MATTHEW LEE Diplomatic Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, looks on ahead of a group photo at the Heads of states dinner, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, Pool)

Europe warily awaits Rubio at Munich Security Conference as Trump roils transatlantic ties

February 11, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading a large U.S. delegation to the Munich Security Conference this week. Increasingly nervous European leaders are hoping for at least a brief reprieve from President Donald Trump’s often inconsistent policies and threats that have roiled transatlantic relations and the post-World War II international order. A year after Vice President JD Vance stunned assembled dignitaries at the same venue with a verbal assault on many of America’s closest allies in Europe, Rubio plans to take a less contentious but philosophically similar approach when he addresses the annual conference on Saturday. That’s according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during the Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting at the State Department, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

US to expand passport revocations for parents who owe child support, AP sources say

February 10, 2026

Parents who owe a significant amount of child support soon could lose their ability to travel internationally as the Trump administration expands and steps up enforcement of a 30-year-old law that allows the federal government to revoke American passports until payments are made. That’s according to three U.S. officials familiar with the plan who spoke to The Associated Press. While passport revocations for unpaid child support have been permitted under 1996 legislation, the State Department had in the past acted only when someone applied to renew their travel document or sought other consular services. The officials say that starting soon the department will begin to revoke passports on its own initiative based on data shared with it by HHS.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts during the funeral of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, whose remains were brought back to Israel, in the southern town of Meitar on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.(Chaim Goldberg/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump administration approves new arms sales to Israel worth $6.67 billion

January 30, 2026

The Trump administration has approved a massive new series of arms sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment and weapons as well as 3,250 light tactical vehicles. The State Department announced the package of four separate sales late Friday amid rising tensions in the Middle East over the possibility of U.S. military strikes in Iran. The department says the Apache helicopters, which will be equipped with rocket launchers and advanced targeting gear, are the biggest part of the total package, coming to $3.8 billion. The next largest portion are the light tactical vehicles.

President Donald Trump, center, holds up a signed Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump eyes basing his new Board of Peace at a Washington building in legal limbo

January 29, 2026

The Trump administration is looking at basing the new Board of Peace in the Washington building that formerly housed the U.S. Institute of Peace. That word comes from four administration officials. The Board of Peace’s initial task is to oversee President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, but he seems to have broader ambitions for the initiative. The U.S. Institute of Peace is an independent nongovernmental organization established by Congress. The administration seized the building last year and fired almost all the institute’s staff. The building has since been renamed the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace, but its name and status are in legal limbo.

FILE - Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters while meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

Rubio set to warn of future military action if Venezuela’s new leaders stray from US goals

January 27, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to warn that the Trump administration is ready to take new military action against Venezuela if the country’s interim leadership strays from U.S. expectations. Rubio will testify Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. According to prepared testimony, Rubio plans to say the U.S. isn’t at war with Venezuela but the Trump administration wouldn’t rule out using additional force if needed following the ouster of former President Nicolás Maduro. Rubio will defend Trump’s decisions to remove Maduro, strike suspected drug boats and seize sanctioned tankers carrying Venezuelan oil. Democrats have condemned the actions as exceeding President Donald Trump’s authority.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks after the signing of a Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US says it’s taking first steps to possibly reopen embassy in Venezuela after Maduro’s ouster

January 27, 2026

The Trump administration has notified Congress that it is taking the first steps to possibly reopen the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Venezuela as it explores restoring relations with the South American country following the U.S. military raid that ousted then-President Nicolás Maduro. In a notice to lawmakers dated Monday and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, the State Department said it was sending in a regular contingent of temporary staffers to conduct “select” diplomatic functions. It said the staffers would live and work in a temporary facility while the existing embassy compound is brought up to standard. It was shuttered in March, 2019.

FILE - US envoy Steve Witkoff, left, and US businessman Jared Kushner attend a press conference after the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraine during the 'Coalition of the Willing' summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026. (Ludovic Marin, Pool photo via AP, File)

Board of Peace for Gaza is forming with ambitions for a wider mandate of other conflicts

January 17, 2026

President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” that was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of other global crises. It could mean potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order. In letters sent Friday to various world leaders inviting them to be “founding members” of the board, Trump says the body would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.” Leaders from Argentina, Paraguay, Canada, Egypt and Turkey have been invitated to join the board, according to their governments.

