issue back. “Americans are seeing hundreds of casualties in a war that no one has given them the respect to explain,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “But one thing is clear: Americans are being asked to foot the bill. With the lives of their sons and daughters. And with the $2 billion a day that we are spending on this conflict that could be going to help Americans afford to go see a doctor.”
US senators reassure Taiwan on weapons approvals in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) : The United States will likely approve pending weapons sales to Taiwan in coming weeks, a bipartisan group of senators assured Taiwanese lawmakers in a letter, urging Taipei to hasten its stalled defense spending in the face of pressure from China. The letter comes ahead of a planned May 14-15 trip to China by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose moves to secure a favorable trade deal with China’s leader Xi Jinping have raised concerns in the U.S. and Taiwan that he could curb Washington’s military support for the democratically governed island. “The United States Congress is fully committed to the timely delivery of critical capabilities to Taiwan and we expect that pending sales will be announced in the coming weeks,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah also signed the letter. Those packages include “counter-drone assets, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions to enhance Taiwan’s air defenses,” the senators said in the April 14 message addressed to Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and top lawmakers of other Taiwan political parties. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed $40 billion in extra defense spending to counter China. But the opposition, led by the KMT, has tied up the proposal in favor of its own, less expensive plan. Last week, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun visited China on what she called a peace mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly pushed Taiwan’s parliament to move forward with the defense outlays, and the letter reiterated the importance of enabling “not only procurement of American equipment but also speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities.” China has long demanded a halt to weapons sales to Taiwan by the U.S., the island’s most important international backer despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Xi told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence,” and the Chinese leader is expected to press the Taiwan issue during Trump’s visit. Nonetheless, the Trump administration in December approved a record $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Reuters has reported that weapons packages worth as much as $14 billion could be announced by the administration sometime following his trip, which was delayed from early April. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
US senators reassure Taiwan on weapons approvals in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) : The United States will likely approve pending weapons sales to Taiwan in coming weeks, a bipartisan group of senators assured Taiwanese lawmakers in a letter, urging Taipei to hasten its stalled defense spending in the face of pressure from China. The letter comes ahead of a planned May 14-15 trip to China by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose moves to secure a favorable trade deal with China’s leader Xi Jinping have raised concerns in the U.S. and Taiwan that he could curb Washington’s military support for the democratically governed island. “The United States Congress is fully committed to the timely delivery of critical capabilities to Taiwan and we expect that pending sales will be announced in the coming weeks,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah also signed the letter. Those packages include “counter-drone assets, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions to enhance Taiwan’s air defenses,” the senators said in the April 14 message addressed to Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and top lawmakers of other Taiwan political parties. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed $40 billion in extra defense spending to counter China. But the opposition, led by the KMT, has tied up the proposal in favor of its own, less expensive plan. Last week, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun visited China on what she called a peace mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly pushed Taiwan’s parliament to move forward with the defense outlays, and the letter reiterated the importance of enabling “not only procurement of American equipment but also speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities.” China has long demanded a halt to weapons sales to Taiwan by the U.S., the island’s most important international backer despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Xi told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence,” and the Chinese leader is expected to press the Taiwan issue during Trump’s visit. Nonetheless, the Trump administration in December approved a record $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Reuters has reported that weapons packages worth as much as $14 billion could be announced by the administration sometime following his trip, which was delayed from early April. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
US senators reassure Taiwan on weapons approvals in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) : The United States will likely approve pending weapons sales to Taiwan in coming weeks, a bipartisan group of senators assured Taiwanese lawmakers in a letter, urging Taipei to hasten its stalled defense spending in the face of pressure from China. The letter comes ahead of a planned May 14-15 trip to China by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose moves to secure a favorable trade deal with China’s leader Xi Jinping have raised concerns in the U.S. and Taiwan that he could curb Washington’s military support for the democratically governed island. “The United States Congress is fully committed to the timely delivery of critical capabilities to Taiwan and we expect that pending sales will be announced in the coming weeks,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah also signed the letter. Those packages include “counter-drone assets, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions to enhance Taiwan’s air defenses,” the senators said in the April 14 message addressed to Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and top lawmakers of other Taiwan political parties. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed $40 billion in extra defense spending to counter China. But the opposition, led by the KMT, has tied up the proposal in favor of its own, less expensive plan. Last week, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun visited China on what she called a peace mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly pushed Taiwan’s parliament to move forward with the defense outlays, and the letter reiterated the importance of enabling “not only procurement of American equipment but also speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities.” China has long demanded a halt to weapons sales to Taiwan by the U.S., the island’s most important international backer despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Xi told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence,” and the Chinese leader is expected to press the Taiwan issue during Trump’s visit. Nonetheless, the Trump administration in December approved a record $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Reuters has reported that weapons packages worth as much as $14 billion could be announced by the administration sometime following his trip, which was delayed from early April. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
