Thousands of American conservatives are set to open their annual political conference Wednesday outside Washington, D.C., with the weight of President Donald Trump’s vision for the country’s future taking center stage. Trump is scheduled to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday, and while those at the conference are likely excited about the… more

The contest to head the Democratic National Committee remains fluid just days before activists meet to pick a new party chair. The tight race between former Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota marks the first heavily contested battle in recent history, a reflection of a newly energized Democratic party struggling to… more

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis welcomed the naming of Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as the new national security adviser, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors. “Secretary Mattis… more

Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that the U.S. is committed to working with European allies, despite occasional disagreements. “At the end of the day, no one should misinterpret occasional policy differences and debates as a signal of anything less than total commitment to our alliances in Europe. That commitment is… more

U.S. President Donald Trump has been in office for a month, but the number of investigations of his new administration and its actions is mounting. It is not just opposition Democrats trying to uncover the inner workings and thinking of the new administration in Washington, but also Republican colleagues of the billionaire real estate mogul… more

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Monday he was “disappointed” to learn ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had lied to him about his contacts with the Russian ambassador in Washington, stressing that he supported President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Flynn from the strategic White House post. Pence, during a news conference at NATO… more

The National Zoo is packing up its American-born panda cub Bao Bao for a one-way flight to China, where the 3-year-old will eventually join a panda breeding program.   The cub won’t have to worry about finding overhead bin space or dealing with a talkative seatmate on the 16-hour, nonstop flight Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday.… more

As Ukrainians mark the third anniversary of the Maidan uprising that toppled former president Viktor Yanukovich, the U.S. is demanding that Russia honor the Minsk agreements, intended to end the violence in eastern Ukraine.   Speaking to leaders gathered at Munich Security Conference, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday “the United States will continue to… more

Two key Republican U.S. senators on Sunday questioned President Donald Trump’s competency in handling foreign affairs, especially White House turmoil over national security operations and his seeming reluctance to confront Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election. Senator John McCain of Arizona, the losing 2008 Republican presidential contender, told NBC’s Meet the Press that he… more

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is making his first visit to Europe since taking office, to reassure allies the United States remains a staunch friend amid concerns about the new administration’s “America First” strategy and its overall approach to global affairs. Pence is scheduled to have dinner with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel Sunday in… more

U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewing four candidates Sunday to be his national security adviser, after a tumultuous week in which he fired one former military leader from the strategic White House post and his first replacement choice turned down the job. Trump is spending the weekend at his lavish oceanfront Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.… more

In his first major foreign policy speech, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has said at the Munich Security Conference that America will be ‘unwavering’ in its support for the NATO alliance – but warned allies that they must step up defense spending. Amid controversy over the Trump administration’s ties to Moscow, Mr. Pence said the… more

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed that European nations strengthen their multilateral ties, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence praised NATO but made no mention of the European Union, fueling concerns about America’s new approach to international affairs. At the Munich Security Conference Saturday, Merkel delivered a speech stressing the importance of supporting organizations such as… more

President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning to take another shot at reporters ahead of his planned campaign-style rally Saturday afternoon in Florida, by calling on his followers not to believe “the main stream (fake news) media.” Trump traveled to Florida on Friday to stay at his Mar-a-Lago resort for the weekend. Some… more

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has told European allies that American security is tied to that of Europe, describing NATO’s principle of collective defense as a ‘bedrock commitment’.   He made the comments at the Munich Security Conference, where heads of state and delegates from across the world are gathered at a time of… more

The Kremlin denied Friday that it has grown frustrated with a lack of progress in improving relations with Washington under President Donald Trump, saying it’s too early to say what course Russia-U.S. ties will take.   “We never wore rose-tinted glasses, never had any illusions, so there is nothing to be disappointed with,” Kremlin spokesman… more

Senate Republicans used their majority to confirm Scott Pruitt, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls from Democrats for a delay. Republicans backed Pruitt, despite a public records lawsuit which ordered Pruitt, who has been serving as Oklahoma’s attorney general, to release thousands of emails that he exchanged with oil… more

President Donald Trump is holding a campaign rally Saturday in politically strategic Florida – 1,354 days before the 2020 election.   The unusually early politicking follows a pattern: Trump filed his paperwork for re-election on January 20, Inauguration Day. By comparison, President Barack Obama didn’t make his re-election bid official with the Federal Election Commission… more

President Donald Trump mounted a vigorous defense of his presidency Thursday, pushing back against media reports that his campaign advisers had inappropriate contact with Russian officials and vowing to crack down on the leaking of classified information.   Nearly a month into his presidency, Trump said in a free-wheeling White House news conference that his… more

Legislation to repeal Obamacare and replace major portions of the healthcare program will be unveiled after a 10-day U.S. House of Representatives recess that begins on Friday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday. Republicans, who control both House and Senate, have been struggling to come up with a detailed plan for replacing former Democratic… more

U.S. retail sales and inflation rose in January, strengthening the case for the central bank to raise interest rates. Retail sales advanced four-tenths of a percent for the month. PNC Bank economists Gush Faucher says the gain is partly due to an improving labor market with “more jobs and rising wages” as workers become more… more

Many people find they cannot live without their smartphones, tablets, laptops and other digital devices for play, and increasingly for work at home or when they are on the move.   The use of modern communication technologies is rapidly transforming the traditional mode of working in a fixed location in favor of working at home.… more

One of President Donald Trump’s signature campaign promises was to crack down on illegal immigration. So late last week when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rounded up 680 people in five major cities, the immigrant community went on alert, even though ICE said the operation was routine like many conducted in the past targeting… more

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent plea for relief from decades-old debt to the United States appears to have little chance of success, regional analyst say. Cambodians, they say, would be better off seeking to restructure the debt, easing the repayment burden.  But Hun Sen is sticking with his mantra and has repeatedly noted the… more

Director Joseph Clancy came out of retirement more than two years ago to take over the embattled agency amid a series of embarrassing scandals and security missteps. Clancy was made the interim director in late 2014 and President Barack Obama made the job permanent in early 2015. The agency announced his retirement in a tweet… more

Public tours of the White House are scheduled to resume on March 7. The tours had been temporarily suspended during the change in government and the beginning weeks of President Donald Trump’s administration.   But first lady Melania Trump announced Tuesday that the popular tours will resume early next month.   The tours of public… more