Feb 4 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Announces He is Now Acting Director of USAID – 30 More Staff Removed, Total USAID Leadership Purged Now Around 100

Posted originally on the CTH on February 3, 2025 | Sundance

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling through Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic as he represents President Trump and the new administration. He’s doing great.

Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered remarks to reporters in El Salvador discussing his role as Acting Director of USAID after President Trump and Elon Musk moved to incorporate USAID into the State Department. Secretary Rubio repeated that USAID must align with U.S. foreign policy and the national interests of the U.S. government.

Citing the “uncooperative” nature of the USAID leadership acting as an independent entity, Secretary Rubio announced he is now Acting Director of USAID with the intention of removing all elements who operate against the direct U.S. interests he outlined. Additionally, Secretary Rubio affirmed the positive nature of President Trump’s call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum [Details soon]. WATCH:

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The Trump administration over the weekend put on administrative leave dozens more staff at U.S. Agency for International Development, three sources familiar with the move said, as it moves to abolish the agency’s independence and bring it under the control of the State Department.

Nearly 30 career staff in the agency’s Legislative and Public Affairs bureau lost access overnight to their emails, the sources said, bringing the total number of senior USAID career staff who have been put on leave over the past week close to 100.

Two senior officials overseeing the agency’s security operations were also put on administrative leave after refusing to hand over classified documents to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency officials, one of the sources said.

Matt Hopson, who was appointed as chief of staff by the Trump administration, has resigned, five sources familiar with the matter said. A congressional source said his resignation followed the security personnel being put on leave. USAID did not respond to a request about Hopson.

The purge follows more than a week of mayhem inside USAID, Washington’s primary agency funding billions of dollars’ worth of life-saving aid globally. President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on almost all U.S. foreign aid, saying his administration will review spending to ensure money is distributed in line with his “America First” foreign policy.

The global freeze on most of U.S. foreign aid is already sending shockwaves around the world. (read more)

Feb 4 2025

Following Secretary Rubio Visit, Panama Announces Exit from Chinese Belt and Road Initiative

Posted originally on the CTH on February 3, 2025 | Sundance

Knowing the severe ramifications likely and taking a proactive approach toward root-cause analysis, CTH attended the ASEAN summit to gauge how Asia was likely to respond to Trump term-2 and the looming possibility of a severe nationalist approach toward a renewal of USA manufacturing. The untangling of the Beijing Belt & Road initiative was a key topic of interest noted. [Watch Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Panama this weekend to express the position of President Donald Trump as it pertains to Chinese influence over the maritime transit gateway known as the Panama Canal. Following the meeting with President José Raúl Mulino, the government of Panama has announced they will no longer support China’s Belt & Road initiative.

Photographic message received; or the one-time Rubio needed to be shorter, you decide.

STATE DEPT – Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha today in Panama City to address critical regional and global challenges. Secretary Rubio informed President Mulino and Minister Martínez-Acha that President Trump has made a preliminary determination that the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal and represents a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal. Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty.

Secretary Rubio also emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to end the hemisphere’s illegal migration crisis and thanked President Mulino for his support of a joint repatriation program, which has reduced illegal migration through the Darien Gap. The Secretary underscored the desire for an improved investment climate and ensuring a level playing field for fair competition by U.S. firms. The Secretary also praised President Mulino’s regional leadership in support of a democratic, free Venezuela.

Secretary Rubio expressed his gratitude for the productive discussion and underscored the United States’ dedication to making both nations safer, stronger, and more prosperous. He noted this meeting marks an important step in reinvigorating the strategic relationship between the United States and Panama, in line with President Trump’s vision. (link)

At the conclusion of the meeting, western media report:

WASHINGTON DC – The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, declared that the country will not renew the memorandum with China concerning the “Belt and Road Initiative.” This decision was made after discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to “Kommersant,” Mulino stressed that Rubio did not threaten to use force or a takeover of the Panama Canal.

During the talks, remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump were mentioned, in which he stated that China’s presence in the region violates the 1999 agreement on the transfer of the Panama Canal. Trump assured that addressing this issue does not necessitate U.S. military intervention.

The Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” is a strategy for developing logistics and trade. 149 countries have joined the initiative. Panama signed a memorandum in 2017, which was renewed every three years. Panama’s decision marks the end of its cooperation with this project. (more)

Enjoy your day and please, do not forget to eat your winnamins.