FILE - President Donald Trump is presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, file)

US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump visa ban

January 15, 2026

The Trump administration has identified a host of athletic competitions it classifies as “major sporting events” — aside from soccer’s 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games — that athletes and coaches will be allowed to travel to the U.S. to take part in despite a broad visa ban. In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates Wednesday, the department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by collegiate and professional sporting leagues would not be subject to the full and partial travel bans that apply to 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.

FILE - Workers distribute food aid from the World Food Program at a refugee camp in Dolo, Somalia on July 18. 2012. (AP Photo/Jason Straziuso, file)

US suspends assistance to Somalia’s federal government, alleging it seized food aid

January 7, 2026

The State Department says it has suspended all U.S. assistance to Somalia’s federal government over allegations that Somali officials destroyed an American-funded warehouse belonging to the World Food Program and seized 76 metric tons of food aid intended for impoverished civilians. The department said Wednesday that “the Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance.” It’s not immediately clear how much assistance would be affected by the suspension because the Trump administration has slashed foreign aid expenditures and not released new country-by-country data.

Secretary Marco Rubio meets with Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot at the State Department, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 in Washington. (AP Phoro/Kevin Wolf)

US nearly triples list of countries whose citizens must post bonds up to $15,000 to apply for visas

January 6, 2026

The Trump administration is nearly tripling the number of countries whose passport holders will be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. Less than a week after adding seven countries to the list of nations subject to visa bonds, bringing the total to 13, the State Department on Tuesday added another 25. The bond requirement for the latest additions will take effect Jan. 21, according to a notice posted on the travel.state.gov website. The move means that 38 countries, most of them in Africa but some in Latin America and Asia, are now on the list, which makes the process of obtaining a U.S. visa unaffordable for many.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at the U.S. Capitol Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, for a closed-door briefing with top lawmakers after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and bring him to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Trump’s vague claims of the US running Venezuela raise questions about planning for what comes next

January 6, 2026

President Donald Trump’s has made broad but vague assertions that the United States is going to “run” Venezuela after the ouster of Nicolás Maduro but has offered almost no details about how it will do so. That has raised concerns among some lawmakers and former officials about the level of planning for the country after Maduro was gone. Seemingly contradictory statements from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have suggested at once that the U.S. now controls the levers of Venezuelan power or that the U.S. has no intention of assuming day-to-day governance and will allow Maduro’s subordinates to remain in leadership positions for now. The result has been confusion.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a news conference at the State Department, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

US expands list of countries whose citizens must pay up to $15,000 bonds to apply for visas

January 5, 2026

The Trump administration has added seven countries, including five in Africa, to the list of nations whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for visas to enter the United States. Thirteen countries, all but two of them in Africa, are now on the list. It makes the process of obtaining a visa unaffordable for many but U.S. officials say it is an effective deterrent to prevent foreigners from overstaying their visas. The State Department last week quietly added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan to the list. Those designations took effect on Jan. 1. It’s the latest effort by the Trump administration to tighten requirements for visa applicants.

President Donald Trump holds a cell phone with a call to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as he departs on Air Force One at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Elm City, N.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump removes nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial positions

December 22, 2025

The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts as it moves to reshape the U.S. diplomatic posture abroad with personnel deemed fully supportive of President Donald Trump’s “America First” priorities. The chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their tenures would end in January. That’s according to two State Department officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel moves. All of them had taken up their posts in the Biden administration but had survived an initial purge in the early months of Trump’s second term that targeted mainly political appointees. That changed on Wednesday when they began to receive notices about their imminent departures.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks to a secure room in the basement of the Capitol to brief senators on military strikes near Venezuela, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Rubio hits 2 more International Criminal Court judges with sanctions over Israel prosecutions

December 18, 2025

President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed sanctions on two more International Criminal Court judges over their role in investigating Israeli officials for possible war crimes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday he had designated the judges for penalties that can include a freezing of assets in U.S. jurisdictions and a ban on travel to the U.S. The two are the latest in a series of ICC judges and staffers to be targeted by the Republican administration for approving or advancing criminal complaints about Israel and the United States, which aren’t members of the court. The ICC calls the move “a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to join Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a secure room in the basement of the Capitol to brief lawmakers on the military strike on a suspected drug smuggling boat and its crew in the Caribbean near Venezuela Sept. 2, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Calibri font becomes the latest DEI target as Rubio orders return to Times New Roman

December 10, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to stop using the Calibri font and return to the more traditional Times New Roman. The move that takes effect Wednesday reverses a Biden administration shift to the less formal typeface that Rubio calls wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of U.S. government documents. In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates abroad Tuesday, Rubio said the 2023 shift to the sans serif Calibri font was the result of misguided diversity, equity and inclusion policies pursued by his predecessor. The cable says it “was promised to mitigate accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities.” It asserts that the change had cost the State Department $145,000 but offered no evidence.