US senators reassure Taiwan on weapons approvals in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) : The United States will likely approve pending weapons sales to Taiwan in coming weeks, a bipartisan group of senators assured Taiwanese lawmakers in a letter, urging Taipei to hasten its stalled defense spending in the face of pressure from China. The letter comes ahead of a planned May 14-15 trip to China by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose moves to secure a favorable trade deal with China’s leader Xi Jinping have raised concerns in the U.S. and Taiwan that he could curb Washington’s military support for the democratically governed island. “The United States Congress is fully committed to the timely delivery of critical capabilities to Taiwan and we expect that pending sales will be announced in the coming weeks,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah also signed the letter. Those packages include “counter-drone assets, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions to enhance Taiwan’s air defenses,” the senators said in the April 14 message addressed to Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and top lawmakers of other Taiwan political parties. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed $40 billion in extra defense spending to counter China. But the opposition, led by the KMT, has tied up the proposal in favor of its own, less expensive plan. Last week, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun visited China on what she called a peace mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly pushed Taiwan’s parliament to move forward with the defense outlays, and the letter reiterated the importance of enabling “not only procurement of American equipment but also speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities.” China has long demanded a halt to weapons sales to Taiwan by the U.S., the island’s most important international backer despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Xi told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence,” and the Chinese leader is expected to press the Taiwan issue during Trump’s visit. Nonetheless, the Trump administration in December approved a record $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Reuters has reported that weapons packages worth as much as $14 billion could be announced by the administration sometime following his trip, which was delayed from early April. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
US senators reassure Taiwan on weapons approvals in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) : The United States will likely approve pending weapons sales to Taiwan in coming weeks, a bipartisan group of senators assured Taiwanese lawmakers in a letter, urging Taipei to hasten its stalled defense spending in the face of pressure from China. The letter comes ahead of a planned May 14-15 trip to China by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose moves to secure a favorable trade deal with China’s leader Xi Jinping have raised concerns in the U.S. and Taiwan that he could curb Washington’s military support for the democratically governed island. “The United States Congress is fully committed to the timely delivery of critical capabilities to Taiwan and we expect that pending sales will be announced in the coming weeks,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah also signed the letter. Those packages include “counter-drone assets, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions to enhance Taiwan’s air defenses,” the senators said in the April 14 message addressed to Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and top lawmakers of other Taiwan political parties. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed $40 billion in extra defense spending to counter China. But the opposition, led by the KMT, has tied up the proposal in favor of its own, less expensive plan. Last week, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun visited China on what she called a peace mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly pushed Taiwan’s parliament to move forward with the defense outlays, and the letter reiterated the importance of enabling “not only procurement of American equipment but also speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities.” China has long demanded a halt to weapons sales to Taiwan by the U.S., the island’s most important international backer despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Xi told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence,” and the Chinese leader is expected to press the Taiwan issue during Trump’s visit. Nonetheless, the Trump administration in December approved a record $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Reuters has reported that weapons packages worth as much as $14 billion could be announced by the administration sometime following his trip, which was delayed from early April. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
US Senate rejects another war powers resolution to limit Trump on Iran
WASHINGTON DC : A resolution to rein in US President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war with Iran has failed for the fourth time in the US Senate, where lawmakers have pledged to introduce the measure weekly. The vote was the first since the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week. Subsequent talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to yield a more lasting agreement, although both sides have signalled they are open to a second round. Prior to the fighting pause, US President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran. His threat on April 7 that a “whole civilisation will die tonight”, just hours before an agreement had been reached, stoked further calls for Congress to constrain Trump on the war. As with past votes, the resolution on Wednesday failed mostly along party lines, 47-53, with one Republican, Rand Paul, voting in favour and one Democrat, John Fetterman, voting against. Supporters of the resolution have maintained that Trump acted outside of constitutional authority in launching the war alongside Israel on February 28. The US Constitution reserves the decision to go to war for Congress, with presidents only able to unilaterally launch operations in instances of immediate self-defence. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has offered a carousel of explanations for going to war, including arguing that the totality of Iran’s actions since the Islamic revolution in 1979 represented an imminent threat to the US. Speaking before Wednesday’s vote, US Senator Chris Murphy called the conflict a “bungled, mismanaged war” that has failed to achieve several of the administration’s stated goals. He further decried a lack of transparency from the Trump administration and oversight from Republicans in Congress. “We should not fail to note how extraordinary it is that our Senate Republican leadership has declined to do any oversight of a war that is costing billions of dollars every week, that has already led to the loss of over a dozen American lives, that has erupted a regional war throughout the Middle East, and is literally melting down economies all over the world,” Murphy said. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican, maintained Trump was acting within his authority as president, dismissing the measure as “a same old, same old”. “It says President Trump: ‘Put your tail between your legs and run.’ That’s what this resolution says,” he said. “Not only does [Trump] have the right to do this, he has the duty to do this. He took an oath to defend the people of the United States of America,” he said. The US House of Representatives was expected to vote on its own resolution this week, with passage in the chamber considered more plausible, particularly given growing wariness of the war among some Republicans. The success of the resolution in either chamber would be largely symbolic. Even if it passed both the House and the Senate, it could be vetoed by Trump. Both chambers would then need a likely insurmountable two-thirds vote to overcome the veto. However, lawmakers could face a larger test at the end of April, when the war hits its 60-day mark. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, the US Congress must authorise the military action at that point or approve a 30-day extension. Otherwise, Trump would be legally required to begin withdrawing forces. US blockade continues On Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that no ships entering or exiting Iranian ports had successfully crossed the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 48 hours. CENTCOM said that nine vessels had complied with US military commands to turn around. In a separate statement, the US Navy said it was warning ships that “vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian ports”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said Washington was preparing a new raft of actions that would be the “financial equivalent” of military attacks. The US had lifted some sanctions on Iran amid the war to lower soaring global energy prices. Speaking to reporters, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration had not formally requested an extension of the two-week ceasefire, which is set to end next week. She struck an optimistic tone on the prospect of a second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad. “At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks,” she said. Meanwhile, Iran’s state-owned television channel reported that a high-level Pakistani delegation had arrived in Tehran to coordinate a new round of talks. Still, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned that the ongoing naval blockade could end the fragile pause in fighting. “If the aggressor and terrorist US seeks to continue its illegal action of imposing a naval blockade in the region and to create insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers, this action by the US will constitute a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire,” he said. Courtesy: aljazeera
US Senate rejects another war powers resolution to limit Trump on Iran
WASHINGTON DC : A resolution to rein in US President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war with Iran has failed for the fourth time in the US Senate, where lawmakers have pledged to introduce the measure weekly. The vote was the first since the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week. Subsequent talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to yield a more lasting agreement, although both sides have signalled they are open to a second round. Prior to the fighting pause, US President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran. His threat on April 7 that a “whole civilisation will die tonight”, just hours before an agreement had been reached, stoked further calls for Congress to constrain Trump on the war. As with past votes, the resolution on Wednesday failed mostly along party lines, 47-53, with one Republican, Rand Paul, voting in favour and one Democrat, John Fetterman, voting against. Supporters of the resolution have maintained that Trump acted outside of constitutional authority in launching the war alongside Israel on February 28. The US Constitution reserves the decision to go to war for Congress, with presidents only able to unilaterally launch operations in instances of immediate self-defence. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has offered a carousel of explanations for going to war, including arguing that the totality of Iran’s actions since the Islamic revolution in 1979 represented an imminent threat to the US. Speaking before Wednesday’s vote, US Senator Chris Murphy called the conflict a “bungled, mismanaged war” that has failed to achieve several of the administration’s stated goals. He further decried a lack of transparency from the Trump administration and oversight from Republicans in Congress. “We should not fail to note how extraordinary it is that our Senate Republican leadership has declined to do any oversight of a war that is costing billions of dollars every week, that has already led to the loss of over a dozen American lives, that has erupted a regional war throughout the Middle East, and is literally melting down economies all over the world,” Murphy said. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican, maintained Trump was acting within his authority as president, dismissing the measure as “a same old, same old”. “It says President Trump: ‘Put your tail between your legs and run.’ That’s what this resolution says,” he said. “Not only does [Trump] have the right to do this, he has the duty to do this. He took an oath to defend the people of the United States of America,” he said. The US House of Representatives was expected to vote on its own resolution this week, with passage in the chamber considered more plausible, particularly given growing wariness of the war among some Republicans. The success of the resolution in either chamber would be largely symbolic. Even if it passed both the House and the Senate, it could be vetoed by Trump. Both chambers would then need a likely insurmountable two-thirds vote to overcome the veto. However, lawmakers could face a larger test at the end of April, when the war hits its 60-day mark. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, the US Congress must authorise the military action at that point or approve a 30-day extension. Otherwise, Trump would be legally required to begin withdrawing forces. US blockade continues On Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that no ships entering or exiting Iranian ports had successfully crossed the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 48 hours. CENTCOM said that nine vessels had complied with US military commands to turn around. In a separate statement, the US Navy said it was warning ships that “vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian ports”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said Washington was preparing a new raft of actions that would be the “financial equivalent” of military attacks. The US had lifted some sanctions on Iran amid the war to lower soaring global energy prices. Speaking to reporters, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration had not formally requested an extension of the two-week ceasefire, which is set to end next week. She struck an optimistic tone on the prospect of a second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad. “At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks,” she said. Meanwhile, Iran’s state-owned television channel reported that a high-level Pakistani delegation had arrived in Tehran to coordinate a new round of talks. Still, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned that the ongoing naval blockade could end the fragile pause in fighting. “If the aggressor and terrorist US seeks to continue its illegal action of imposing a naval blockade in the region and to create insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers, this action by the US will constitute a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire,” he said. Courtesy: aljazeera
US Senate rejects another war powers resolution to limit Trump on Iran
WASHINGTON DC : A resolution to rein in US President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war with Iran has failed for the fourth time in the US Senate, where lawmakers have pledged to introduce the measure weekly. The vote was the first since the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week. Subsequent talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to yield a more lasting agreement, although both sides have signalled they are open to a second round. Prior to the fighting pause, US President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran. His threat on April 7 that a “whole civilisation will die tonight”, just hours before an agreement had been reached, stoked further calls for Congress to constrain Trump on the war. As with past votes, the resolution on Wednesday failed mostly along party lines, 47-53, with one Republican, Rand Paul, voting in favour and one Democrat, John Fetterman, voting against. Supporters of the resolution have maintained that Trump acted outside of constitutional authority in launching the war alongside Israel on February 28. The US Constitution reserves the decision to go to war for Congress, with presidents only able to unilaterally launch operations in instances of immediate self-defence. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has offered a carousel of explanations for going to war, including arguing that the totality of Iran’s actions since the Islamic revolution in 1979 represented an imminent threat to the US. Speaking before Wednesday’s vote, US Senator Chris Murphy called the conflict a “bungled, mismanaged war” that has failed to achieve several of the administration’s stated goals. He further decried a lack of transparency from the Trump administration and oversight from Republicans in Congress. “We should not fail to note how extraordinary it is that our Senate Republican leadership has declined to do any oversight of a war that is costing billions of dollars every week, that has already led to the loss of over a dozen American lives, that has erupted a regional war throughout the Middle East, and is literally melting down economies all over the world,” Murphy said. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican, maintained Trump was acting within his authority as president, dismissing the measure as “a same old, same old”. “It says President Trump: ‘Put your tail between your legs and run.’ That’s what this resolution says,” he said. “Not only does [Trump] have the right to do this, he has the duty to do this. He took an oath to defend the people of the United States of America,” he said. The US House of Representatives was expected to vote on its own resolution this week, with passage in the chamber considered more plausible, particularly given growing wariness of the war among some Republicans. The success of the resolution in either chamber would be largely symbolic. Even if it passed both the House and the Senate, it could be vetoed by Trump. Both chambers would then need a likely insurmountable two-thirds vote to overcome the veto. However, lawmakers could face a larger test at the end of April, when the war hits its 60-day mark. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, the US Congress must authorise the military action at that point or approve a 30-day extension. Otherwise, Trump would be legally required to begin withdrawing forces. US blockade continues On Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that no ships entering or exiting Iranian ports had successfully crossed the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 48 hours. CENTCOM said that nine vessels had complied with US military commands to turn around. In a separate statement, the US Navy said it was warning ships that “vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian ports”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said Washington was preparing a new raft of actions that would be the “financial equivalent” of military attacks. The US had lifted some sanctions on Iran amid the war to lower soaring global energy prices. Speaking to reporters, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration had not formally requested an extension of the two-week ceasefire, which is set to end next week. She struck an optimistic tone on the prospect of a second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad. “At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks,” she said. Meanwhile, Iran’s state-owned television channel reported that a high-level Pakistani delegation had arrived in Tehran to coordinate a new round of talks. Still, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned that the ongoing naval blockade could end the fragile pause in fighting. “If the aggressor and terrorist US seeks to continue its illegal action of imposing a naval blockade in the region and to create insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers, this action by the US will constitute a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire,” he said. Courtesy: aljazeera
