Trump shakeup: Two intelligence officers to lead White House policy on Iran, North Korea
President Donald Trump chooses CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, and Gina Haspel instead of Pompeo as the CIA’s first female director.
In his shakeup on Tuesday, March 13, the US president indicated he wanted a new top team ahead of his summit with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-in and international trade talks. The sweeping new appointments come ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington next week and more aggressive US military moves in Syria.
Trump spoke to reporters on Tuesday of his “great chemistry” with Pompeo, whom he appointed to head the CIA 14 months ago. He said he had “got along with Tillerson” too, but they disagreed on some issues, notably the Iranian nuclear deal. DEBKAfile adds that the outgoing secretary did not support the president’s decision to accept Kim’s invitation to meet, or his move last year to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Gina Haspel, 62, who will be the first woman to head the Central Intelligence Agency, was appointed deputy CIA director in February 2017 shortly after Trump entered the White House. In 2002, she led the team interrogating captured al Qaeda leaders. In 2013, during the Obama term, she was named acting director of the National Clandestine Service, responsible for running US undercover operations worldwide.
President Trump tweeted earlier: “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!”
The differences between Trump and Tillerson came to a head on Monday, March 12. The White House condemned the poison attack on a double agent and his daughter in the UK, without blaming Russia, whereas Tillerson then pointed the finger at Moscow. Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said: “As soon as we have the facts, we will condemn Russia or whoever it may be” and will speak to UK prime minister Theresa May over the former spy poisoning.
DEBKAfile adds: Until now, Donald Trump’s top security and diplomatic team was dominated by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Tillerson and National Security Adviser HR McMaster, but it was never fully in step. Tillerson’s predilection for diplomacy and compromise made him the odd man out in matters of national security and weighed heavily on Trump’s interaction with the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin, his decision-making on North Korea and Iran, his European policy and the US role in the Syrian war. With major decisions ahead of the Trump administration in April and May, it may be expected that the two leading intelligence figures, Pompeo and Haspel, whom he slotted into the highest positions at the White House will impact policy-making to a greater degree than Mattis and McMaster.
Rex didn’t “fix”; Trump “nix” him. Sorry, Rex. Step aside because the winnig team is going to “nix” Iran. Soon
You damn warmongerer. Always looking for more death and destruction.
Right! May true death and destruction come to all those who who perpetrate it, so answer is yes! Jacob is 100% correct in wishing this fate to those like the Iranian regime. I will take that a step further and add hezbollah, assad, hamas, and the North Korean leader and his elite to this list.
It is people like yourself who are the problem in allowing the terror states quo continue as it goes un challenged!!!!!
The US is the biggest terror nation on Earth. Let examine how the evil Americans mass killed people in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghan…
I see why you want to be anonymous. You are also hilarious.
“The US is the biggest terror nation on Earth. Let examine how the evil Americans mass killed people in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghan…”
@Anonymous,
One could only guess that you never heard of Ho Chi Ming, the Kim Jong family “dynasty”, Saddam Hussein or the Taliban ??????????
Oh, Puh-Lease ! What a baseless worn out liberal left winger dribble talk. Everybody knows that’s a load of C-R-A-P. Its nice though, to know that when you blabber like that nobody, but nobody believes you except the guy in your mirror maybe, but not certain.
The Iranians, Syrians, and Russians are the only warmongerers committing crimes of genocide all over middle east. They should stay away from Israel before its too late!
Too late for what ? abortion –abort , abort
“Too late for what ? abortion –abort , abort”
@solomeo,
Your response seems to indicate that you must be a liberal———-with no intelligent thought process what so ever———-just pure emotion!
The Zionists thieves and murderers need to go back to their Eatern European countries and Russia where they come from and may be then there will be peace.
You damn jihadmonger, What’s wrong with neutralizing Al Qada, ISIS, Taliban, Boko Haram, Hamass, Hezbola, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Shabab, Al Nusra, Al Pootin, Fascist Iran?
She wants us to enjoy the same annihilation as the people who have been slaughtered by the modern Islamic conquest and terrorism.
That’s how leftists think.
They have never experienced war or terror and think that it is something done by the underprivileged against the evil West.