President Donald Trump arrives for a signing ceremony with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Two of Trump’s peace deals at risk as fighting surges in Congo and at Cambodia-Thailand border

December 9, 2025

At least two of several agreements aimed at ending global conflicts that President Donald Trump has hailed as evidence of his negotiating prowess are in trouble and at risk of collapsing. Less than a week after Congo and Rwanda signed a deal in Trump’s presence in Washington and less than two months after he witnessed Cambodia and Thailand sign a pact in Malaysia, fighting has surged in both places. The developments have caused international alarm, which on Tuesday resulted in statements from concerned countries and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The statements urged the combatants to live up to their commitments in the deals that Trump has touted.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks as Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen at the State Department, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Rubio and Hegseth meet Australian counterparts with China expected to be focus

December 8, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are meeting their Australian counterparts for annual talks expected to focus on Indo-Pacific security and countering China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. Rubio, Hegseth, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles gathered Monday at the State Department. None of them mentioned China by name in their brief comments to reporters before the formal meeting began, but the challenges posed by Beijing have been a central theme of the U.S.-Australia relationship. The four discussed progress in the AUKUS pact, a Biden administration-era agreement under which the U.S., Britain and Australia committed to building nuclear submarines for the Australians.

A man walks past signage prior to the final draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

US prioritizes visas for fans traveling for the World Cup, Olympics and other events

December 4, 2025

The Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from foreigners wishing to visit the United States to either invest in America or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events. The administration also has added new criteria for highly skilled foreign workers seeking a particular visa. The new rules would deny entry to applicants deemed to have directed or participated in the censorship of American citizens on social media through content moderation initiatives that have sprung up throughout Europe and elsewhere to combat extremist speech. The steps were outlined in cables sent this week to all U.S. diplomatic missions and obtained by The Associated Press.

President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Takeaways from Trump’s White House meeting with Saudi crown prince: deals and bromance

November 18, 2025

A jovial President Donald Trump has held a warm and friendly meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman at the White House. Trump brushed aside questions about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, praised the prince for his statesmanship and announced hundreds of billions of dollars in new Saudi investment in the United States. The White House rolled out plenty of pomp for the Saudi royal on Tuesday, including dispatching fighter jets that the two leaders watched from a red carpet. The two leaders had a sitdown in the Oval Office, taking questions from reporters on a wide array of topics, ranging from commerce to the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Riyadh.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media after boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, enroute to Florida. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump opens door for Nigeria sanctions with religious freedom designation over Christian persecution

October 31, 2025

President Donald Trump has opened the door for sanctions to be imposed on Nigeria for allegedly failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the country. Trump announced Friday that he would designate Nigeria “a country of particular concern” as it relates to religious freedom, a move that had been pushed by some U.S. lawmakers. The designation does not necessarily mean that sanctions, which could include a ban on all non-humanitarian aid, will be imposed, but it is one step ahead of that. “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump said in a social media post. “Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.’”

FILE - President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meet at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Trump is expected to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next month, AP sources say

October 22, 2025

President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing for a visit to the United States by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next month. That’s according to several people familiar with the planning who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the trip before it has been announced. U.S. officials familiar with the plans for the trip say work is underway to prepare a package of agreements Trump and the crown prince could sign or witness during the visit. Two people familiar with the planning say the trip is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17-19 but that the timing could change.