Trump’s tenuous Iran exit plan isn’t healing Republican rifts exposed by the war
WASHINGTON (AP) : President Donald Trump’s search for an off-ramp from the war with Iran is getting bumpy inside his Republican Party. In the decade since Trump’s “America First” movement rose to power by rejecting military intervention, his coalition has rarely been tested the way it is now. Trump’s exit efforts — first through threats of annihilation, then with a ceasefire that is proving precarious — are doing little to paper over tensions that have festered since the war began six weeks ago. Laura Loomer, a conservative activist close to the president and often one of his top boosters, rejected the notion of brokering a deal with Iran. In an interview, she knocked Vice President JD Vance for being “in charge” of talks expected to start Saturday in Pakistan, as he takes on a larger diplomatic role ahead of a potential 2028 White House run. “I support President Trump,” Loomer said in an interview. “I just don’t believe in negotiating with Islamic terrorists.” Vance’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Trump supporter-turned-critic, called for the president to be removed from office through the Constitution’s 25th Amendment after he said earlier this week that a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran made a deal. Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News anchor who now hosts a podcast, unloaded on Trump with a profane critique and asked, “Can’t he just behave like a normal human?” During a recent taping of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” the host wondered what would end first, their episode or the ceasefire deal. Despite the growing criticism, Republican leaders in Congress were largely silent. Many were privately uncomfortable with Trump’s threats on social media and were concerned about how the war would play out, especially in an election year. But with Congress on recess for the opening two weeks of April, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have offered little public reaction to Trump’s moves. Some said the developments were simply unfolding too quickly. “How do you go up and give a presentation or speech in a situation where every 12 hours, the baseline story has a new gradient?” Rep. Dave Schweikert, an Arizona Republican who is running for governor, said in an interview. “In many ways, it is the sin of arrogance thinking you can go out and talk about something when the story is still unfolding.” A factor in the midterms? That leaves Republicans in an uncertain position, much like the state of the war. The party already faces fierce headwinds ahead of the November midterms, and some say its best bet is for voters to forget about Iran by then. “My hope is that it will be long behind us by the time votes are cast,” said Chris Wilson, a veteran Republican strategist. “Fortunately for the GOP, foreign policy flare-ups rarely decide midterm elections on their own, especially when voters are far more focused on the economy and prices at home.” For now, Trump and his White House are expressing confidence. Trump hailed a “big day for World Peace” after the ceasefire was first announced. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt heralded a “victory for the United States of America that the president and our incredible military made happen.” In a social media post, Trump dismissed his detractors, including podcasters such as Kelly, as “stupid people” who will “say anything necessary for some ‘free’ and cheap publicity.” Some of the president’s supporters in Congress are pushing back at the suggestion that Trump has become too entangled overseas at the expense of domestic priorities. “Part of America First is making sure that the homeland stays safe and Iran is a factor in our safety,” Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, said in an interview. “We are all hopeful that the ceasefire does hold and that Iran lives up to their side of the agreement. Recent elections are cause for GOP concern Any president’s party typically loses seats in Congress during a midterm election year and races this week offered a fresh reason for concern for Republicans. Republican Clay Fuller won Greene’s district by about 12 percentage points. She had a 29-percentage-point win two years earlier, and Trump carried the district by almost 37 percentage points. In Wisconsin, the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court grew this week when a Democratic-backed candidate won by a double-digit margin. That follows strong performances for Democrats in other recent races, including the Florida state legislative district that is home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Only about 4 in 10 US adults approved of how Trump was handling his job as president, according to Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling last month. That share is largely unchanged since he returned to office in January 2025. But it is also roughly where Trump was at this point in his first term, when Democrats went on to gain 40 House seats in the 2018 midterms. While Trump still has deep support from Republicans, there are signs that he risks frustrating his supporters if the US becomes involved in a prolonged war. Although 63 percent of Republicans back airstrikes against Iranian military targets, the March survey found, only 20 percent back deploying American ground troops. Rising gas prices could pose a problem, with about 6 in 10 Republicans saying they are at least “somewhat” concerned about affording gas in the next few months, though they are less worried than the rest of the country. ‘People are willing to endure some short-term pain’ Republicans who have spent time with voters over the recess say they believe the party has political breathing room to navigate the war. Kustoff said constituents across his rural northwestern Tennessee district seemed “generally supportive” of Trump’s actions in Iran, even when they have been accompanied by higher prices at the pump. “My takeaway is that people are willing to endure some short-term pain as it relates to gas prices if the situation with Iran is resolved,” he said. But as they return to Washington next week, Republicans face a series of difficult choices. At the outset of the war, some GOP lawmakers said Trump would need to seek approval from Congress if the conflict lasted longer than 60 days, a deadline that would approach near the end of April if the ceasefire did not hold. The administration is seeking billions of dollars in additional spending for the war, setting up a vote that could put budget-conscious Republicans in a difficult spot before the fall campaigns. Democrats are also moving to force another vote on a war powers resolution that would curb Trump’s options in Iran. A similar effort failed last month, but another vote could add pressure on Republicans, depending on how the ceasefire plays out. Schweikert described the war powers vote as the “dance of parties.” “Their job is to try to embarrass us and our job as the majority is to try to make things work,” he said. “It’s just the job.”