She needs a one-way ticket to one of the thousands of Islamic death traps, shit holes and no-go zones in many parts of the Islamic world and now Europe for an education.
Leftists do not understand the meaning of freedom and so they are unwilling and unable to fight for it. They are putty in the hands of terrorists.
Georgia: Who is raping and bombing their way through Europe and Britain and many other places these days – just open any news station to find out? Who is occupying Syria-Lebanon-Yemen-Iraq and getting a foothold into Gaza? Who, along with ISIS, Russia, Turkey and Assad have left 500,000 dead in the past several years in Syria? Who are the occupiers, conquerors, destroyers, invaders and genocidal bloodsuckers of the Middle East? Who wants the remaining 0.1% of the Middle East (which biblically, historically and legally is Israel) they do not already occupy?
You have to wait your torturer friend and warmongers have not been approved yet and you are hoping for wars. What is wrong with you Jews, always want to steal and wish for killing others.
She is frightening to look at. I believe she will be enough to scare the FAGATOLLAH and the other Mudslimes to stop their imperialistic grab for control of the Camels with the largest pricks in the region. Good choice Donald
No one will screw with a lady with that Punim.
Agree!
Talk tough with stolen US tax payers salaries. Zero survival alone.
“Talk tough with stolen US tax payers salaries.”
@Little shoes,
One could only speculate what your response may have been if you called yourself: “Big shoes” !
Turning the screws of the machine to the right – Right on, President Trump ! Especially with the 400 pound
Korean porky-piglet lurking on the horizon…
One can see natan, jim and josef watch CNN lol
Dumb and dumber, Calvin…
😀 good one !!
I believe turning RIGHT is Trump’s reaction in part to the Chinese recent announcement proclaiming its current leader as a despot for life. At this time China has stolen enough technology to clandestinely challenge the US/NATO/India block. China will not challenge the US openly until it sells its 2 trillion US bonds. Chinese ongoing occupation of the Siberian business world must give Putin nightmares because he can’t do anything about it. Being on the verge of bankruptcy Italy has turned populist in the election a few weeks ago. It followed Poland and Hungary. The increasingly polarizing world requires less diplomacy and more muscle flexing hence the removal of Tillerson. Not the US, not China and not Russia can change this polarization process at this time.
What nonsense!
XI Pingping and Putin are both our boys. The Chinese will never sell those US Treasuries because WE own them, just like we own all those so-called communist party member stooges.
Can you believe the idiocy of the goyim? “communist China.” If they buy that, we can sell them their mothers as concubines.
Look, WE wrote it into the Russian Constitution (when our puddle’s name was Yeltsin) that the Russians are FORBIDDEN to buy gold with the dollars they get for their oil. The Russians can only buy US Treasuries with the proceeds of their oil sales, and they put those into the Russian central bank which WE own as well?
Those are just rumors we keep planting, the Chinese, the Turks and the Russians buying gold.
Are you insane? If the goyim bought gold by the hundreds of tons each month, gold would be at 1 million an ounce, instead of selling for LESS than what it costs to dig out of the ground.
WE own the gold. WE own the Treasuries. WE own Pingping and Pootin (well, actually, Pootin’s mother…so he has a special place in my heart).
Relax and enjoy the show. We’re gonna make Pootin dance for our pleasure a bit.
Enjoy, enjoy.
This is excellent news for Israel and for the US. A stronger foreign policy position and a major ‘cleaning of the Swamp’. Pompeo will have to clean out the rest at the State once and for all.
Jim carrol and marg bar Iran sound like a bunch if inbred pieces of shit. Never have anything useful or insightful to say . Texas Dave is another piece of work who think s our country try is blessed because we support a bunch of terrorist who occupy and abuse a whole country of defenseless citizens. Dave take look at our country with all of the school shootings, robberies, prostitution, gangs and the DEBT. How about all the bought and paid for politicians by all of the public interest groups. Still feeling blessed??
You are not Anonymous. You make it very clear to whom you report.
” Never have anything useful or insightful to say .”
@ “Isisreal sucks” (how much “brains” did it take to come up with a “show name” like that?),
In reference to the quote above, have you read your own post?
“Texas Dave is another piece of work who think s our country try is blessed because we support a bunch of terrorist who occupy and abuse a whole country of defenseless citizens.”
