Edward Wong
Diplomatic Correspondent for The New York Times. Nieman Fellow @ Harvard. Ferris Professor of Journalism @ Princeton. 13 years covering China & Iraq.
Last synced from Twitter 788d ago
Esper Says He ‘Didn’t See’ Specific Evidence Iranians Planned to Attack 4 Embassies
President Trump had claimed that a planned attack on four American embassies was a justification for the strike on an Iranian general.
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Edward Wong
The latest look at how top Trump officials have changed their stories about why they killed Iranian general Qassim Suleimani & intel of an “imminent attack.” They contradict themselves between TV appearances on the same day. By @peterbakernyt @Tmgneff.
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U.S. Says It Won’t Discuss Withdrawing Troops from Iraq, as Iraq’s Leader Requested
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to send a delegation to Baghdad to prepare for the withdrawal of American troops.
Trump’s Iran Strategy: A Cease-Fire Wrapped in a Strategic Muddle
Mr. Trump has yet to resolve the two conflicting instincts on national security that emerge from his speeches and his Twitter feed: bellicosity and disengagement.
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Edward Wong
Sober analysis of Trump's Iran "strategic muddle" by @SangerNYT. It's "hard to see how the two countries could break out of their cycle of confrontation and revenge.” Expect to see more violence, not less — and to see Iran accelerate its nuclear program.
14d
Pompeo Upended Middle East by Pushing Trump to Kill Iranian General
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is struggling to manage the widening fallout from the drone strike on Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani.
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Edward Wong
Pompeo upended Middle East by pushing Trump to kill Iranian commander Qassim Suleimani. Now he's struggling with upheavals that have taken Trump by surprise. The US is warning Americans worldwide they could be in danger. w/ @jakesNYT.
15d
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Edward Wong
Our story on how Pompeo pushed Trump to kill Suleimani lays that out. One official said it had been a “mistake” for Pompeo, Trump and others to tell the public there had been intelligence showing an “imminent attack.”
14d
Trump Says He Ordered Killing of Iranian to Prevent New Attack on Americans
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the commander of Iran’s security and intelligence forces was orchestrating an “imminent” operation that could have taken “hundreds of American lives.”
Pompeo Cancels Ukraine Trip Amid Protests at Embassy in Iraq
A meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine would have been the first for a top Trump official since the impeachment inquiry began.
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Edward Wong
Pompeo’s cancellation today of Ukraine trip could add to suspicions among Ukrainian leaders that Trump ignores Ukraine while embracing Russia & Putin. It’s Pompeo’s 2nd cancellation on Ukraine. State Dept. said @SecPompeo is staying in DC to watch Iraq.
21d
Trump Warns Iran as Risk of Wider Armed Conflict Grows
Administration officials say they are restoring “deterrence” against Iran, but the president’s reluctance to use force in the Middle East may be creating an opening for Tehran.
Congress Wants to Force Trump’s Hand on Human Rights in China and Beyond
Lawmakers aim to pass veto-proof legislation in 2020 that would punish China over its treatment of ethnic Uighur Muslims.
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Edward Wong
NEW: Republican & Democratic lawmakers plan to force Trump to take a harder stand on global human rights abuses in 2020. One target: China, for detaining 1 million Muslims in camps. Lawmakers are also angry at Turkey & Saudi Arabia. w/ @CatieEdmondson.
26d
Pentagon Aid to Ukraine Was Frozen Right After Trump Spoke With Country’s Leader
Emails also suggest President Trump first began asking about $250 million in Pentagon aid after a June 19 article in the Washington Examiner.
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Edward Wong
New info on Trump pressuring Ukraine for favors: White House froze Pentagon aid to Ukraine just 90 minutes after Trump had his July 25 phone call with Zelensky. And Trump may have begun asking about the aid on June 19, after seeing a news story on it.
32d
U.S. Braces for Major North Korean Weapons Test as Trump’s Diplomacy Fizzles
President Trump’s summits with Kim Jong-un have failed to bring concrete results, and the diplomatic vacuum has given North Korea more time to build its nuclear arsenal.