Trump’s tenuous Iran exit plan isn’t healing Republican rifts exposed by the war
WASHINGTON (AP) : President Donald Trump’s search for an off-ramp from the war with Iran is getting bumpy inside his Republican Party. In the decade since Trump’s “America First” movement rose to power by rejecting military intervention, his coalition has rarely been tested the way it is now. Trump’s exit efforts — first through threats of annihilation, then with a ceasefire that is proving precarious — are doing little to paper over tensions that have festered since the war began six weeks ago. Laura Loomer, a conservative activist close to the president and often one of his top boosters, rejected the notion of brokering a deal with Iran. In an interview, she knocked Vice President JD Vance for being “in charge” of talks expected to start Saturday in Pakistan, as he takes on a larger diplomatic role ahead of a potential 2028 White House run. “I support President Trump,” Loomer said in an interview. “I just don’t believe in negotiating with Islamic terrorists.” Vance’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Trump supporter-turned-critic, called for the president to be removed from office through the Constitution’s 25th Amendment after he said earlier this week that a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran made a deal. Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News anchor who now hosts a podcast, unloaded on Trump with a profane critique and asked, “Can’t he just behave like a normal human?” During a recent taping of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” the host wondered what would end first, their episode or the ceasefire deal. Despite the growing criticism, Republican leaders in Congress were largely silent. Many were privately uncomfortable with Trump’s threats on social media and were concerned about how the war would play out, especially in an election year. But with Congress on recess for the opening two weeks of April, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have offered little public reaction to Trump’s moves. Some said the developments were simply unfolding too quickly. “How do you go up and give a presentation or speech in a situation where every 12 hours, the baseline story has a new gradient?” Rep. Dave Schweikert, an Arizona Republican who is running for governor, said in an interview. “In many ways, it is the sin of arrogance thinking you can go out and talk about something when the story is still unfolding.” A factor in the midterms? That leaves Republicans in an uncertain position, much like the state of the war. The party already faces fierce headwinds ahead of the November midterms, and some say its best bet is for voters to forget about Iran by then. “My hope is that it will be long behind us by the time votes are cast,” said Chris Wilson, a veteran Republican strategist. “Fortunately for the GOP, foreign policy flare-ups rarely decide midterm elections on their own, especially when voters are far more focused on the economy and prices at home.” For now, Trump and his White House are expressing confidence. Trump hailed a “big day for World Peace” after the ceasefire was first announced. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt heralded a “victory for the United States of America that the president and our incredible military made happen.” In a social media post, Trump dismissed his detractors, including podcasters such as Kelly, as “stupid people” who will “say anything necessary for some ‘free’ and cheap publicity.” Some of the president’s supporters in Congress are pushing back at the suggestion that Trump has become too entangled overseas at the expense of domestic priorities. “Part of America First is making sure that the homeland stays safe and Iran is a factor in our safety,” Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, said in an interview. “We are all hopeful that the ceasefire does hold and that Iran lives up to their side of the agreement. Recent elections are cause for GOP concern Any president’s party typically loses seats in Congress during a midterm election year and races this week offered a fresh reason for concern for Republicans. Republican Clay Fuller won Greene’s district by about 12 percentage points. She had a 29-percentage-point win two years earlier, and Trump carried the district by almost 37 percentage points. In Wisconsin, the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court grew this week when a Democratic-backed candidate won by a double-digit margin. That follows strong performances for Democrats in other recent races, including the Florida state legislative district that is home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Only about 4 in 10 US adults approved of how Trump was handling his job as president, according to Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling last month. That share is largely unchanged since he returned to office in January 2025. But it is also roughly where Trump was at this point in his first term, when Democrats went on to gain 40 House seats in the 2018 midterms. While Trump still has deep support from Republicans, there are signs that he risks frustrating his supporters if the US becomes involved in a prolonged war. Although 63 percent of Republicans back airstrikes against Iranian military targets, the March survey found, only 20 percent back deploying American ground troops. Rising gas prices could pose a problem, with about 6 in 10 Republicans saying they are at least “somewhat” concerned about affording gas in the next few months, though they are less worried than the rest of the country. ‘People are willing to endure some short-term pain’ Republicans who have spent time with voters over the recess say they believe the party has political breathing room to navigate the war. Kustoff said constituents across his rural northwestern Tennessee district seemed “generally supportive” of Trump’s actions in Iran, even when they have been accompanied by higher prices at the pump. “My takeaway is that people are willing to endure some short-term pain as it relates to gas prices if the situation with Iran is resolved,” he said. But as they return to Washington next week, Republicans face a series of difficult choices. At the outset of the war, some GOP lawmakers said Trump would need to seek approval from Congress if the conflict lasted longer than 60 days, a deadline that would approach near the end of April if the ceasefire did not hold. The administration is seeking billions of dollars in additional spending for the war, setting up a vote that could put budget-conscious Republicans in a difficult spot before the fall campaigns. Democrats are also moving to force another vote on a war powers resolution that would curb Trump’s options in Iran. A similar effort failed last month, but another vote could add pressure on Republicans, depending on how the ceasefire plays out. Schweikert described the war powers vote as the “dance of parties.” “Their job is to try to embarrass us and our job as the majority is to try to make things work,” he said. “It’s just the job.”