You’re wrong: the USA doesn’t support Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, North Korea, Iran or the Palestinian Authority!
ISISlam sucks, YOU sound like sorry azz looozer.
Remember piglet, If the US or Israel suffer a nuke attack, then Tehran, Qom and Mecca will be utterly destroyed in retaliation – for starters.
ISISlam sucks, please ESAD. TIA!
Trump changes his team once again, we should see what is going to happen to james matis, he is a supporter of iran nuclear deal, perhaps he should resign too.
President Trump maybe “learning on the job”, but he is a very good student indeed – turning the screws to the right is Right on !
I can’t wait to see a real Jew inaugurated as the President of the US. These goyim are ineffective and laughable clowns.
I wonder what awaits Israel.
If the reported provisions of the plan are true, the Trump Administration’s “deal of the century” would be the “disaster of the century.” President Trump’s reputation as Israel’s greatest friend would be destroyed.
The reported plan amounts to Israel giving up tangible land and sovereignty in return for empty promises, and entails the establishment of a terror regime in Israel’s heartland. Worseת there is no way such a state could be demilitarized. No sovereign state has previously either agreed to, or been successfully compelled to, demilitarize; nor could this be enforced, even if Palestinian demilitarization were an explicit term in any peace settlement.
What are you talking about?
Nothing will be conceded to the Arabs. Trump would forfeit his existence on planet earth if he tried anything of the sort.
Trump is the stupidest and the funniest clown we had the pleasure of instructing in the ways of the world.
Just relax and enjoy the show: next will be our (fake) demotion of our good friend Putin. We’re gonna put him through his paces a bit. For fun.
G-d of Israel, your sarcasm is out of place. Turbulent time will be following Putin’s re-election, most likely a more direct involvement of Russian troops in East Ukraine and downing of US/Israeli planes in Syria.
Putin isn’t going to anything of the sort. Relax. He belongs to us. I’m only saying these things because it’s now obvious.
The mollahs, even those types do business with us. The only problem is, some of those young muslim men who might try to martyr themselves in the mistaken belief that islam is something more than just a pale copy and bastardization of Jewish methodology in the service of reasonable beings like us.
Most of them are idiots and present themselves as willing fresh meat to star as cannon fodder in Syria or Chechnya.
The few smart ones, once they are weeded away, it’s clear skies from there.
My friend, the end is near. That’s why I am so confident. The good times are just around the corner for our race. Share my joy. It’s our time.
HOMO kike
Trump is cunning, Snake-Like and that he is a keen supporter of the Saudis. Hence he brings his own peace plan, a peace plan that is suicidal to Israel and he sends his Court Jews. Kushner and Greenblatt to force it upon Israel, c”v. His emissaries spied the Land and came back with a false report. They termed Israel’s enemies as giants and featured the Hebrews as grasshoppers.
A diplomatic plan being formulated by the United States to renew the peace process between Israel and the PA, according to Yisrael Hayom. According the London-based Arabic-language Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, American diplomats in Cairo, who wished to remain anonymous, have confirmed the reports.
Under the temporary plan, said to be acceptable to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, there would first be reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas that will allow the PA to hold power in Gaza. Israel and the PA would discuss the gradual establishment of full PA control of Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria. In accordance with the progress of the political process and the negotiations between the sides, a summit would be held in Cairo, with the participation of Egypt, Jordan, the United States, Israel and the PA, in which the parties would discuss ways to facilitate the continuation of the diplomatic process and expand the authority of the independent state to Gaza.
In the last stage of the plan, discussions would begin on a predefined timetable regarding core issues, such as the status of eastern Jerusalem, the annexation of large blocs of Jewish communities beyond the 1949 Armistice Line, the complete freeze of construction in isolated communities and the uprooting of communities that are not part of the blocs based on land swaps and a solution to the refugee issue.
Report: Secret Saudi plan includes Israeli nuclear disarmament
Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar says it has received a letter from Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to Crown Prince Muhammad Salman in which he summarizes discussions and recommendations on a project to establish relations between the Saudis and Israel, according to what he called the strategic partnership agreement with the United States.
