Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Trump, Putin expected to speak this week about Ukraine cease-fire push, White House envoy says
President Trump is likely to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone this week as the U.S. push to end the Russia-Ukraine war accelerates, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday. Published March 16, 2025
Houthi rebels vow ‘escalation’ after U.S. airstrikes in Yemen
Yemen's Houthi rebels vowed to "meet escalation with escalation" on Sunday, just hours after President Trump ordered massive U.S. airstrikes. Published March 16, 2025
U.S. bombs Houthis; Trump warns ‘hell will rain down’ if Iran-backed group continues attacking ships
U.S. forces on Saturday launched major strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Trump said, as he warned the Iran-backed terrorist group that it must stop all attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea or "hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before." Published March 15, 2025
U.S. airstrike in Iraq kills senior ISIS leader, Pentagon says
A U.S. airstrike in Iraq this week killed the Islamic State terror network's No. 2 leader, Pentagon officials said in a statement late Friday. Published March 15, 2025
Trump fires Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman C.Q. Brown, chief of naval operations also out
President Trump on Friday said he is firing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, while Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti was also removed from her post, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement. Published February 21, 2025
Trump fires CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
President Trump on Friday said he is firing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, while Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti was also removed from her post, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement. Published February 21, 2025
U.S., Russia agree to more talks to end war as sidelined Ukraine fumes
Top Trump administration officials left the door open Tuesday to Russia permanently retaining control of some captured Ukrainian territory, as representatives from Washington and Moscow ended their historic meeting in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh with seemingly all options on the table and a promise to continue talks aimed at ending the conflict. Published February 18, 2025
U.S., Russian teams to meet as Trump presses Russia-Ukraine diplomacy; EU, Kyiv on separate track
High-level U.S. and Russian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for the first direct talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war. President Trump's fast-moving and norm-shattering brand of diplomacy has brought the two adversaries together with remarkable speed while Kyiv watches from the sidelines and European allies struggle to find their footing. Published February 17, 2025
Rubio, other officials defend Russia outreach as Ukraine says it will ‘never accept’ imposed peace
Top Trump administration officials on Sunday defended their upcoming direct talks with Moscow over ending the Russia-Ukraine war, even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed that he will "never accept" a deal negotiated without Kyiv present at the table. Published February 16, 2025
Netanyahu says Israel, with America’s help, will ‘finish the job’ on Iran
Israel "will finish the job" on Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday in sharp comments that come amid growing speculation that Israeli forces could soon launch direct attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Published February 16, 2025
Frozen out of Ukraine peace talks, European leaders to hold emergency summit
Officials from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark and other nations appear to be invited to the summit, which reportedly will be held in Paris on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly organizing the summit. Published February 16, 2025
More U.S.-Russia talks expected as Trump pushes to end war in Ukraine
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to his Russian counterpart Saturday and key Trump administration officials will reportedly meet with a high-level Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia next week as the White House accelerates its push to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Published February 16, 2025
Taiwan’s chip dominance is an asset and a target in the Trump era
President Trump's threat to use steep tariffs to break up what critics say is a virtual monopoly on the production of advanced microchips could become a reality in a matter of days, but Taiwan has dispatched a high-powered economic delegation to Washington this week in a bid to persuade the administration to change course. Published February 11, 2025
Serbia can be Trump’s ‘bridge’ between America and adversaries, foreign minister says
Serbia will emerge from its white-hot political crisis and become a strategically vital "bridge" between the U.S. and its top global adversaries, China and Russia, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Duric said Friday. Published February 7, 2025
Vance says Trump administration is ‘not just restoring, but expanding’ religious freedom for America
The Trump administration will embrace and uphold the core American value of religious freedom and expand protections for people of all faiths while rolling back federal censorship efforts "used to prevent Americans from speaking their conscience and speaking their mind," Vice President J.D. Vance said Wednesday. Published February 5, 2025
‘Grave consequences’: Japan warned on campaign against church
Japan would deal a massive blow to the universal principle of religious freedom, could deeply damage its relationship with the U.S. and would hand a major win to communist China if it follows through with an effort to punish the Unification Church, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned. Published February 4, 2025
U.S. airstrikes kill ISIS terrorists in Somalia
The U.S. bombed Islamic State targets in Somalia on Saturday, President Trump said, marking the first major American operation against terrorist groups abroad since he took office on Jan. 20. Published February 1, 2025
No more ‘identity months’: Pentagon scraps official events for Black, Women’s History months
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth late Friday issued new guidance ending official Defense Department events marking Black History Month, Women's History Month and other "cultural awareness months" across the U.S. military. Published February 1, 2025
Army identifies two soldiers involved in Black Hawk, commercial jet crash
The Army on Friday identified two of the three soldiers believed to be dead after their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial airplane in the skies near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this week. Published January 31, 2025
A deadly ‘mistake’: Focus on Army Black Hawk chopper after shocking D.C. crash
How could a state-of-the-art U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, with an "experienced" crew of three soldiers, seemingly fly directly into a commercial jet in the skies just outside Washington? Published January 30, 2025
