Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Trump congratulates China on 70 years of communist rule; message coincides with Hong Kong unrest
President Trump congratulated China on the 70th birthday of communist rule there Tuesday, cultivating his relationship with strongman leader Xi Jinping even as members of his party chastised the Asian superpower for its crackdown in Hong Kong. Published October 1, 2019
Eugene Scalia sworn in as Trump’s labor secretary
Eugene Scalia, one of the sons of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, was sworn in as President Trump's labor secretary Monday in front of his large family. Published September 30, 2019
Donald Trump says Gen. Joseph Dunford helped him make 2015 decision to run
President Trump welcomed the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Mark A. Milley, on Monday as he faces tough decisions on Iran and controversy in Ukraine, though first he publicly thanked the departing chairman for helping him make the decision to run for president in 2015. Published September 30, 2019
Donald Trump blasts ‘secondhand’ whistleblower complaint
President Trump and his allies are deploying a new favorite word -- "secondhand" -- as they attempt to discredit a government official who blew the whistle on White House interactions with Ukraine, hoping the public will view Democrats' impeachment inquiry as a hasty mission built on hearsay. Published September 29, 2019
James Carroll, drug czar, convinced China to crack down on fentanyl, cooperate with U.S.: WH
The White House says its drug "czar" convinced Chinese officials to take a stronger hand in detecting illicit fentanyl and inspecting U.S.-bound parcels that may contain the deadly synthetic opioid. Published September 27, 2019
Joseph Wilson, key figure in run-up to Iraq War, dies at 69
Joseph C. Wilson, a key player in the messy run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion and whose wife, Valerie Plame, went from secretive CIA officer to household name, died Friday at his home in New Mexico. Published September 27, 2019
Donald Trump questions Ukraine whistleblower’s motivations, frets over ‘leaker’ with partisan aims
President Trump continued to attack a government official who blew the whistle on his interactions with Ukraine as unreliable and potentially partisan on Friday, one day after he alluded to harsh, old-time punishments for people who commit "treason." Published September 27, 2019
Donald Trump likens whistleblower to ‘spies,’ talks of ‘treason’
President Trump raised eyebrows Thursday by likening the people behind a whistleblower complaint roiling Washington to "spies" who should face dire consequences, like "in the old days." Published September 26, 2019
Whistleblower works for CIA, detailed to WH for a time: NY Times report
The whistleblower who levied explosive claims about President Trump's interactions with Ukraine is a CIA officer who was detailed to the White House. Published September 26, 2019
Trump campaign blasts ‘secondhand’ whistleblower claims
The Trump campaign on Thursday blasted a whistleblower complaint that alleges President Trump misused the presidency for political gain as an "even bigger hoax" than the Russian-meddling investigation. Published September 26, 2019
Trump offers trade on whistleblower transparency
President Trump on Wednesday said Congress should receive a whistleblower complaint about his conversations with Ukraine, so long as former Vice President Joseph R. Biden faces scrutiny, too. Published September 25, 2019
Volodymyr Zelensky felt no pressure from Trump on controversial call
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that President Trump didn't pressure him during an infamous phone call, emboldening Mr. Trump to scold the media and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while demanding credit for wins on the global stage. Published September 25, 2019
U.S. and Japan ink ‘first stage’ of trade deal
The U.S. and Japan inked the first stage of what President Trump described as a "phenomenal new trade agreement," after months of negotiations, rounds of golf and high ceremony in Tokyo. Published September 25, 2019
Donald Trump decries ‘tragedy of historic proportions’ in Venezuela
President Trump said Wednesday there's been a "tragedy of historic proportions" in Venezuela and spoke extensively about the crisis under strongman Nicolas Maduro, hoping to keep things on track in his first public appearance after details of his unusual conversation with the Ukrainian president were released. Published September 25, 2019
Donald Trump: Democrats ‘frozen with hatred and fear’
President Trump on Wednesday previewed his attacks on Democrats pursuing impeachment, saying they're incapable of doing anything productive and heading down a path on Ukraine that evokes the Russian-meddling saga. Published September 25, 2019
Stephanie Grisham: Donald Trump impeachment drive ‘destroyed any chances of legislative progress’
The White House said Tuesday that House Democrats, with their drive to impeach President Trump, have "destroyed" hope of progress on vital legislation. Published September 24, 2019
Donald Trump to world leaders: ‘The future does not belong to globalists’
President Trump blasted Iran's "bloodlust" and defended his border crackdown as part of a full-throated defense of national sovereignty Tuesday, telling global leaders to protect their cultural foundations and put their own citizens first. Published September 24, 2019
U.S., Poland sign defense deal, work to ease visas
President Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a defense agreement Monday that will shift U.S. soldiers into Poland at the Eastern European nation's expense. Published September 23, 2019
Donald Trump says he’d get Nobel Prize ‘if they gave it out fairly’
President Trump offered to mediate the Pakistani-Indian dispute over Kashmir on Monday and said he probably deserves the Nobel Prize for his efforts on the world stage. Published September 23, 2019
Chuck Schumer to GOP: Drop the ‘see no evil’ act on Ukraine saga
Sen. Charles E. Schumer told the Senate Republicans to drop their "see no evil" approach to the Ukraine corruption saga that is consuming Washington, urging Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to demand a whistleblower complaint that flagged President Trump's behavior and was deemed credible by a Trump-appointed inspector general. Published September 23, 2019