People hold posters of Charlie Kirk during a Turning Point USA rally at Utah State University, as a part of the organization's push to memorialize Kirk, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Logan, Utah. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

US revokes visas for 6 foreigners over Charlie Kirk-related speech

October 14, 2025

The Trump administration has revoked the visas of six foreigners deemed by U.S. officials to have made derisive comments or made light of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month. The State Department said it had determined they should lose their visas after reviewing their online social media posts and clips about Kirk. The administration and its supporters have targeted people for their comments about Kirk, leading to firings or other discipline of journalists, teachers and others, and raising free speech concerns. The announcement came Tuesday as Trump was posthumously awarding Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens before interrupting President Donald Trump during a roundtable meeting on antifa in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US diplomat fired over relationship with woman accused of ties to Chinese Communist Party

October 8, 2025

The State Department says it’s fired a U.S. diplomat over a romantic relationship he admitted having with a Chinese woman alleged to have ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The dismissal is believed to be the first of its kind for violating a ban on such relationships that was introduced late last year under the Biden administration. The Associated Press reported earlier this year that in the waning days of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency, the State Department imposed a ban on all American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with President Donald Trump after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US has given at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since war in Gaza began, report says

October 6, 2025

The United States under the Biden and Trump administrations has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the start of the Gaza war two years ago. That’s according to a new academic study published Tuesday, the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel that provoked the conflict. Another study says the U.S. has spent roughly $10 billion more on security aid and operations in the broader Middle East in the past two years. The studies offer some of the most comprehensive accountings of U.S. military aid to close ally Israel and estimated costs of direct American military involvement in the Middle East.

US will increase staffing at embassies and consulates to handle visas for World Cup fans

October 2, 2025

The State Department will increase staffing at certain U.S. embassies and consulates to accommodate an expected major jump in visa applications from soccer fans wanting to attend World Cup matches in the United States next year. The department will send hundreds of additional consular officers to “designated countries” to handle the demand for visa interviews. The number of staffers and the countries where they will go have yet to be determined because the 48-team field for the 2026 World Cup hasn’t been finalized. Fans from the mainly European and Asian countries in the Visa Waiver Program won’t likely require an interview.

Equatorial Guinea Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

No. 2 US diplomat meets much-prosecuted West African leader after visa restrictions were eased

September 30, 2025

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has met with the heavily prosecuted vice president of Equatorial Guinea in Washington after the Trump administration approved a waiver of corruption sanctions. The State Department said Tuesday that Landau met with Teodoro “Teddy” Nguema Obiang a day earlier and “reaffirmed joint commitments to deepen commercial and economic ties, combat illegal immigration, and advance security cooperation.” Obiang is accused of pilfering his impoverished country’s resources to feed a lifestyle of luxury cars, mansions and superyachts. But he was given a temporary pass on U.S. corruption sanctions to travel to the U.N. General Assembly and a few U.S. cities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (Bing Guan/Pool Photo via AP)

Rubio meets Syria’s leader in New York as the country’s isolation eases further

September 22, 2025

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in New York. The meeting Monday expands Syria’s relations with the West and further eases its global isolation. Al-Sharaa is in the U.S. as he becomes Syria’s first leader to take part in the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders in nearly 60 years. In a separate talk, he praised U.S. President Donald Trump for taking a “bold decision” on lifting many sanctions against Syria that were imposed under ousted leader Bashar Assad. Al-Sharaa urged the United States to remove the remaining sanctions, saying Syria needs help as it comes out of war and crisis.

FILE - The UN flag flies on a stormy day at the United Nations during the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

US bars Iran’s diplomats from shopping at Costco without permission

September 22, 2025

The Trump administration has formally barred Iranian diplomats based in or visiting New York from shopping at wholesale club stores like Costco and purchasing luxury goods in the United States without specific permission from the State Department. In notices to be published this week in the Federal Register, the department’s Office of Foreign Missions determined that diplomatic memberships in wholesale club stores as well as diplomats’ ability to buy items such as watches, furs, jewelry, handbags, wallets, perfumes, tobacco, alcohol and cars are a “benefit” requiring U.S. government approval. However, the only country whose diplomats were specifically targeted is Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a joint news conference with Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld at the Palacio de Carondelet, in Quito, Ecuador, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

Rubio is to visit Israel to show support before the UN meets on the creation of a Palestinian state

September 12, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Israel next week in a show of support before the UN meets for what is expected to be a contentious debate on the creation of a Palestinian state. Rubio goes to Israel Sunday for a two-day visit. He’s expected to go to a controversial archeological site in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim for the capital of an eventual state. Rubio is visiting Israel despite tensions between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar. Rubio will meet Friday with the prime minister of Qatar.

