Tag: Report

EPA chief Scott Pruitt sought "to stage public debates challenging climate change science," reports the New York Times, and President Trump "expressed enthusiasm" for the idea. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth analysis…

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and White House chief of staff John Kelly have voiced frustration about Jared Kushner's encroachment on Tillerson's position, according to a report from Politico. Tillerson is reportedly frustrated with Kushner's involvement in foreign affairs, which are usually handled by the nation's diplomatic corps. Kushner, however, has been responsible for Israeli-Palestinian relations, as well as U.S. relations with Mexico and China. “We can’t have four secretaries of state,” Tillerson said. Politico also reports that Kelly has repeated Tillerson's complaints, which reportedly have not been taken well by Kushner. "We need a secretary of state who is supportive of the president," Kushner told Kelly, according to Politico. Kelly is in the process of grappling with the issue of Kushner's security clearance in the White House. Trump said on Friday that Kelly would have the final say on Kushner's security clearance. “I will let Gen. Kelly make that decision,” Trump said at a news conference. “And he's going to do what's right for the country.

President Trump is reportedly set to field a series of meetings with Arab leaders in an effort to reach a peace deal over Qatar. Axios reported Friday that Trump will host leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in separate meetings in hopes of ending a squabble that has last for months. The goal is to reach a peace deal at a summit in Washington or Camp David in the late spring, according to Axios. The list of leaders expected to visit Washington includes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar. A number of Arab countries have been locked in a diplomatic dispute with Qatar for months. That dispute began in June, when several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, cut ties with the small Gulf nation. At issue is Qatar's relations with Iran and what other Gulf states say is its support for terrorism. Qatar has acknowledged that it has supported Islamist organizations, but denies backing militant groups. The countries issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar as a requirement for re-establishing diplomatic relations, though Doha has largely refused the demands. The dispute has put the U.S. in an awkward position, because it relies on Gulf states as key allies in the coalition to combat Islamic State militants in the region.