Politics
Giuliani’s Ukraine gambit at core of whistleblower complaint
Published
7 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — When it comes to Ukraine, Rudy Giuliani became President Donald Trump’s courier, attack dog, fixer and a self-described meddler in another country’s affairs. His purpose was single-minded: get information “very, very helpful to my client.”
To hear the intelligence-community whistleblower tell it in the complaint unwrapped Thursday, Giuliani was a one-man wrecking ball, breaking things in a complex international landscape and leaving actual diplomatic envoys to clean up his “damage.”
To hear Giuliani tell it, “I will be the hero” in this episode and those who criticize him now are “morons.” So he told The Atlantic magazine.
He was once called America’s Mayor, the man whose moxie and grace in the death and rubble of 9/11 personified his stricken city and won him admiration around a shocked world.
Now he blends a sentiment that was familiar from that time and is familiar again in the world view of Trump himself: You’re with us or against us. If you’re not with me, you’re the enemy — of the president, the people, the country.
Citing the accounts of mostly unidentified U.S. officials, and buttressed by Giuliani’s own words from countless turns on Fox News, his tweets and newspaper interviews, the anonymous whistleblower pieces together a systematic effort by Giuliani on behalf of Trump to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his businessman son, Hunter.
Trump made that appeal explicitly in a July phone call with Ukraine’s new president that is at the heart of the whistleblower’s complaint. “I would like for you to do us a favor,” Trump said.
But the whistleblower goes well beyond the phone call to lay out Giuliani’s efforts back to late last year. He or she also traces the consternation that Giuliani’s machinations were causing inside the U.S. administration and even among some people in the White House itself.
“Starting in mid-May, I heard from multiple U.S. officials that they were deeply concerned by what they viewed as Mr. Giuliani’s circumvention of national security decisionmaking processes to engage with Ukrainian officials and relay messages back and forth between Kyiv and the President,” says the whistleblower.
“These officials also told me that State Department officials, including Ambassadors Volker and Sondland, had spoken with Mr. Giuliani in an attempt to ‘contain the damage’ to U.S. national security,” the whistleblower continues.
Kurt Volker, official U.S. envoy for Ukraine negotiations, and Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, also met officials from the new Ukrainian administration and “sought to help Ukrainian leaders understand and respond to the differing messages they were receiving from official U.S. channels on the one hand, and from Mr. Giuliani on the other.”
The complaint cites published reports of meetings Giuliani held with Ukraine’s chief prosecutor in New York in January and Warsaw, Poland, in February, after a phone call he had late in 2018 with the prosecutor’s predecessor. Giuliani associates later traveled to Kyiv and met the chief of the security service and another close adviser to the newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the complaint states.
This was the month Giuliani himself planned to go, and he was blunt to The New York Times about his purpose when his intended trip came to light. He intended to press for an investigation that would be helpful to Trump’s reelection.
“We’re meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do,” he said. “There’s nothing illegal about it,” he went on, though “somebody could say it’s improper.”
The next day, he canceled the trip and complained about the lack of cooperation from the new Ukrainian administration. Zelenskiy is “surrounded by enemies of the (U.S) president,” he said, “and of the United States.”
In this period, the whistleblower says, citing the “general understanding” of U.S. officials close to the matter, the Ukrainian leadership was led to believe that the prospects for a meeting or phone call between Trump and Zelenskiy would depend on whether the Ukrainian president “showed willingness to ‘play ball.’”
In June, Giuliani tweeted his frustration about Zelenskiy’s “silence” on the matters he wanted him to pursue.
Then in July, says the whistleblower, “I learned of a sudden change of policy with respect to U.S. assistance for Ukraine” — namely that Trump had personally instructed all U.S. agencies to suspend all military aid to Ukraine.
A week later, Trump and Zelenskiy had their July 25 phone call.
The complaint states that about a week after the call, Giuliani traveled to Madrid, Spain, to follow up with a Zelenskiy aide about matters arising from the phone call.
And about a week after that, Trump took a conciliatory tone, calling Zelenskiy a “very reasonable guy” and dangling the possibility of a White House visit for him. The two met this week at the United Nations. The military aid that had been held up was eventually released. There’s no sign that the Bidens are under any official Ukrainian investigation for Hunter Biden’s business relationships in that country when his father was vice president.
To the whistleblower, the episode shows Trump “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election,” with Giuliani “a central figure in this effort.”
During the special counsel’s Russia probe, Giuliani proved more useful for commanding headlines than in the courtroom. He became a staple on cable news, the face of a legal team that helped Trump emerge from the investigation with a less damaging result than many had expected.
Now Giuliani is doing some damage-control for himself, as some Republicans suggest Trump was ill-served by his interventions.
“It is impossible that the whistle-blower is a hero and I’m not,” he told The Atlantic. “And I will be the hero! These morons — when this is over, I will be the hero.”
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Politics
FORMER PRESIDENTS, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS GATHER FOR OPENING OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
CHICAGO (FNN NEWS) — The long-awaited Barack Obama Presidential Center officially opened Thursday with a star-studded dedication ceremony on Chicago’s South Side, drawing former presidents, national leaders, celebrities, and thousands of invited guests.
The ceremony began at 11 a.m. CDT with Chicago native and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson performing the national anthem.
