Latest news with #foreignaffairs
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Charlie Kirk warns Lindsey Graham and Iran war hawks: ‘Not even the Romans could defeat Persia'
Amid the bitter infighting within the MAGA coalition over the prospect of Donald Trump committing the United States to Israel's conflict with Iran, Charlie Kirk has attempted to play it down the middle by warning Trump that war could create a 'massive schism' with his 'America First' base while maintaining he has 'full and complete trust' in the president. After Trump said on Thursday that he would decide whether or not to strike Iran 'within the next two weeks,' claiming that it depended on Tehran engaging in talks about ending its nuclear program, Kirk appeared on Newsmax later that evening to talk about the criticism that's been thrown Trump's way by MAGA isolationists. With anchor Rob Schmitt noting that the Turning Point USA founder has stuck by the president and stated that he's 'earned the benefit of the doubt,' Kirk insisted that the base 'trusts' Trump and that the president is 'running a masterclass in foreign affairs.' Claiming that Trump is neither an 'isolationist' nor an 'interventionist,' Kirk added that he's defended Trump in 'every single corner on social media against some of these weak-kneed come-or-buyers that are trying to throw President Trump under the bus.' But while heaping praise on the president, Kirk also took issue with some of the GOP hawks who are pushing the president to jump into a full-scale war. 'So President Trump is navigating this beautifully. And also understand there are some people, like Lindsey Graham and James Lankford, who are calling for regime change in Iran. Iran is a once-great power,' he stated. 'This was Persia. This is a very proud country. It's a big country; it's two and a half times the size of Texas. 92 million people. So President Trump has to weigh all of this. He has earned our trust and, I believe, he's gonna bring this to completion for the betterment of all Americans.' He later turned his attention back to Graham, who has said he wants Trump to go 'all in' on Iran and that it's 'time to close the chapter' on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warning the South Carolina senator that Iran has historically been able to withstand military campaigns. He also pointed out that a prolonged war could fully destabilize the region. 'We must understand that if we were to do a forceful regime change – sounds good, Lindsey Graham is cheering for that – what would happen to the refugees?' Kirk wondered. 'Where would they go? Millions of people going to the West. The country could fall into civil war.' Claiming that Iran is full of 'warriors,' the Trump acolyte then made a historical analogy to urge Graham and other war hawks against invading and striking the Middle Eastern power. 'They were a great power for a thousand years,' he exclaimed. 'Not even the Romans could defeat Persia. Now, I'm not saying they're comparable to our Marines or to our Air Force, but is that really the battle that we want in front of us?' In the end, he reiterated that 'Trump understands this astutely' while once again asserting that the president is finding the perfect middle road with his handling of the conflict. 'Again, he'll understand that so many people are saying, 'You must bomb right now, you must bomb right now,' and other people equally say, 'Oh, don't worry about it. Who cares if Iran gets a nuclear weapon?' So President Donald Trump has something that the history books will write about,' Kirk concluded. While it appeared that there was a 'MAGA civil war' brewing over America's potential involvement in Iran, it seems like it might be blowing over as prominent right-wing personalities are suggesting there's little appetite for taking the president on directly over this issue. Tucker Carlson, who said the president was 'complicit' in Israel's war with Iran and warned Trump the conflict would 'end his presidency,' called Trump earlier this week amid a back-and-forth that saw the president call the former Fox News star 'kooky Tucker.' The president claimed that Carlson apologized to him, something the conservative pundit has yet to deny. MAGA podcaster and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who has led the 'America First' anti-war charge alongside Carlson, visited the White House on Thursday to have lunch with the president. He later told Politico Playbook that 'the MAGA movement tonight is in a great place' and that Trump 'looks at every other alternative you can do' when it comes to military action. Meanwhile, Kirk – who last week said the Iranian conflict could 'disrupt our momentum and our insanely successful Presidency' – told Playbook that 'it's not a civil war' and that it's merely a 'robust and healthy disagreement and discussion.'
