International
Top US general says Trump never intended to attack China
AFP
Top US General Mark Milley testified Tuesday that calls he made to his Chinese counterparts in the turbulent waning months of Donald Trump’s administration were intended to “deescalate” tensions and the former president had no intention of attacking China.
“I know, I am certain, President Trump did not intend to attack the Chinese,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“My task at that time was to deescalate. My message again was consistent: stay calm and steady and deescalate. We are not going to attack you,” he said.
The calls between Milley and his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng, were first revealed in the book “Peril” by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.
The first call was on October 30, four days before the US presidential election, and the second was on January 8, two days after supporters of Trump stormed the US Capitol in an effort to prevent certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.
Some Republican lawmakers have accused Milley of overstepping his authority and called for him to resign.
In his Senate testimony, Milley defended his actions and said the calls were coordinated with the then-secretaries of defense.
“The specific purpose of the October and January calls was generated by concerning intelligence which caused us to believe the Chinese were worried about an attack by the US,” Milley said.
“These military-to-military communications at the highest levels are critical to the security of the United States in order to deconflict military actions, manage crisis, and prevent war between great powers armed with nuclear weapons,” he said.
“At no time was I attempting to change or influence the process, usurp authority, or insert myself into the chain of command,” Milley added.
“I firmly believe in civilian control of the military as a bedrock principle essential to this Republic and I am committed to ensuring the military stays clear of domestic politics.”
– ‘He doesn’t launch them alone’ –
Milley also addressed a phone call he had with Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, in which — according to “Peril” — she sought reassurances that there was no danger of Trump unilaterally launching a nuclear strike.
“I sought to assure her that nuclear launch is governed by a very specific and deliberate process,” Milley told the Senate committee.
“She was concerned and made various personal references characterizing the president,” Milley said. “I explained that the president is the sole nuclear launch authority but he doesn’t launch them alone.”
According to the book, Pelosi, referring to Trump, said: “You know he’s crazy. He’s been crazy for a long time” and Milley responded: “Madam Speaker, I agree with you on everything.”
In his testimony Milley said he told Pelosi that he was “not qualified” to determine a president’s mental health.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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