Trump’s new version of Oval Office meetings has rattled some foreign leaders
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Trump’s new version of Oval Office meetings has rattled some foreign leaders
Foreign leaders’ visits to the White House used to be occasions for face-to-face diplomacy, allied backslapping and polite photo ops. But President Donald Trump’s public pillorying of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in February has upended Oval Office norms. Five former senior diplomats who have handled preparations for these types of meetings likened Trump’s White House to a boxing ring or a TV set. Foreign dignitaries said leaders should now mentally prepare for diplomatic “jiu jitsu,” trolling or even “North Korean style adulation” Trump 2.0 is “far more overtly transactional,’ said Joe Hockey, former Australian ambassador to the US. “You never contradict Trump publicly, because he will lose face and that’s something that he can’t accept,“ said Gérard Araud, who was France’s ambassador to US during Trump’s first presidency. The White House functions more like a royal family court or a bureaucratic machine of past presidencies, the former diplomats said.
PARIS CNN —
Foreign leaders’ visits to the White House used to be occasions for face-to-face diplomacy, allied backslapping and polite photo ops.
But President Donald Trump’s public pillorying of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in February has upended Oval Office norms, sparking panic among some foreign leaders.
“You’re not acting all that thankful,” Trump scolded Zelensky, with Vice President JD Vance piling on in front of the international press.
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As the Ukraine leader pushed for more help in the country’s war with Russia, Trump at one point threatened to give up on Ukraine entirely, the meeting devolving into little more than a shouting match.
Foreign dignitaries took that visit – as well as Trump’s unfounded accusations of genocide against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and tense exchanges with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney – as a sign that Oval Office visits in Trump’s second term called for a different type of preparation.
Five former senior diplomats who have handled preparations for these types of meetings likened Trump’s White House to a boxing ring or a TV set.
The dignitaries said leaders should now mentally prepare for diplomatic “jiu jitsu,” trolling or even “North Korean” style adulation. And never, ever say Trump is wrong in front of a camera.
“You never contradict Trump publicly, because he will lose face and that’s something that he can’t accept,” said Gérard Araud, who was France’s ambassador to the US during Trump’s first presidency.
There are signs ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned White House visit Monday that even he is looking to avoid any chance of a fight, despite his close relationship with Trump. After Trump said Tuesday that he planned to be “very firm” with Netanyahu on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, an Israeli official indicated they accepted the terms of a 60-day ceasefire proposal about 24 hours later.
Trump 2.0
For Lithuania’s former foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Oval Office visits from foreign leaders are “chances for Trump to portray himself as this alpha leader, you know, pushing aside others and belittling others,” he told CNN. “This is a show.”
Trump himself indicated the last point as his meeting with Zelensky ended, quipping: “This is going to be great television.”
Arturo Sarukhán, Mexico’s former ambassador to Washington, described the meetings as “diplomatic vandalism and trolling.”
Foreign dignitaries say Trump 2.0 is at a different level even compared to his first term. In 2017 he was, “learning the ropes of government. And I think he was learning the boundaries of his power,” said Joe Hockey, former Australian ambassador to the US.
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Ex-French envoy Araud said that Trump in 2017 was “insecure, he didn’t know the job. He hated to be patronized.”
Trump has also acknowledged that he’s much more confident in exercising his powers the second time around – and he’s made it clear he’s less concerned about potential limitations or criticisms.
The returned president is “far more overtly transactional,” Hockey said, as well as “a far more formidable negotiator.” Since January, allies and foes alike have been subjected to unprecedented tariffs and the ignominy of placating Trump for preferable trade terms.
And it’s rattled some leaders, according to Araud: “European leaders especially are in a sort of denial. They are panicking.”
Break from the past
Glitzed out in gold details, the Oval Office exudes Trump, its walls reflecting his particular vision of US history. His office is as much showplace as workplace.
That’s not the only way the office has changed.
Bonnie Cash/Bloomberg/Getty Images President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President JD Vance, second right, during a meeting with Micheal Martin, Ireland’s prime minister, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 12.
Unlike the bureaucratic machine of past presidencies, the Trump White House functions more like a royal family or a king’s court, Araud said. Without “personal access” to Trump or his close family, leaders won’t make much progress on requests. And even if heads of state do get that one-on-one time, “it doesn’t mean you’re going to influence the guy.”
During past administrations, “there were rules,” Araud added. Meetings at the White House, which typically involve months of planning, were seen as a unique opportunity for foreign leaders to meet with the US president – and be seen doing so.
“You were supposed to respect some basic decency,” he said.
Such visits were “about treating foreign leaders with dignity and respect and, frankly, making sure that these visits are a win-win for both sides,” Rufus Gifford, who was the US ambassador to Denmark until 2017 and chief of diplomatic protocol under former President Joe Biden, told CNN. As chief of protocol, Gifford was responsible for coordinating meetings between the US president and foreign leaders.