FILE - Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 26, 2024, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

US set to ease travel restrictions on African leader accused of corruption

September 5, 2025

The Trump administration is set to allow a West African leader accused of flagrant corruption to travel to the United States for this month’s U.N. General Assembly and cities outside New York that he has previously been barred from visiting. Two officials familiar with the matter said the State Department is processing a temporary sanctions waiver for the vice president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro “Teddy” Obiang, following recommendations that it is in the U.S. national interest to blunt growing Chinese influence in the country and boost American business interests there. Obiang has been accused, and in some cases convicted, of pilfering his impoverished country’s resources to feed a lifestyle of luxury cars, mansions and superyachts.

FILE - The UN flag flies on a stormy day at the United Nations during the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

US considers banning Iranians from shopping at Costco during UN meeting

September 4, 2025

The Trump administration has already denied visas for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and his large delegation to attend the U.N. General Assembly later this month. It is now considering ramping up restrictions on several other delegations that would severely limit their ability to travel inside New York City. Potential travel and other restrictions could soon be imposed on the delegations from Iran, Sudan, Zimbabwe and, perhaps surprisingly, Brazil, which has held a traditional place of honor during the high-level leaders week during the General Assembly that begins Sept. 22. One proposal being floated would bar Iranians from shopping at stores like Costco and Sam’s Club without first receiving the express permission of the State Department.

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, at the White House in Washington, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Marco Rubio will head to Latin America again as Trump prioritizes immigration

August 28, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading back to Latin America next week for visits to Mexico and Ecuador. It will mark his fourth foreign trip in the Western Hemisphere since becoming President Donald Trump’s top diplomat in January. Rubio has already traveled Latin America and the Caribbean twice and to Canada this year. He will return to the region to discuss Trump administration priorities including stemming illegal migration, combating organized crime and drug cartels and countering what the U.S. believes is malign Chinese behavior.

FILE - The seal of the State Department is photographed at the Washington Passport Agency, July 12, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Trump administration is reviewing all 55 million foreigners with US visas for any violations

August 21, 2025

The Trump administration says it’s reviewing more than 55 million foreigners who have valid U.S. visas for any violations that could lead to deportation. In a written answer to a question from The Associated Press, the State Department said all U.S. visa holders are subject to “continuous vetting.” It says it has an eye toward any indication that they could be ineligible for permission to enter or stay in the United States. The State Department’s new language suggests that the continual vetting process is far more widespread and could mean even those approved to be in the U.S. could abruptly see those permissions revoked.

Demonstrators block a road during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, near Jerusalem, Israel, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

State Department employee fired after questioning talking points on Israel and Gaza

August 20, 2025

The State Department has fired a press officer responsible for drafting Trump administration talking points about policy toward Israel and Gaza. Officials said he was terminated over the weekend following two incidents in which his loyalty to Trump administration policies was questioned. He and two current U.S. officials say he drew ire for drafting a response to an Associated Press query related to discussions between Israel and South Sudan about the possible relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan. The draft response included a line about the U.S. not supporting the forced relocation of Gazans, which the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem rejected. He also questioned an embassy statement referring to the West Bank as the biblical “Judea and Samaria.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers a reporter's question ahead of a meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric at the State Department, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US sanctions more ICC judges, prosecutors for probes into alleged American, Israeli war crimes

August 20, 2025

The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court for pursuing investigations into U.S. and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. The State Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, who it said had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets the targets hold in U.S. jurisdictions are frozen. The sanctions were immediately denounced by both the ICC and the United Nations. It is just the latest in a series of steps the administration has taken against The Hague-based court, the world’s first international war crimes tribunal.

President Donald Trump, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin depart at the conclusion of a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Takeaways from the Trump-Putin meeting: No agreement, no questions but lots of pomp

August 15, 2025

The much-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome a military flyover but ended with a thud after the two leaders conceded they had failed to reach any agreements on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. After about 2 1/2 hours of talks Friday, the two men appeared before reporters for what had been billed as a joint news conference but ended up being less than 15 minutes of rather standard diplomatic comments. They gave no indication that any concrete results were achieved and took no questions.

