Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Border wall outside San Diego gets Trump visit
President Trump boasted Wednesday about progress on his border wall during a visit to a section outside San Diego, saying he thinks he can get to 500 miles by next year, depending on "terrain conditions." Published September 18, 2019
Donald Trump names Robert O’Brien, hostage negotiator, as national security adviser
President Trump named his chief hostage negotiator as his national security adviser Wednesday, filling the role for a fourth time as he plots a stern response to Iran's suspected role in attacking Saudi oil fields last weekend. Published September 18, 2019
Donald Trump orders up new sanctions on Iran, after oil attack
President Trump said Wednesday he will tighten the economic screws on Iran, as the U.S. and Saudi Arabia coordinate a response to drone strikes on the kingdom's oil fields. Published September 18, 2019
Donald Trump says he will revoke California emissions standards
President Trump on Wednesday said his administration will revoke California's unilateral push to set car emissions standards, saying a federal benchmark should take precedence. Published September 18, 2019
Donald Trump rejects Hassan Rouhani meeting, seeks Iran ‘deterrence’
The Trump administration dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Saudi Arabia and hinted at a crackdown on Iran for its suspected role in drone attacks that decimated oil fields east of Riyadh over the weekend, saying it has no intention of backing off its maximum pressure campaign and may go beyond economic sanctions to "restore deterrence" in dealing with Tehran. Published September 17, 2019
Lindsey Graham: Trump should knock out Iran refinery
Sen. Lindsey Graham said he hopes the U.S. sends a wake-up call to Iran. Published September 17, 2019
Donald Trump: I’m not looking to meet with Iran’s president
President Trump said Tuesday he would prefer not to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at upcoming United Nations meetings, as he points fingers at Tehran in the wake of drone attacks on oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. Published September 17, 2019
Mike Pence: Pompeo on way to Saudi Arabia to discuss oil-field attack
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way to the Middle East as Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday the U.S. intelligence community is "working diligently" to determine who attacked Saudi Arabia's oil fields. Published September 17, 2019
Donald Trump launches two-day fundraising effort in California, expects to raise $15M
President Trump began a two-day, $15 million fundraising swing though California on Tuesday by hinting at bold action to deal with homeless people in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, complaining that tenants looking for prestigious city living are finding people sleeping in tents and living in "our best streets" instead. Published September 17, 2019
Donald Trump, at New Mexico rally, says natural gas boom insulates U.S. from Middle East ‘panic’
President Trump said Monday if the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil fields had happened years ago, the U.S. would have been in a "panic." But, he told supporters, the U.S. is enjoying plenty of domestic energy because of states like New Mexico. Published September 16, 2019
Iran likely behind Saudi Arabia oil attacks, Donald Trump says
President Trump said Monday it was "certainly looking" like Iran was behind a weekend attack on one of the world's largest oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, but he added that he wasn't itching for war and was seeking definitive proof of who ordered the strikes. Published September 16, 2019
Trump: ‘Would certainly look’ like Iran launched oil attack
President Trump said Monday it is "certainly looking" like Iran was behind a weekend attack on one of the world's largest oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, though said he isn't itching for war and needs definitive proof of who ordered the strikes. Published September 16, 2019
Donald Trump awards Mariano Rivera the Medal of Freedom
President Trump on Monday awarded the Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor -- to Mariano Rivera, the Hall of Fame pitcher who won five World Series titles as a lights-out closer with the New York Yankees. Published September 16, 2019
Trump 2020 reelection campaign to flip New Mexico, other Democrat-leaning states
The Trump 2020 campaign noticed something interesting while crunching data from its February rally in El Paso: A significant percentage of the crowd crossed into Texas from Las Cruces, New Mexico, including plenty of women and Hispanics, who will be pivotal to the president's reelection prospects. Published September 15, 2019
Son of bin Laden killed in U.S. operation
Hamza bin Laden, a high-ranking al Qaeda member and son of slain terror leader Osama bin Laden, was killed in a U.S.-led counterterrorism operation, President Trump said Saturday. Published September 14, 2019
Treasury sanctions North Korean hacking groups
The Trump administration on Friday sanctioned three "malicious" cyber groups tied to North Korea, saying their illicit activities helped to fund the secretive regime's missile programs. Published September 13, 2019
China exempts some U.S. farm goods from tariffs
China has decided to exempt certain farm products, including soybeans and pork, from its tariffs on U.S. goods, officials in Beijing said Friday. Published September 13, 2019
Donald Trump addresses Republicans at Baltimore retreat: Prepare for ‘historic battles’
President Trump told House Republicans to prepare for "historic battles" in the coming election cycle, saying the GOP will create jobs and cut red tape as Democrats on the debate stage in Houston pushed what the president called "radical socialism" and "open borders." Published September 12, 2019
John Bolton replacement candidates list grows to 15, Donald Trump says
President Trump said Thursday the list of possible candidates to replace ousted National Security Adviser John Bolton has grown to 15. Published September 12, 2019
Chuck Schumer: Trump tougher on China than Bush or Obama, but then ‘often backs off’
The Senate's top Democrat on Thursday said President Trump has been tougher on China than Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama but must keep up the pressure, particularly on Huawei, amid signs of a thaw in the trade war. Published September 12, 2019