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“Our advice, very simply, was take advantage of the very few moments that you have,” Gifford added. “This should be a nice meeting where you get to know each other as human beings.”
Sarukhán, one of Mexico’s ambassadors to the US during the Bush and Obama presidencies, said that his team would provide icebreakers and areas of shared interest to their president ahead of a visit — anything to lubricate the wheels of diplomacy.
Famously, Mexican President Vicente Fox visited former President George W. Bush’s Texas ranch for one of their meetings, after Bush came to Fox’s ranch in Mexico years earlier. Sarukhán described pictures from the visits as “visual gold,” adding they were the product of long discussions between both president’s teams.
Paul Richards/AFP/Getty Images President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox pet one of Fox’s horses on the grounds of the Fox’s ranch, Rancho San Cristobal in Guanajuato, Mexico, in February 2001.
And ahead of former President Barack Obama’s inauguration, Sarukhán recalled the Mexican embassy put on a special exhibition of jewels of Mexican art in DC, where the Obamas could meet Mexico’s then-President Felipe Caldéron.
“It was an Olympic goal, to use a soccer term,” Sarukhán said.
Words of advice
“Think in terms of television” is how Landsbergis advised preparing for a meeting with the former reality TV star president.
He said that world leaders also have their home audience’s public perception in mind. Pushing back or even fact checking Trump may be risky, but it isn’t necessarily a losing strategy, Landsbergis said. Similarly, Sarukhán said it can be advantageous for leaders to show they can handle some “jiu jitsu” with the US president.
“They should not have an expectation that it’s going to go smoothly,” said Gifford, the Biden White House official who also worked on Kamala Harris’ campaign. “Donald Trump thrives on keeping these foreign leaders off balance.”
Sometimes, that manifests in actual physicality — often involving aggressive handshakes. That presented a personal challenge for Araud when France’s Emmanuel Macron met with Trump for the first time in 2017.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters/File In this May 2017 photo, President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium.
“Beware. He is going to be brutal with your hand. Be ready to resist,” Araud warned.
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He now counsels subordination.
“You should first be profusely grateful. You should really compliment the president. There is a sort of North Korean side in the White House,” he said. “And you should let Trump really talk and talk.”
“A phone call with Trump. It’s a minimum 45 minutes, and you have at least 40 minutes of Trump.”
Gifford warned against trying to insincerely charm Trump. “That works in the moment. It does not work long-term. And he will play you.”
Risk vs. reward
“I don’t, in my mind, understand why foreign leaders keep coming to the Oval Office thinking that it’s the same as it has been. It’s just not,” Gifford told CNN, adding that Trump doesn’t value alliances as past US leaders have.
Despite the threat of an Apprentice-style ambush beamed live to the world, Landsbergis reckons the reward of an Oval Office visit outweighs the risk of a Trump smackdown.
It’s the “only chance” for a small country like Lithuania to transmit important messages or risk assessments — for example, about Russia’s aggression — directly to Trump.
But navigating the minefield of Oval Office barbs and fraught televized moments with Trump requires treating the most powerful man on earth like “a whimsical and unpredictable child,” Araud said.
“Trump’s the only one making decisions,” he added, “and he’s making decisions from the hip.”
Safeway, Albertsons strike halts as tentative labor deal is reached
Workers at dozens of Colorado Safeway and Albertsons stores ended their strike Saturday. The announcement came in a social media post from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. The new contract is still subject to a ratification vote by union members.
The announcement came in a social media post from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 (UFCW). The union described the deal as “all gains, no concessions.”
Among the dozens of key provisions hammered out during those negotiations are higher wages, improved dental and vision benefits, a fully funded pension, and protections against union work going to gig companies such as Doordash.
The union said the parent company, Albertsons, has also agreed to terminate all temporary replacement workers.
The new contract is still subject to a ratification vote by union members, which is expected sometime over the coming week.
In the meantime, those who hit the picket lines are expected to return to the job Monday.
Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile
Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday marked with celebrations in India. Crowds gathered to pay tribute to the Tibetan spiritual leader. Dalai Lama has said he will not step down from his post as Tibet’s prime minister. He will remain in office until the end of his term in office in 2023, when he will be replaced by a new leader. He has said his successor will be chosen by the people of Tibet, not by the Chinese government-in-exile, as he has done in the past. The new leader will not be announced until after the new leader is in place, the Dalai Lama said in a statement on his website and Twitter account. The Dalai Lama is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a former head of state of the Tibetans in exile in India, where he has lived for more than 60 years. He is the third Dalai Lama to die in office, after his father and grandfather, and the fourth to become a U.S. president. The current leader, who has been in office since 1979, has not yet been named.
