Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Susan Rice denies wrongdoing, political motives, schemes
Former National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice categorically denied Tuesday that she did anything wrong by unmasking the identities of Trump campaign officials swept up in U.S. surveillance, while the Republican chairman of a Senate probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election said his panel may want her to testify. Published April 4, 2017
Susan Rice key in ‘unmasking’ of Donald Trump campaign officials
The Obama administration's national security adviser played a central role in "unmasking" several Trump campaign officials who had been swept up in U.S. surveillance operations against foreign targets during last year's presidential election campaign, according to current White House officials and sources on Capitol Hill. Published April 3, 2017
Michael Hayden, former spy chief, joins critics of Devin Nunes’ handling of Russia probe
George W. Bush administration spy chief Michael V. Hayden joined the chorus of critics lambasting House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes' handling of a congressional probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election on Friday. Published March 31, 2017
Senate intel chief: Americans ‘deserve to hear the truth’ on Russian meddling
The American public "deserves to hear the truth about possible Russian involvement in our elections," the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Thursday as the panel opened its first hearing in what is expected to be a monthslong probe and public examination of Moscow's activities. Published March 30, 2017
White House invites House, Senate intelligence committees to view spy documents
The White House said Thursday that leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees have been invited to the White House to view intelligence documents relevant to ongoing investigations. Published March 30, 2017
Islamic State coalition may get bumpy in Turkey talks
Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson faces what could be the most delicate and complicated diplomatic trip of his tenure so far when he meets Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara Thursday for bilateral talks on Syria, Iraq, the Kurds and Mr. Erdogan's obsession with U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Published March 29, 2017
Trump White House budget asks for almost $3 billion in diplomatic program cuts
The Trump White House isn't waiting for the new fiscal year to start cutting back federal spending for the State Department and foreign aid, as administration officials have already quietly pressured Congress to carve nearly $3 billion out of diplomatic programs previously approved for the current fiscal year. Published March 29, 2017
Devin Nunes, Intelligence Committee chairman, firm in partisan fire over Russia probe
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes showed no sign of buckling beneath growing Democratic demands Tuesday that he recuse himself from a probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, as the White House blasted the media anew over what officials say is its obsession with alleged Trump campaign connections to Moscow. Published March 28, 2017
Muslim Brotherhood listing as terror group delayed by Donald Trump
President Trump has -- for the time being -- put on the back burner an executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, according to U.S. officials close to a heated debate inside the administration over the status of the global Islamist movement. Published March 27, 2017
Pentagon defends targeting as reports of civilian death tolls rise
The Pentagon on Monday pushed back against reports that an aggressive string of recent U.S. military sorties have killed hundreds of civilians in Iraq and Syria, even as a former senior-level Defense Department policy adviser said the Trump White House has unofficially "opened the aperture" for riskier strikes as part of a more aggressive campaign against the terror group. Published March 27, 2017
Angela Merkel’s party had strong showing in regional vote
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right party cruised to victory Sunday in a regional election that analysts say was an early test of whether she will face any serious challenge when she pursues a fourth term as Europe's most dominant political leader in September. Published March 26, 2017
Biggest anti-Kremlin rally in years rocks Russia; opposition leader arrested
Russian authorities detained hundreds of anti-corruption protesters and arrested the nation's leading opposition figure Sunday. Published March 26, 2017
Rex Tillerson will attend NATO meeting and visit Turkey
Rex Tillerson will travel to Brussels to meet NATO foreign ministers at the end of next week, department officials said Friday, days after Democrats sharply criticized the secretary of state over reports that he planned to skip a NATO ministerial meeting. Published March 24, 2017
Russia-Iran ties could be factor as Donald Trump eyes new sanctions for Tehran
The Trump administration is close to announcing a new slate of economic sanctions aimed at containing Iran's ballistic missile activities, a day after senators introduced bipartisan legislation to expand such measures, as well as those targeting Iranian human rights abuses and support for terrorism. Published March 24, 2017
London attack puts Europe on alert over terror; Khalid Masood, British-born Muslim, ID’d
Countries across Europe tightened security Thursday as investigators in London identified a 52-year-old British-born Muslim man as the attacker who carried out Wednesday's rampage on Westminster Bridge and the grounds of Parliament. Published March 23, 2017
Khalid Masood identified as London attacker
Khalid Masood has been identified as the London attacker who went on a rampage outside Parliament and killed three before he was shot dead by police. Published March 23, 2017
Radical Islam gives British authorities difficulty to contain
The attack outside Britain's Parliament Wednesday came amid a yearslong struggle by British authorities to contain a small but persistent strain of Islamic extremism promoted by a clutch of radical preachers, including one who was sentenced in September for encouraging young men to join the Islamic State group. Published March 22, 2017
Ed Royce says lawmakers will dig into Trump’s proposed State Dept. cuts
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said Wednesday that the committee will next week begin digging into the sweeping State Department and USAID funding cuts proposed by President Trump's 2018 budget blueprint. Published March 22, 2017
Donald Trump at helm for summit on strategy to fight ISIS
The Trump administration will make its debut at large-scale multinational diplomacy Wednesday as representatives from 68 countries in the anti-Islamic State coalition converge on Washington for a two-day summit to discuss strategy and the road ahead. Published March 21, 2017
Kurdish activists blocked from Turkish minister’s D.C. briefing
Acrimony between the Turkey's government and Kurdish activists was on full display at the National Press Club Tuesday, when the organization hosting an event with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu prevented two individuals from attending the event. Published March 21, 2017