International
Trump selects Ohio Sen. JD Vance, 39, as his vice presidential nominee
Former US President Donald Trump (2017-2021) chose Ohio Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential candidate on Monday , a 39-year-old who, in addition to being a politician, is also a businessman and writer.
After several weeks of uncertainty, Trump announced his choice on the Truth Social network during the first day of the Republican Convention, which began on Monday in Milwaukee, in the key state of Wisconsin, where Trump’s candidacy for the White House is also being formalized today.
The former Republican president said that after “long deliberation and reflection, and considering the tremendous talents of many others,” he has decided that Vance is “the most appropriate person to assume the role.”
During the campaign, he said, he will focus strongly on the people for whom he fought so brilliantly, the American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and far beyond.”
As vice president, he added, he will “continue to fight” for the Constitution, support the troops and do everything he can to help “make America great again.”
Trump recalled to Truth Social that Vance served in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and also from Yale Law School, where he was editor of The Yale Law Journal and president of the Yale Law Veterans Association.
JD’s book “Hillbilly Elegy” “became a huge bestseller” and a movie, the former president said, adding that “he has had a very successful business career in technology and finance.”
His name was on the shortlist of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.
In the last few hours, even former US ambassador to the UN and former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley, the latest to throw in the towel in the primary process against Trump, and even Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, had begun to be named.
Earlier on Monday, it was leaked that both Rubio and Burgum had been notified that they would not be chosen, thus putting the spotlight on Vance, whose announcement was greeted with applause at the convention as soon as it was made public.
US President Joe Biden’s campaign on Monday lashed out at Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump’s choice as his running mate, saying he would bow to the former president, unlike Mike Pence during the assault on the Capitol in 2021.
“Donald Trump chose JD Vance as his running mate because Vance will do what Mike Pence failed to do on January 6th: bend to the side of Trump’s extreme agenda, even if it means breaking the law and regardless of whether it harms the American people,” Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.
Biden’s campaign was alluding to how Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president during his time in the White House from 2017 to 2021, refused to participate in efforts to try to reverse the results of the 2020 election, in which Trump lost to Biden and alleged without evidence that there was fraud.
In its statement, the Biden campaign portrayed Vance, a senator from Ohio, as an extremist and a mere extension of Trump’s policy positions.
Regarding the 2020 election, Vance has previously said that he would not have immediately certified the results had he been vice president. He has also said that Trump had “a very legitimate grievance” regarding the election.
Vance has also set conditions for accepting the results of the November election, in line with Trump’s statements, who during his June 27 debate against Biden avoided committing to recognizing the outcome of the upcoming election.
As Biden’s campaign notes in its statement, Vance expressed support for a national ban on abortion at 15 weeks when he ran for office in 2022, but later softened that stance when he saw Ohio voters back an amendment to protect reproductive rights in 2023.
The campaign has announced that in the months leading up to the elections, its strategy will be based on showing the “great contrast” between the two visions that will face each other at the polls in November.
“The Biden-Harris ticket is all about uniting the country, creating opportunities for all, and driving down costs; and the Trump-Vance ticket is all about uniting the country, creating opportunities for all, and driving down costs; and the Trump-Vance ticket is all about uniting the country, creating opportunities for all, and driving down costs for all,” O’Malley Dillon said.
Just minutes after Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate, the Biden campaign launched a fundraising offensive on social media and emails to supporters.
International
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday announced legislation to establish a federal anti-corruption office aimed at strengthening oversight of the executive branch and preventing future presidents from using the White House for personal financial gain.
Schumer said the proposal was prompted by what he described as President Donald Trump’s misuse of the presidencyto benefit his family’s business interests.
“In just 18 months, the Trump family has made more than $4 billion by exploiting the influence of the presidency,” Schumer alleged.
The New York senator also argued that the alleged corruption has had direct economic consequences for American households.
“The same corrupt practices Trump is using to pocket billions of dollars are also forcing Americans to pay, on average, $3,100 more each year because of the rising cost of living,” he said.
The legislation was introduced alongside Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, Jeff Merkley, and Andy Kim.
According to Schumer, the bill has two primary objectives: “First, to return money to the American people. Second, to ensure that no one can ever steal from them again.”
He added that the proposal would create legal mechanisms allowing citizens to seek the recovery of funds allegedly obtained through government corruption.