Citing Al-Akhbar, Maariv reports the document, which includes Israeli nuclear disarmament, proves what has been leaked since US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia last May, according to which Washington will begin efforts to sign a peace treaty between Saudi Arabia and Israel, including reciprocal visits, to Tel Aviv, headed by a recent secret visit by the crown prince. The document also includes “the size of the concessions that Riyadh will present in order to end the Palestinian issue,” as well as “its concerns about receiving support against Iran and Hezbollah.”
No mention Haspel’s supervision of torture and her destruction of the torture tapes? C’mon Debka – you should be celebrating a known torturer getting this promotion.
We can only hope that McMaster’s influence will diminish to nothing until he is dismissed.
McMaster, Shulkin and Kelly could be next to go in White House ‘bloodbath,’ sources say
Fox News’ John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump could be making more changes to his Cabinet this week in the wake of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s firing, multiple sources told Fox News on Wednesday evening.
The potential changes — described by sources as a “bloodbath” — include the departure of National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and his replacement by John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Other departures from the administration would include Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and Chief of Staff John Kelly.
The sources have cautioned that Trump will make the ultimate decision about all staff changes. However, the departure of McMaster has been described by multiple sources as “imminent.”
Kelly would be replaced as chief of staff by Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, the sources said, with Energy Secretary Rick Perry replacing Shulkin at the VA. Ray Washburne, the chairman of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, would replace Perry as energy secretary.
After announcing Tillerson’s dismissal on Twitter Tuesday, Trump himself hinted that more changes might be forthcoming.
“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people very well over the last year,” Trump told reporters at the White House, “and I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want.”
Trump has had a turbulent relationship with many members of his Cabinet. Last summer he began publicly bashing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former close adviser who was the first senator to back his campaign.
Trump has used the words “beleaguered” and “disgraceful” to describe Sessions, who only recently stood up to the president and defended his decision to recuse himself from the inquiry into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. Earlier Wednesday, Vanity Fair reported that Trump has discussed firing Sessions and replacing him with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
Tillerson also frequently clashed with Trump, who never forgave the outgoing secretary of state for reportedly calling him “a moron” last summer after grumbling that the president had no grasp of foreign affairs.
Trump’s esteem for the Cabinet has faded in recent months, The AP reported, citing two White House officials and two outside advisers. He also told confidants that he was in the midst of making changes to improve personnel and, according to one person who spoke with him, “get rid of the dead weight” — which could put a number of embattled Cabinet secretaries on notice.
Speculation mounts that the embattled Veterans Affairs secretary could be the next member of President Trump’s administration to be replaced; national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports from the Pentagon.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke underwent questioning Tuesday by Senate Democrats, who accused him of spending tens of thousands of dollars on office renovations and private flights while proposing deep cuts to conservation programs. Zinke pushed back, saying he “never took a private jet anywhere” — because all three flights he had taken on private planes as secretary were on aircraft with propellers, not jet engines.
Shulkin’s days at the VA may be numbered after a bruising internal report found ethics violations in connection with his trip to Europe with his wife last summer, according to senior administration officials. He also has faced a potential mutiny from his own staff: A political adviser installed by Trump at the Department of Veterans Affairs has openly mused to other VA staff about ousting the former Obama administration official.
Perry, after a Senate hearing Wednesday, said he was not interested in changing jobs, adding “I am energy secretary from now until the forseeable future. Happily.”
Not to worry. There is Judgment and there is a Judge. The King and Creator of the world, HKB”H
The Holy One, Blessed be He, reveals all those who are famous in the Holy Land of Israel and also outside the borders of Israel. He discovers bribery, lechery and abomination, theft and deception, because the Creator of the world refines and purifies the world.
G’d will continue to reveal in public famous public figures in whom the people believe. The briber and bribe takers, the corrupt, cheats who con the Jewish electorate, all will be revealed in the media to be seen. The white collar and black collar, and the private people, G’d will settle the score with them quietly.
All the people taking or giving bribes, the thieves, the scammers, the crooks, all those who desecrate the name of Hashem who steal and cheat, Lewd and dirty people – are all revealed, from the greatest religious to the non-religious.
Trump is cunning, Snake-Like and that he is a keen supporter of the Saudis. Hence he brings his own peace plan, a peace plan that is suicidal to Israel and he sends his Court Jews. Kushner and Greenblatt to force it upon Israel, c”v. His emissaries spied the Land and came back with a false report. They termed Israel’s enemies as giants and featured the Hebrews as grasshoppers.