Obama Center Opens
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama delivered remarks celebrating the opening of the center, which is designed to serve as a cultural, educational, and civic engagement hub.
The opening marks the formal debut of one of the most anticipated presidential centers in modern history. The campus opens to the public on Juneteenth and is expected to attract visitors from across the United States and around the world.
Former Presidents in Attendance
Among the dignitaries attending the ceremony were:
- Former President Joe Biden
- Former President George W. Bush
- Former President Bill Clinton
- Former First Lady Jill Biden
- Former First Lady Laura Bush
- Former Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton
National Leaders and Celebrities Attend
The event also attracted prominent political leaders, civil rights advocates, entertainers, and business leaders, including:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
- Civil rights leaders Andrew Young and Al Sharpton
- Media icon Oprah Winfrey
- Comedians David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Stephen Colbert
- Actor Tom Hanks
- Tennis legend Billie Jean King
- Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts
Several attendees, including Newsom and Shapiro, are widely viewed as potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
A Landmark for Chicago’s South Side
The opening of the Obama Presidential Center represents a significant milestone for Chicago’s South Side, bringing national attention, tourism, and economic development opportunities to the community.
Thousands of invited guests attended the ceremony, while residents and supporters gathered at a free public watch party to celebrate the historic occasion.
The center is expected to serve as a lasting tribute to the legacy of the nation’s 44th president while inspiring future generations of leaders through civic engagement, education, and public service.
About the Obama Presidential Center
The Obama Presidential Center is a world-class campus dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The center includes museum exhibits, public gathering spaces, educational programming, and community resources aimed at fostering leadership and civic participation.
Politics
CARICOM Launches Online Platform for 51st Heads of Government Meeting Gros Islet, Saint Lucia conference set for July 5-8, 2026
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (FNN NEWS) — The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has launched a dedicated online platform for the upcoming 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, scheduled to take place in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, from July 5-8, 2026.
Central Hub for Meeting Information
The online platform will serve as the primary source of information for media representatives, government officials, stakeholders, and the public leading up to and during the conference.
Available at CARICOM 51st Heads of Government Meeting Platform, the website features:
- Information on the Opening Ceremony speakers
- A detailed program of events
- A profile of the incoming CARICOM Chair
- Daily news updates
- Photo and video galleries
- Livestreams of the Opening Ceremony
- Livestreams of the Closing Media Conference
The official Meeting Communiqué, summarizing decisions and outcomes from the conference, will also be published on the platform following the conclusion of the meeting.
Media Encouraged to Bookmark Platform
CARICOM officials are encouraging members of the media and other stakeholders to bookmark the website and visit regularly for updates throughout the conference.
The Secretariat also invited users to follow and engage with CARICOM’s social media channels using the hashtag #51HGC for real-time updates and coverage.
About CARICOM
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was established on July 4, 1973, with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas. The treaty was revised in 2001 to facilitate the creation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
CARICOM comprises 15 Member States and six Associate Members, representing approximately 16 million citizens across the Caribbean region. Nearly 60 percent of the Community’s population is under the age of 30.
The organization’s work is centered on four primary pillars:
- Economic integration
- Foreign policy coordination
- Human and social development
- Security cooperation
CARICOM’s vision is to build an integrated, inclusive, and resilient Caribbean Community driven by knowledge, innovation, excellence, and productivity while promoting human rights, social justice, and sustainable economic prosperity.
Headquartered in Georgetown
The principal administrative organ of the Community, the CARICOM Secretariat, is headquartered in Georgetown and coordinates the implementation of regional policies and initiatives among Member States.
CARICOM remains one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the developing world.
Politics
State Department Offers Up to $15 Million in Rewards for MS-13 Leaders Wanted on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Charges
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The U.S. Department of State announced Thursday that it is increasing reward offers totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of two senior leaders of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a transnational criminal organization designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Reward Offers Increased
The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, also known as “Porky,” and up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Víctor Eduardo Morales Zelaya, also known as “Cuervo.”
The reward offers were announced by Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.
MS-13 Leadership in Honduras
According to federal court documents, Archaga Carías and Morales Zelaya are the highest-ranking members of MS-13 operating in Honduras. Authorities allege they direct the gang’s criminal operations, including:
- Drug trafficking
- Money laundering
- Murder
- Kidnappings
- Other violent criminal activities
Federal authorities also allege the two men are responsible for coordinating the importation of significant quantities of cocaine into the United States. Both remain fugitives.
Among America’s Most Wanted
Archaga Carías is listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is also among the most wanted fugitives sought by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159. The task force is a permanent, whole-of-government initiative focused on dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad.
How to Provide Information
The reward offers were authorized by the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports global law enforcement efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI through WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram at +1-832-267-1688.
Individuals located outside the United States may also contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Those within the United States may contact their local FBI field office.
Confidentiality Guaranteed
U.S. officials emphasized that all identities of individuals providing information will be kept strictly confidential. Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards based on information obtained through their official duties.
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Politics4 days agoCARICOM Launches Online Platform for 51st Heads of Government Meeting Gros Islet, Saint Lucia conference set for July 5-8, 2026
Politics4 days agoState Department Offers Up to $15 Million in Rewards for MS-13 Leaders Wanted on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Charges
Politics4 days agoFORMER PRESIDENTS, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS GATHER FOR OPENING OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