US says it destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels as Iran threatens to block Gulf oil exports
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) : The US said it took out more than a dozen mine-laying Iranian vessels Tuesday, and the Islamic Republic vowed to block the region’s oil exports, saying it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies. As concerns grew about the war’s effect on a strategic waterway, the American military said it destroyed 16 minelayers, though President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil is shipped. The American military released the figure, along with unclassified footage of some of the vessels, after Trump threatened to hit Iran at “a level never seen before” if the country failed to immediately remove any mines it might have deployed in the channel. Both sides sharpened their rhetoric as the war entered its 11th day. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised the most intense strikes yet while the Pentagon detailed the broader toll of injuries sustained by US troops. The conflict’s effects rippled across the Middle East and beyond. Iranian leaders ruled out talks, threatened Trump and launched new attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab countries. In Iran, residents of Tehran said they experienced some of the war’s heaviest strikes. A woman said she saw a residential building get hit. She and others reached by The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity to prevent reprisals. Tens of thousands of Iranians have sought shelter in the countryside. Lebanon reports more deaths Multiple Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon killed seven people, the Lebanese Health Ministry said early Wednesday. Other deaths included a Red Cross member who died early Wednesday after an Israeli strike targeted his team Monday while they were rescuing people following an earlier attack, the health ministry said. On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes killed four people, including a paramedic who worked for the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority who was treating the wounded. Also Tuesday, an Israeli strike killed a Lebanese soldier, the Lebanese army said, bringing the number of troops killed there to five since the conflict began. Israel said it was working to intercept missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, which began firing on Israel after the start of the war. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said early Wednesday that it intercepted multiple missiles launched toward several sites, including Prince Sultan Air Base, a major US- and Saudi-operated air facility. The ministry said it also destroyed drones near two major cities and more headed toward the kingdom’s vast Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter desert. In Iraq, drones targeted military bases inside Baghdad International Airport late Tuesday, two security officials told AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Some drones fell near Iraqi security positions, while others landed near logistical support sites used by US-led coalition forces, one official said. The United Arab Emirates said early Wednesday that its air defenses were firing at incoming Iranian fire. The wealthy Gulf nation — home to the business and travel hub of Dubai — said Iranian attacks have killed six people and wounded 122 others. Bahrain sounded sirens early Wednesday, warning of an incoming Iranian attack. The warnings came a day after an Iranian attack hit a residential building in the capital, Manama, and killed a 29-year-old woman and wounding eight people. Pentagon says 140 US troops wounded since war began Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said US forces hit more than 5,000 targets. The Pentagon separately said Tuesday that about 140 US service members have been wounded in the war, and the “vast majority” of the injuries were minor, with 108 service members already back on duty. Eight US service members suffered severe injuries, and seven have been killed. In Iran, at least 1,230 people have been killed, while the death toll is more than 480 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials. Iran’s leaders have remained defiant after days of heavy strikes targeting the country’s leadership, military, ballistic missiles and its disputed nuclear program. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on X that Iran was “definitely not looking for a ceasefire.” “We believe that the aggressor should be punched in the mouth so that he learns a lesson so that he will never think of attacking our beloved Iran again,” he said. A top Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, posted a warning to Trump, writing on X that “Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.” Iran has been accused of plotting attempts to kill Trump in the past. The Trump administration, meanwhile, faced growing scrutiny at home about the war. “I’m not sure what the end game is, or what their plans are,” Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said after a classified briefing that the Trump administration held Tuesday for some lawmakers. Saudi Arabia’s oil giant says tankers being rerouted to avoid Strait of Hormuz Iran has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure with attacks that appear aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the US and Israel to end their strikes. It has also fired on Israel and US military bases in the region. The US stock market held steadier Tuesday as Wall Street waited for the next clue on when the war with Iran may end. Oil prices, meanwhile, remained well below their peaks hit on Monday. Such spikes have been rocking financial markets worldwide because of worries that the war could block the global flow of oil and natural gas for a long time. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it “will not allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.” Amin Nasser, the president and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s oil giant Aramco, said tankers were being rerouted to avoid the strait, and that the company’s east-west pipeline would reach its full capacity this week of 7 million barrels a day being brought to the Red Sea port of the Yanbu. “The situation at the Strait of Hormuz is blocking sizable volumes of oil from the whole region,” he said. “If this takes a long time, that will have serious impact on the global economy.” Foreign nationals get out of region The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that more than 667,000 people in Lebanon had registered as displaced — an increase of over 100,000 since a day earlier — and more than 85,000 people from Lebanon, mostly Syrians, had entered neighboring Syria. The British government said the number of commercial flights from the UAE to the UK is returning to normal levels, with 32 flights operated Monday from Dubai to Britain and another 36 scheduled Tuesday. British Airways, however, said it suspended flights to and from Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and Tel Aviv until later this month. Many foreign nationals have been getting out of the Arabian Gulf region since the war began, including over 45,000 UK citizens, the British Foreign Office said. Some 40,000 people returned to the United States, according to the State Department.