Why the State Dept. Has Largely Been Muted on India’s Moves Against Muslims
The contrast over U.S. demands to protect Chinese Uighurs and Myanmar’s Rohingya will be an undercurrent in high-level meetings with India this week.
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Edward Wong
Why isn’t the State Dept. & @SecPompeo taking a harder line on treatment of Muslims by Modi’s Hindu nationalist government in India? After all, Pompeo talks about religious freedom & criticizes China & Myanmar for their policies on Muslims. By @jakesNYT.
36d
China Protests U.S. Expulsion of 2 Diplomats Accused of Spying
The diplomats were expelled after they drove onto a base that houses the headquarters of the Navy’s SEAL Team 6. China’s denial of the accusations is the first official acknowledgment of the episode.
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Edward Wong
NEW scoop on the Chinese diplomats expelled for spying: They breached base that has HQ of Navy’s elite SEAL Team 6. And China demands US reverse expulsions. China has officially confirmed our first scoop, but not @StateDept or any US agency. w/ @johnismay.
36d
U.S. Secretly Expelled Chinese Officials Suspected of Spying After Breach of Military Base
Chinese Embassy officials trespassed onto a Virginia base that is home to Special Operations forces. Their expulsions added to tensions between Washington and Beijing.
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Edward Wong
NEW: US secretly expelled 2 Chinese diplomats suspected of spying — the first time in more than 30 years. The men & their wives drove onto Va. military base w/ Special Ops forces. Guards pursued them & fire trucks finally blocked them. w/ @julianbarnes.
38d
Trump and Pompeo Spoke to Russian Official About U.S. Elections. Did Only One Deliver a Warning?
The visit of Sergey Lavrov to Washington came at a delicate moment in the relationship between President Trump and Russia.
‘Publicity Gives Us Protection,’ Says Whistle-Blower in China Crackdown
Asiye Abdulaheb told a Dutch newspaper that she helped spread documents exposing China’s detentions of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
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Edward Wong
NEW: A Uighur-Dutch woman tells @nytimes how she helped leak secret Chinese Communist Party files on internment camps with 1 million+ Muslims. @ICIJorg reported on the docs. She first told a Dutch newspaper of her role to try to protect her and her family.
46d
For Trump, Instinct After Florida Killings Is Simple: Protect Saudis
Before issuing his own condolences, the president channeled the Saudi king’s, and avoided any discussion of the hard questions about why the U.S. is training Saudi officers.
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Edward Wong
Trump’s first instinct is to defend Saudi Arabia — even after a member of the Saudi military shot dead 3 and injured 8 in Florida. One analyst said Trump has become a “Saudi apologist.” Congress is increasingly disenchanted with the Saudis. By @SangerNYT.
46d
White House Lifts Mysterious Hold on Military Aid to Lebanon
The Trump administration will allow the $105 million aid package to flow after freezing the funding without explanation.
Pompeo Warns China to Honor ‘Human Rights Standards’ in Hong Kong
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not explicitly endorse legislation to support pro-democracy activists from Chinese-backed crackdowns, but noted standards that Beijing should heed.
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Edward Wong
Pompeo declined to endorse a bill supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Trump might not sign it. He did say Chinese leaders need to be aware of policies that weaken HK’s autonomous status — which could affect US & HK trade. By @jakesNYT.
57d
Bloomberg News Is Said to Curb Articles That Might Anger China
Employees said Bloomberg News chose not to publish investigative articles about China’s leadership because of worries that it would be evicted from the country.
Record Turnout in Hong Kong Vote After Months of Protests and Rising Violence
The citywide district council election, normally a quiet, local affair, is seen as a referendum on the demonstrations.
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Edward Wong
Hong Kong after 6 months of protests: Record turnout in district council elections. Pro-democracy candidates will likely perform well. Junius Ho, the infamous pro-Beijing politician, already said he has lost. By @austinramzy @yuenok @KeithBradsher.
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