Dharamshala / Hong Kong (CNN) — Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.
Undeterred by heavy monsoon rain and thick fog, crowds dressed in their finery packed the narrow streets from early morning and queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex.
Hundreds of hopeful attendees were left waiting to see if they would be allowed into the temple, which reached full capacity before the festivities began and was heavily manned by Indian police and security personnel.
Masked dancers in traditional outfits twirled to the sounds of gongs, pipes and horns as the Dalai Lama was led into the complex by two attendants.
Indian government ministers spoke at the event, as well as Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.
Singing performances filled the courtyard as the Dalai Lama was served a slice of his birthday cake, topped with fresh fruit and a white lily.
The gathering marked the culmination of a days-long celebration that brought supporters and spiritual heads to the small city in India’s Himalayan foothills, which has served as the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home of the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet during a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese communist rule.
Many had traveled far to join the celebration, such as Namgyal Dorjee Gongpa, from New Jersey in the United States.
The 49-year-old, at the celebration with his wife and three sons, told CNN: “This is a very momentous occasion for myself and my family.”
“Every year, we take trips to India, which is the epicenter of the exile Tibetan setup so that my kids who are born in a foreign country… get back to their roots and learn and live their culture. So this is a great occasion because we can all take part in the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.”
In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of “achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to continue promoting human values, religious harmony, ancient Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture, which “has so much potential to contribute to the world.”
At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his long life, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.
As he was led out the temple, video showed the Dalai Lama gently swaying to more live music, before continuing outside and leaving on his golf cart.
This year’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic leader to address the looming question of what happens after his death.
Reincarnation
In a video message to religious elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama announced that he will have a successor after his death, and affirmed that his office has the “sole authority” to recognize his future reincarnation.
“No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” the Dalai Lama said in his recorded message.
The statement sets the stage for a struggle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama.
The Dalai Lama’s announcement was welcomed by many Tibetan Buddhists, who had been waiting for his decision on whether the centuries-old institution would end with his death – a question he had earlier said he would re-evaluate around his 90th birthday.
Speaking from the crowds, Tenzin Nyidon, 26, originally from Odisha, eastern India, told CNN she holds his reincarnation “with deep respect” and raised concerns over China’s “attempts to politicize” this process.
“I feel that he has thoughtfully considered the future and made it clear that the decision will be guided by the Tibetan people and Buddhist traditions and not by any external political interference,” she added.
“At the same time, like many Tibetans, I do have concerns about China’s attempts to politicize the reincarnation process by potentially appointing its own dalai lama… Their appointment of a dalai lama would not only be a distortion of our faith but also a strategy to undermine Tibetan identity.”
Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.
But the religious tradition has increasingly become a battleground for the control of Tibetan hearts and minds, and experts expect that Beijing will seek to establish its own dalai lama after the current one – part of the Comunist Party’s campaign to “sinicize” religion to ensure it aligns with Communist Party leadership and maintain its tightening grip over Tibet.
The Dalai Lama has previously stated that his successor will be born in the “free world” outside China, urging his followers to reject any candidate selected by Beijing.
Asked about the Dalai Lama’s latest statement on his reincarnation, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday reiterated Beijing’s long-held stance that the spiritual leader’s reincarnation must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government.
Beijing has long sought to discredit the Dalai Lama and claims he is a dangerous “separatist.”
Since the 1970s, however, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but “meaningful” autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent “middle way” approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
As China’s political and economic clout has grown, however, the Dalai Lama’s global influence appears to be waning, especially as old age makes it difficult to sustain his extensive globe-trotting. The spiritual leader has not met a sitting US president since Barack Obama in 2016, after numerous visits to the White House since 1991.
On his birthday, however, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video played at the event and compiled by Tibet TV, run by the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Obama wished a “very happy birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I know,” and thanked the Dalai Lama for his friendship.
“You’ve shown generations what it means to practice compassion and speak up for freedom and dignity. Not bad for someone who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk,” he added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement on X which was read at the event: “I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday.
“He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline. His message has inspired respect and admiration across all faiths. We pray for his continued good health and long life.”
In an official statement, also read at the event, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed support for efforts to preserve Tibetans’ heritage, “including their ability to freely choose and venerate religious leaders without interference.”
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North Texas fire departments head to Central Texas to help with search and rescue efforts
At least 27 fatalities have been reported so far, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha says. The dead include 18 adults and 9 children. Officials have conducted more than 160 air rescues. In total, 850 uninjured and 8 injured people have been rescued as of Saturday, he says. There are hundreds of people on the ground from various units helping with search and rescue operations, officials said, which include drones and helicopters. The Fort Worth Fire Department sent two teams to the area, including 15 divers and swift water team members. Dallas Fire Rescue has deployed a “water-squad” team of six people.
