Commentary
Commentary: National security in an ‘alt-facts’ world
Imagine, for a moment, that you are a senior Central Intelligence Agency officer standing at attention for President Trump at CIA headquarters. (Remain standing. Trump, against protocol, never said: “Please be seated.”) You think on your feet. You weigh what you know to be true against the evidence of your eyes and ears.
Commentary: What Trump didn’t say about the Trans-Pacific Partnership
President Donald Trump kept one of his major campaign promises on Monday when he withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The ramifications of Trump’s decision are worrisome and, whether or not the withdrawal helps American workers, it would be helpful to U.S. standing in the region if he communicated better, and to a larger audience, exactly what he’s trying to do. I have lived and worked in Asia for 25 years. Feelings of uncertainty about the United States right now are p
Commentary: Theresa May comes to Washington
British Prime Minister Theresa May goes to Washington this week. She could hardly be more different from the president whom she hopes to charm and who reportedly calls her “my Maggie”, after Margaret Thatcher. In the best traditions of the British Foreign Office, May will be briefed up to the eyeballs about her interlocutor, about what can be discerned of his policies and what she should try to extract from him. Trump may or may not receive a briefing on her.
Commentary: How companies should respond to Trump’s attacks – and praises
In a meeting with automakers on the fourth day of his presidency, Donald Trump appeared eager to cooperate with executives. But that tone was in stark contrast to his messaging on Twitter and at a pre-presidential news conference, where he targeted some businesses for attack and embraced others.
Commentary: Trump’s early war with the media will damage both
By the middle of the first full day of Donald Trump’s presidency, the Washington Post front-page story on his activities was refuting his claims of what the weather had been like less than 24 hours earlier.
Commentary: The meaning of Chelsea Manning
Outgoing President Barack Obama required some nerve to commute Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. military intelligence analyst who was responsible for a 2010 leak of classified materials to anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. Manning, previously known as U.S. Army Private First Class Bradley Manning, was clearly guilty of violating the Espionage Act, the main charge against her. The 35-year sentence was designed not so much to punish Manning, as to warn others in the services against following her lead
Commentary: With Trump, a VERY DIFFERENT presidency. Exciting!
By the end of this week, what could well be one of the most unorthodox, idiosyncratic presidencies in American history will be underway. The gap between Donald Trump and Barack Obama – in temperament, worldview and techniques – could scarcely be wider. At best, the new administration could deliver a much-needed blast of fresh air – but it could also prove profoundly, perhaps dangerously destabilizing.
Commentary: Run-ups to Trump, Nixon presidencies bear striking resemblances
His private campaign headquarters was an elegant suite on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Elected with 43.4 percent of the vote, he claimed the mandate of a silent majority. A secret liaison with a foreign government helped him win. America’s spies detected this stratagem; the sitting president called it treason.
Commentary: Islamic State lashes out as Turkey flirts with Russia
For years, as an insurgency raged against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkey turned a blind eye while rebels groups, including Islamic extremists, moved weapons and fighters across the Syrian-Turkish border. Jihadist groups like Islamic State established strong networks in Turkish towns to smuggle recruits and supplies into Syria.
About commentary
The views expressed by the authors in the Commentary section are not those of Reuters News.
Viewsroom: Wells Fargo stagecoach hits a ditch
The bank that steered clear of the financial crisis breaks down after creating 2 mln fake accounts. New evidence undermines Donald Trump's claims few benefit from the U.S. economic recovery. And why Hanjin's corporate capsize may prompt attempts to fix to shipping-industry woes.