President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump administration calls out human rights records of some nations accepting deported migrants

August 12, 2025

The Trump administration’s new human rights reports for countries worldwide eliminate mentions of discrimination faced by LGBTQ people and reduce a previous focus on reproductive rights. The reports released Tuesday also criticize restrictions on political speech by U.S. allies in Europe that American officials believe target right-wing politicians. The reports cover 2024 before President Donald Trump took office but reflect his administration’s focus on free speech and protecting the lives of the unborn. However, the reports also offer a glimpse into the Trump administration’s view of dire human rights conditions in some countries that have agreed to accept migrant deported from the United States.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives a media briefing during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur Friday, July 11, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

State Department may require visa applicants to post bond of up to $15,000 to enter the US

August 4, 2025

The State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. It’s a move that may make the process unaffordable for many. In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department says it will start a 12-month pilot program under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when they apply for a visa. It says the countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio listen during a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump administration tells embassies to rein in criticism of foreign elections

July 17, 2025

The State Department is pulling back from commenting on or criticizing elections overseas unless there’s a clear and compelling U.S. foreign policy interest in doing so. In new guidance issued Thursday, the department said that U.S. embassies and consulates abroad should refrain from issuing statements that invoke any particular ideology. The cable, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press, said “messages should avoid opining on the fairness or integrity of an electoral process.” The department has for decades issued statements highly critical of or questioning the legitimacy of certain elections, notably in authoritarian countries. That’s changing under the Trump administration.

Refugees carry food at a distribution center run by the World Food Programme (WFP) at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana, Kenya Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

US says it destroyed 500 metric tons of expired food aid but it won’t affect future distribution

July 17, 2025

The State Department says its destruction of 500 metric tons of emergency food aid that was stored in a warehouse in the Middle East was required because it had expired. Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters Thursday that the high energy biscuits could no longer be safely sent to potential recipients. They’re used primarily to provide immediate nutritional needs for children in crisis situations. Democratic lawmakers have accused the Trump administration of creating a crisis and ignoring urgent humanitarian needs by suspending most foreign assistance. Bruce says the amount destroyed was less than 1% of the total food assistance that the U.S. supplies annually and wouldn’t affect the distribution of similar assistance moving forward.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks upon his arrival at Subang Air Base, outside of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, July 10, 2025. Rubio arrived in Malaysia to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump’s tariffs may overshadow Rubio’s first official trip to Asia

July 9, 2025

Sweeping tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump next month may overshadow his top diplomat’s first official trip to Asia. The Trump administration is seeking to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Trump on Monday sent notice to several countries about higher tariffs if they don’t make trade deals with the U.S. That came a day before Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for a regional security conference in Malaysia. Top diplomats and senior officials from at least eight countries the Republican president has targeted for tariffs will be represented at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Malaysia.

FILE - Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, listens during a press conference in Paris, May 7, 2025. (Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via AP, File)

Trump administration revokes terrorism designation of new Syrian leader’s group

July 7, 2025

The Trump administration is revoking the terrorism designation of a group led by Syria’s new president. It’s part of a broader U.S. engagement with the transitional government since the ouster of former leader Bashar Assad late last year. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the move “recognizes the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government” under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.” The decision had not been previously announced, although it was made as the Trump administration has been moving to ease or end many U.S. sanctions that had been imposed during Assad’s rule. The revocation of the designation will take effect on Tuesday.

With public ban on band Bob Vylan, Trump appears to ease visa privacy rules to make a point

July 2, 2025

The U.S. State Department’s revelation that it has revoked visas for British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan is the latest indication that the Trump administration appears to have eased privacy restrictions to make public points. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the decision on social media, referencing chants led by the band’s frontman against the Israel Defense Forces at a U.K. music festival. The band denies antisemitism, claiming they are being targeted for their stance on Gaza. This move reflects a broader Trump administration crackdown on visa holders accused of promoting antisemitic or pro-militant views. Critics argue this continues a long U.S. history of suppressing dissenting perspectives under the guise of national security.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, accompanied from left Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi leave after speaking to the media during the Indo-Pacific Quad meeting at the State Department in Washington Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

US, Indo-Pacific partners agree to strengthen maritime, critical minerals cooperation

July 1, 2025

The United States. Australia, India and Japan have agreed to expand their cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and further collaborate on supplies of critical minerals and rare earths that are key components of high-tech production. The foreign ministers of the four countries, known as the “Quad,” met in Washington on Tuesday as the Trump administration seeks to expand U.S. influence in the Indo-Pacific to compete with a rising China. In a joint meeting with his three colleagues, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad must be a “vehicle for action” that goes beyond statements of intent and stressed that commerce and trade will be critical to ensuring the group’s relevance in the future.