“The fact that Trump stole money from the American people does not make it his. Americans deserve to get that money back,” Schumer said.
Under the proposed legislation, any U.S. citizen—as well as state attorneys general acting on behalf of their residents—would be authorized to file civil lawsuits to recover funds allegedly acquired through corrupt practices by public officials.
“Our bill would empower any individual, including a state attorney general acting on behalf of the people of that state, to bring legal action to recover money stolen from the public through government corruption,” Schumer said.
The measure is expected to face debate in Congress, where Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided over executive accountability and the scope of presidential powers.
International
Trump Administration Urges Latin America to Increase Defense Spending Against Organized Crime
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Latin American countries to increase investment in defense and security to strengthen the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking networks.
The appeal was made by Elbridge Colby, the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, in an article published by Americas Quarterly. Colby argued that governments across the region should assume greater responsibility for protecting their territories from transnational criminal organizations.
“It is essential that our neighbors in the region invest more in their own defense and security. There is no reason why any country, especially those facing significant narco-terrorist threats, should spend so little on defense,” Colby wrote.
The Pentagon official described it as “absurd” that some Latin American nations allocate less than 1% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense, although he did not identify the countries. He contrasted that with NATO members in Europe, many of which are increasing defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% devoted to security-related investments.
Colby, who participated earlier this month in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas in Cusco, Peru, said there is “a historic opportunity” for the United States and its regional partners to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking and other transnational threats.
He also defended the proposed Shield of the Americas, a military partnership promoted by the Trump administration to combat organized crime and supported by several conservative governments in the region. The initiative does not include Brazil or Mexico.
In addition, Colby said the administration’s security strategy includes an updated interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, the long-standing U.S. foreign policy principle that historically viewed Latin America as part of Washington’s sphere of influence.
“Of course, we recognize that the Monroe Doctrine is controversial in many circles. But it is also frequently misunderstood,” he said.
According to Colby, the United States is not seeking “exploitation, subordination or dependence,” but rather a region characterized by greater prosperity, stability and security.
He also stated that Washington is prepared to use “all available resources,” including the U.S. Armed Forces, to combat drug trafficking and irregular migration. Colby highlighted ongoing counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean, despite criticism from human rights organizations that have questioned some missions over allegations of extrajudicial killings in international waters.
International
FAO and WFP Seek $42 Million to Prepare Southern Africa for Unprecedented El Niño
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday appealed for $42 million to help vulnerable communities in southern Africa prepare for what is expected to be an unprecedented El Niño event.
The funding will enable humanitarian agencies to protect millions of people before worsening weather conditions severely affect agricultural production across the region.
Following a meeting with partners in Maputo, Mozambique, the two UN agencies said they still need to secure $42 million of the $54 million required to assist 2.3 million people in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
In a joint statement, FAO and WFP said the appeal marks the first time the two organizations have launched a large-scale, forward-looking call for anticipatory action, warning that insufficient funding could push the region’s most vulnerable families into a major food security crisis.
“The period before the main planting season is critical for taking action,” said José Luis Fernández, FAO Representative in Mozambique. He stressed that early intervention is both more effective and less costly than responding after crops have failed and productive assets have already been lost.
“With timely and flexible financing, we can help farmers access appropriate seeds and agricultural inputs, protect livestock and water resources, and sustain food production before reduced rainfall causes irreversible damage,” Fernández said.
Claire Conan, WFP Representative in Mozambique, emphasized that acting before disasters strike is more efficient and cost-effective than responding after communities have lost their livelihoods. She added that the agency is working closely with the Mozambican government to translate climate forecasts into preventive measures aimed at reducing the impact of droughts and floods.
The planned interventions include supporting farmers, strengthening food production systems and protecting the food security of the region’s most vulnerable households, with the goal of reducing the risk of widespread hunger.
El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and changes in atmospheric circulation, disrupting weather patterns around the world. Its most recent episode, between 2023 and 2024, was associated with record global temperatures, severe droughts across southern Africa, Central America and northern South America, as well as destructive wildfires, torrential rainfall and widespread flooding.
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
Trump Administration Urges Latin America to Increase Defense Spending Against Organized Crime
FAO and WFP Seek $42 Million to Prepare Southern Africa for Unprecedented El Niño
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