A diplomatic plan being formulated by the United States to renew the peace process between Israel and the PA, according to Yisrael Hayom. According the London-based Arabic-language Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, American diplomats in Cairo, who wished to remain anonymous, have confirmed the reports.
Under the temporary plan, said to be acceptable to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, there would first be reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas that will allow the PA to hold power in Gaza. Israel and the PA would discuss the gradual establishment of full PA control of Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria. In accordance with the progress of the political process and the negotiations between the sides, a summit would be held in Cairo, with the participation of Egypt, Jordan, the United States, Israel and the PA, in which the parties would discuss ways to facilitate the continuation of the diplomatic process and expand the authority of the independent state to Gaza.
In the last stage of the plan, discussions would begin on a predefined timetable regarding core issues, such as the status of eastern Jerusalem, the annexation of large blocs of Jewish communities beyond the 1949 Armistice Line, the complete freeze of construction in isolated communities and the uprooting of communities that are not part of the blocs based on land swaps and a solution to the refugee issue.
Report: Secret Saudi plan includes Israeli nuclear disarmament
Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar says it has received a letter from Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to Crown Prince Muhammad Salman in which he summarizes discussions and recommendations on a project to establish relations between the Saudis and Israel, according to what he called the strategic partnership agreement with the United States.
Citing Al-Akhbar, Maariv reports the document, which includes Israeli nuclear disarmament, proves what has been leaked since US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia last May, according to which Washington will begin efforts to sign a peace treaty between Saudi Arabia and Israel, including reciprocal visits, to Tel Aviv, headed by a recent secret visit by the crown prince. The document also includes “the size of the concessions that Riyadh will present in order to end the Palestinian issue,” as well as “its concerns about receiving support against Iran and Hezbollah.”
Very interesting and thought-provoking analysis. I agree with it and have often said that the best thing a Trump government can do with respect to a peace plan is to drop it altogether.
Kushner scares me because he seems to be a typical liberal who thinks that peace comes when both sides are treated as if they have equal claim to land which really belongs to the Jews. The others were given rights too but they have thrown away those rights in modern times by applying war and terrorism to get what is not theirs.
Agree and would like to add:
I don’t understand the excitement about the move to Yerushayalim.
It doesn’t alter the facts on the ground. Trump has still long to go to comply to the expectations of H’. Not many are familiar with the wording of the US Embassy Jerusalem and Recognition Act.
Current wording in the US Embassy Relocation Act would move the embassy to Jerusalem — but deprive Israel of sovereignty in Jerusalem.
That’s right: the bill does not officially recognize Jerusalem as part of Israel.
Spokespeople for the US State Department have made it clear that under current law, even if the US embassy moves to Jerusalem, US birth and death certificates will still be stamped “Jerusalem” — with no country listed.
Trump, has offered his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State but with a caveat:
The specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations,” [U.S.] officials said.
This, in other words, is President Trump saying that Jerusalem is for sale, a property that can be negotiated. Whether or not Israel agrees.
In what universe is this friendship?
This sort of “recognition” is the last thing Israel needs.
WITH THE ABOVE SAID WE THUS SAY:
Trump, Kushner and Greenblatt ad nauseum: Keep Your Deals for Yourselves
Believe us that Trump will get high approval ratings in the USA before the Arabs here will be willing to live in peace with Jews/the State of Israel. So, the bottom line is that instead of joining to world in trying to pressure Israel into suicide, Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt should polish up POTUS’s image in their home country. There’s more of a chance they’ll succeed in that quest.
You know – there is no excuse at this point in history and with all that is happening in the world that the State Department does not recognize Israel according to the original plan – Jews were set to control all of Israel and Jordan – Jordan was stolen from the British Mandate by the British and given to their Royal Arab counterparts. So that nullifies any claims Arabs have to the remaining Israel minus Jordan.
Ipso facto,the Arabs will have to be happy with 99.9% of the Middle East, and, if not, then why should anyone give a shit about the greedy, murderous bums.
Miss Gina, America’s very own Dr Mengles. Never saw a turture session she did not immensely enjoy.