FILE - U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher gestures has he talks to journalists during a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, July 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

Longtime State Department spokesman, diplomat Richard Boucher, dies at 73

June 28, 2025

Richard Boucher, who served for more than a decade as spokesman for the State Department and assistant secretary of state for public affairs, has died at age 73. He died Friday at his home in northern Virginia after a battle with spindle-cell sarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, according to his son. Boucher had been the face of U.S. foreign policy at the State Department podium across administrations throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, beginning in the George H.W. Bush presidency and continuing through Bill Clinton’s and George W. Bush’s terms in office. Boucher served as the spokesman for secretaries of state James Baker, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stands behind as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters on Air Force One while in flight from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

This is what could happen next after an Israel-Iran ceasefire

June 24, 2025

This week’s whipsaw chain of events involving Iran, Israel and the United States that culminated in a surprise ceasefire has raised many questions about how the Trump administration will approach the Middle East going forward. Yet, the answer to the bottom line question — “what’s next?” — remains unknowable and unpredictable. While there’s uncertainty about whether the ceasefire between Iran and Israel will hold, it opens the possibility of renewed talks with Tehran over its nuclear program and reinvigorating stalled negotiations in other conflicts.

FILE - The U.S. Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv, Israel, is pictured, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)

US boosts emergency Mideast evacuations and travel warnings after Trump orders strikes in Iran

June 22, 2025

The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights it is providing for American citizens wishing to leave Israel. It also has ordered the departure of non-essential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon and is stepping up travel warnings around the Middle East because of concerns that Iran will retaliate against U.S. interests in the region for airstrikes against its nuclear facilities. In internal and public notices, the department significantly ramped up its cautionary advice to Americans in the region. In an alert sent to all Americans worldwide and posted to its website on Sunday, the State Department warned all U.S. citizens abroad to exercise caution.

Missiles seen from Jerusalem illuminate the night sky during an Iranian missile attack, early Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

US evacuates 79 staff and family from embassy in Israel as more Americans ask how to leave

June 20, 2025

The U.S. evacuated 79 staff and families from the U.S. Embassy in Israel on Friday as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies. An internal State Department memo says the military flight, the second known to have occurred this week, left Tel Aviv for Sofia, Bulgaria, where some or all of the passengers were to get a connecting charter flight to Washington. The memo also says a growing numbers of private American citizens are seeking information on how to leave Israel and Iran. On Friday alone, more than 6,400 U.S. citizens in Israel filled out an online form asking for information about when and if the U.S. government would organize evacuation flights.

US starts evacuating some diplomats from its embassy in Israel as Iran conflict intensifies

June 18, 2025

The U.S. State Department has begun evacuating nonessential diplomats and their families from the U.S. embassy in Israel as hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify and President Donald Trump has warned of the possibility of getting directly involved in the conflict. Two U.S. officials say a government plane evacuated a number of diplomats and family members who had asked to leave the country Wednesday. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced later on X that the embassy was making evacuation plans for private American citizens. Later, however, the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs tweeted that “we have no announcement about assisting private U.S. citizens to depart at this time.”

President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One after speakiing with reporters to depart the White House on his way to attend the G7 Summit in Canada, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump administration demands action from 36 countries to avoid travel ban

June 17, 2025

The Trump administration has given 36 countries, most of them in Africa, a Wednesday deadline to commit to improving vetting or face a ban on their citizens visiting the United States. A weekend diplomatic cable sent by the State Department instructs embassies and consulates in the 36 countries to gauge their host countries’ willingness to improve their citizens’ travel documentation and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally. The cable was described to The Associated Press. It asks the countries to take action to address the U.S. concerns within 60 days or risk being added to the travel ban, which now includes 12 nations.

President Donald Trump, left, speaks during a meet withGermany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, not pictured, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, from right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

State Dept says current US visas from travel ban countries will not be revoked

June 6, 2025

The State Department has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates not to revoke visas previously issued to people from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries now under President Donald Trump’s new travel ban, which goes into effect next week. In a cable sent on Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions, the department said that “no action should be taken for issued visas which have already left the consular section.” The cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, suggests there should be no issue for current visa holders from the affected countries entering the United States after the restrictions take effect on June 9 at midnight ET.

MATTHEW LEE Diplomatic Writer.