US says it destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels as Iran threatens to block Gulf oil exports
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) : The US said it took out more than a dozen mine-laying Iranian vessels Tuesday, and the Islamic Republic vowed to block the region’s oil exports, saying it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies. As concerns grew about the war’s effect on a strategic waterway, the American military said it destroyed 16 minelayers, though President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil is shipped. The American military released the figure, along with unclassified footage of some of the vessels, after Trump threatened to hit Iran at “a level never seen before” if the country failed to immediately remove any mines it might have deployed in the channel. Both sides sharpened their rhetoric as the war entered its 11th day. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised the most intense strikes yet while the Pentagon detailed the broader toll of injuries sustained by US troops. The conflict’s effects rippled across the Middle East and beyond. Iranian leaders ruled out talks, threatened Trump and launched new attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab countries. In Iran, residents of Tehran said they experienced some of the war’s heaviest strikes. A woman said she saw a residential building get hit. She and others reached by The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity to prevent reprisals. Tens of thousands of Iranians have sought shelter in the countryside. Lebanon reports more deaths Multiple Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon killed seven people, the Lebanese Health Ministry said early Wednesday. Other deaths included a Red Cross member who died early Wednesday after an Israeli strike targeted his team Monday while they were rescuing people following an earlier attack, the health ministry said. On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes killed four people, including a paramedic who worked for the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority who was treating the wounded. Also Tuesday, an Israeli strike killed a Lebanese soldier, the Lebanese army said, bringing the number of troops killed there to five since the conflict began. Israel said it was working to intercept missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, which began firing on Israel after the start of the war. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said early Wednesday that it intercepted multiple missiles launched toward several sites, including Prince Sultan Air Base, a major US- and Saudi-operated air facility. The ministry said it also destroyed drones near two major cities and more headed toward the kingdom’s vast Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter desert. In Iraq, drones targeted military bases inside Baghdad International Airport late Tuesday, two security officials told AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Some drones fell near Iraqi security positions, while others landed near logistical support sites used by US-led coalition forces, one official said. The United Arab Emirates said early Wednesday that its air defenses were firing at incoming Iranian fire. The wealthy Gulf nation — home to the business and travel hub of Dubai — said Iranian attacks have killed six people and wounded 122 others. Bahrain sounded sirens early Wednesday, warning of an incoming Iranian attack. The warnings came a day after an Iranian attack hit a residential building in the capital, Manama, and killed a 29-year-old woman and wounding eight people. Pentagon says 140 US troops wounded since war began Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said US forces hit more than 5,000 targets. The Pentagon separately said Tuesday that about 140 US service members have been wounded in the war, and the “vast majority” of the injuries were minor, with 108 service members already back on duty. Eight US service members suffered severe injuries, and seven have been killed. In Iran, at least 1,230 people have been killed, while the death toll is more than 480 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials. Iran’s leaders have remained defiant after days of heavy strikes targeting the country’s leadership, military, ballistic missiles and its disputed nuclear program. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on X that Iran was “definitely not looking for a ceasefire.” “We believe that the aggressor should be punched in the mouth so that he learns a lesson so that he will never think of attacking our beloved Iran again,” he said. A top Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, posted a warning to Trump, writing on X that “Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.” Iran has been accused of plotting attempts to kill Trump in the past. The Trump administration, meanwhile, faced growing scrutiny at home about the war. “I’m not sure what the end game is, or what their plans are,” Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said after a classified briefing that the Trump administration held Tuesday for some lawmakers. Saudi Arabia’s oil giant says tankers being rerouted to avoid Strait of Hormuz Iran has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure with attacks that appear aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the US and Israel to end their strikes. It has also fired on Israel and US military bases in the region. The US stock market held steadier Tuesday as Wall Street waited for the next clue on when the war with Iran may end. Oil prices, meanwhile, remained well below their peaks hit on Monday. Such spikes have been rocking financial markets worldwide because of worries that the war could block the global flow of oil and natural gas for a long time. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it “will not allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.” Amin Nasser, the president and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s oil giant Aramco, said tankers were being rerouted to avoid the strait, and that the company’s east-west pipeline would reach its full capacity this week of 7 million barrels a day being brought to the Red Sea port of the Yanbu. “The situation at the Strait of Hormuz is blocking sizable volumes of oil from the whole region,” he said. “If this takes a long time, that will have serious impact on the global economy.” Foreign nationals get out of region The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that more than 667,000 people in Lebanon had registered as displaced — an increase of over 100,000 since a day earlier — and more than 85,000 people from Lebanon, mostly Syrians, had entered neighboring Syria. The British government said the number of commercial flights from the UAE to the UK is returning to normal levels, with 32 flights operated Monday from Dubai to Britain and another 36 scheduled Tuesday. British Airways, however, said it suspended flights to and from Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and Tel Aviv until later this month. Many foreign nationals have been getting out of the Arabian Gulf region since the war began, including over 45,000 UK citizens, the British Foreign Office said. Some 40,000 people returned to the United States, according to the State Department.