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘We cannot waste any time': Anand promises ‘action' and reform in foreign affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand arrives for a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — Faced with escalating conflict in the Middle East, a collapsing global trade system and a department struggling to reform itself, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says she relishes the job of helping Canada navigate a turbulent world. In a wide-ranging interview Thursday with The Canadian Press, Anand said her experiences in both politics and academia can help her streamline Canada's approach to global issues, allowing it to pursue its interests without losing sight of its values. 'How do you ensure, when you have these large departments, that you're actually able to execute? That is the heart of government. It's the hardest thing to do,' Anand said. 'I enjoy difficult responsibilities.' She cited her time as defence minister, when she pushed the Canadian Armed Forces to address sexual misconduct and organized donations of military supplies to Ukraine's front line. Previously, as procurement minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, she pushed one of Ottawa's largest and most unwieldy departments to deliver vaccines across the country within days. Anand spoke of 'how hard it was to say, like, we gotta buy this stuff today.' 'That's kind of the same frame that I'm bringing to foreign affairs and it's super exciting,' she added. Anand said her job involves listening closely to what the foreign service says, even if she doesn't always follow its guidance. 'You have to think independently, taking into account the advice that you receive, but also ensuring that you're discharging your obligations to the Canadian public,' she said. 'I welcome the advice that my officials provide, but at the end of the day, the decisions that I make are based on an independent judgment about what is best for our country in terms of our diplomatic relationships and our foreign policy.' Much of her job, she said, involves supporting Prime Minister Mark Carney's quest to make Canada less dependent on the U.S. for trade and defence. 'We are considering every option to strengthen our collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world,' she said. 'My role as foreign minister is to stand up for Canada in that process and to ensure that we are also standing up for peace, the safety of civilians and the respect for international law.' Carney has set the tone for much of Canada's foreign policy and Anand is accompanying the prime minister on a diplomatic trip to Europe next week. Canada will sign an agreement Monday in Brussels with the European Union that largely focuses on defence procurement. Carney and Anand will then head to the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where they hope to use new spending pledges from Canada and allies to keep the United States committed to collective defence. Carney's approach to foreign policy features a major tilt toward Europe and might include more outreach in Asia and Africa ahead of summits he is set to attend this fall on both continents. While his government is heeding allies' calls for a steep increase in defence spending, it's also bucking an international trend by promising not to cut foreign aid. 'We are deeply committed to multilateralism over unilateralism, to global co-operation over increased protectionism,' Anand said. 'We must showcase Canada's values in terms of peace, safety of civilians, and respect for international law. But we're at a time where we also need to strategically advance our economic interests here at home, and to ensure that we have defence and security arrangements in place for the protection of our own country.' She said her ministerial background in defence, procurement, transport and the Treasury Board — which oversees all other departments' spending — gives her a unique perspective on how governments can actually follow through on their promises. At the recent G7 summit in Alberta, she had a front-row seat as Canada's closest peers drafted statements on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to transnational repression. The summit allowed her to meet face-to-face with both representatives of Ottawa's traditional allies and officials from emerging nations with increasing clout — including her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Carney government is moving to restore diplomatic relations with India — a controversial move, given the recent history between Ottawa and New Delhi. In 2023 and 2024, former prime minister Justin Trudeau and the RCMP said there was evidence linking agents of the Indian government to the murder of Canadian Sikh separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., in June 2023. Last October, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the police force had evidence linking Indian government officials to other crimes in Canada, including extortion, coercion and homicide. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service identified India as one of the main drivers of foreign interference in a report it released this week. Anand said Ottawa is trying to restore parts of 'a long-standing relationship that has been put on hold for the last couple of years,' while respecting the law and institutions like the RCMP. 'The global strategic environment is very volatile and we need to carefully ensure that we are respecting the foundations of our democracy,' she said. Anand was born and raised in Nova Scotia by parents who immigrated from India. As a lawyer and professor in Toronto, she focused on the field of corporate governance — on how companies can reform the way they operate. Global Affairs Canada itself is under heavy pressure to change the way it works. The department launched a reform plan in February 2024 that included an admission that it can be 'slow to react or not focused enough' when major crises erupt, and that its staffing policies aren't keeping up with its growing responsibilities and tighter budgets. Things have only grown more complex since then, with Washington cutting back on foreign aid and moving closer to a revanchist Russia, while China pitches more trade with Canada and other countries. Canada has meanwhile promised to appoint new ambassadors across Africa and to open new embassies in Fiji and Benin, while somehow containing spending across government. Canada's critics have a history of claiming it's all talk when it comes to international relations. Trudeau was frequently criticized for raising human rights issues and inserting environmental policies in trade deals while failing to meet his government's defence spending targets or supply allies with liquefied natural gas. Foreign diplomats and departmental staff describe Anand as cautious, attentive and focused on results. While she's taking some time to get thoroughly briefed, she wants to deliver a lot — and soon. 'We have so much work to do and we cannot waste any time doing it,' she said. 'I am action-oriented myself and the prime minister knows this about me. And that's why we will make a good team on the foreign affairs front.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025. Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
The National
8 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Sheikh Abdullah meets Canada's Mark Carney in Ottawa
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday met Canada 's Prime Minister Mark Carney. He delivered a written message from President Sheikh Mohamed during his working visit to Ottawa, before the meeting explored avenues to strengthen co-operation between the two nations, state news agency Wam reported. Talks focused on sectors including economic and commercial fields, energy, artificial intelligence and education. Discussions also considered regional and international developments, with Sheikh Abdullah stressing the importance of bolstering joint efforts to support global peace and security. Earlier, he met Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand and reviewed opportunities to enhance co-operation in several key sectors − including the economic, educational, investment, trade, technology and energy fields. Sheikh Abdullah also met Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne. Discussions included the development of co-operation mechanisms to support investment between the public and private sectors in both countries.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
China could be beneficiary of Peters' move on Cooks
The decision by New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, to suspend payment of aid to the Cook Islands, could backfire on the government.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi, Slovenian FMs Discuss Regional Developments
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call with his Slovenian counterpart Tanja Fajon, the Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday. During the call, they discussed regional developments and their repercussions on the region, SPA said.