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Texas (KTVT) — The search and rescue teams from several North Texas fire departments are in Central Texas, assisting after flash flooding left dozens of people dead.
At least 27 fatalities have been reported so far, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said in an email Saturday morning. The dead include 18 adults and 9 children. Six of the adults and one child remain unidentified, Leitha said. Officials have conducted more than 160 air rescues, Leitha said. In total, 850 uninjured and 8 injured people have been rescued as of Saturday, he said.
The Fort Worth Fire Department sent two teams to the area, including 15 divers and swift water team members. Dallas Fire Rescue has deployed a “water-squad” team of six people. The Denton Fire Department also sent a team of six people with two boats.
The Southern Baptist of Texas Convention and Disaster Relief is also sending volunteers to the area to help out.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing There are hundreds of people on the ground from various units helping with search and rescue operations, officials said, which include drones and helicopters.
“We brought in over 100 troopers this morning,” Col. Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during Friday night’s news briefing. “And they’ve worked all day, rescues, high water vehicles, boats, rescue divers, seven rescue helicopters with hoist capabilities.”
The governor signed a disaster declaration for several counties during the news conference Friday night, saying it “ensures all the counties will have access to every tool, strategy, personnel that the state of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless.”
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person and ensure everybody involved in this is going to be fully accounted for,” Abbott said.
Earlier Friday, Abbott asked that Texas residents “heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas.”
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement posted to social media that he had spoken to Mr. Trump, as well as other state officials.
“President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs,” Cruz said.
Lorena Gullen, who owns a restaurant right next to an RV park that was affected by the floods, said “raging water” swept away vehicles, some with people still inside. Residents at the park had been celebrating the Fourth of July.
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Statue honors Chaser, known as ‘the world’s smartest dog’
Chaser the border collie is known as “the smartest dog in the world.” She was trained by Dr. John Pilley, a retired professor of psychology. Pilley taught Chaser the names of over 1,000 objects, which she learned to identify on command. A philanthropist in Spartanburg, South Carolina, commissioned sculptor Betsy Scott to commemorate Chaser in bronze. The sculpture was unveiled in Morgan Square in downtown Spartanburg on June 6, 2014. The project was funded by the Hub City Animal Project, which is run by Monty Mullen, the founder of The Balmer foundation. The book, “Chaser, Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words,” was published in 2011.
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SPARTANBURG, South Carolina (WLOS) — (WLOS) — In downtown Spartanburg’s Morgan Square in South Carolina, you’ll see the “I Love You” statue created by students from The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, and a statue commemorating Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan.
But the most talked-about piece of public art on the square may be the one that honors border collie Chaser, known as “the smartest dog in the world.”
“She knows a thousand words,” said Spartanburg philanthropist Monty Mullen. “She had 1,000 toys and they were all named, and she could identify them.”
Chaser was owned and trained by Dr. John Pilley, a retired professor of psychology at Wofford College.
“He started teaching her the names of objects, and everything was through play,” said Dr. Pilley’s daughter, Pilley Bianchi. “Everything was through positive reinforcement and engagement.”
Dr. Pilley knew that border collies are among the most motivated and intelligent breeds, and he set out to prove it. He taught Chaser the names of over 1,000 objects, which she learned to identify on command. In 2011 Dr. Pilley published a peer-reviewed scientific paper documenting Chaser’s amazing vocabulary.
“And the findings were so tremendous that it hit every major newspaper. It went globally viral in 48 hours in 72 countries,” said Bianchi, who helped her father write the best-selling book, “Chaser, Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words.”
Stories and live appearances soon followed on national television. A 2014 profile on 60 Minutes helped push sales of the book to 50,000 copies in the U.S.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson hosted a PBS segment on Chaser for the Scientific series Nova, and that caught Mullen’s attention. She met Chaser and the Pilley family at a book signing at Spartanburg’s Hub City Bookshop and still has a signed copy of the book.
Dr. Pilley passed away in 2018, and his best furry friend and research assistant Chaser, one year later. Mullen, who leads The Balmer foundation in Spartanburg, took action from there.
“I thought she was from Spartanburg; she was born and raised here. And she was smart and made a name for herself, and she needed to be remembered,” Mullen said.
Mullen launched a fundraising campaign for the Hub City Animal Project, and in the process, commissioned sculptor Betsy Scott to commemorate Chaser in bronze.
“I still get emotional when I go and see her,” Bianchi said, ”and what I love so much, is that kids come and they sit on top of her.”
Imprints of Dr. Pilley’s boots were added to the project to honor the bond between the man and his faithful companion.
“My father said, ’If you give a dog your heart, they’ll give you theirs,’” Bianchi said.
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