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Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo excoriated President Biden for his handling of the spy balloon issue on Monday, telling The Hill in an exclusive interview that the current administration “made an enormous mistake” that caused “global shame.”

Pompeo also strongly denied that he or any member of former President Trump’s administration, to the best of his knowledge, was aware of spy balloons entering U.S. airspace during their time in power.

Pompeo’s harshest criticism was reserved for the Biden administration’s actions in relation to the first of four devices that have been shot down since Feb. 4. That device is the only one so far confirmed as a Chinese spy balloon.

A U.S. jet took down the balloon, estimated at the size of about three buses, off the coast of South Carolina after it had traversed the United States for several days.

The delay infuriated Pompeo. 

“I don’t know what it collected…I don’t know what signals intelligence it may have had. I don’t know what imagery it may have been able to garner,” he said in an on-camera interview with The Hill promoting his memoir, “Never Give an Inch.”

“The whole world saw a slow-moving balloon transiting Montana, Kansas, South Carolina — and the United States of America did nothing,” he added.

This lack of action delivered “an enormous geopolitical advantage” for China, Pompeo contended. “I can’t imagine that the risk of some falling debris over a place like Montana exceeded the risk of global shame.”

At a Feb. 4 Pentagon briefing, an unnamed senior Defense official said that Chinese spy balloons had “transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration.” The implication appeared to be that those who served Trump had done nothing.

It now appears that there was in fact no contemporaneous awareness and that the flights — if they happened at all — were discovered only in retrospect.

In the latest twist, the National Security Council’s John Kirby claimed during Monday’s White House media briefing that the Trump administration had failed to “detect” the Chinese spy balloon program.

“We detected it. We tracked it,” Kirby said.

Kirby’s remarks came a few hours after Pompeo spoke with The Hill. But the former secretary of State, who holds a dim view of a Washington media that he believes skews liberal, is rankled by reporting on the topic.

“You’re bringing it up too, and this is exactly what the Biden administration wants you talking about: ‘Look over here. See this shiny object. Trump, Trump, Trump.’ Right? This wasn’t remotely the same thing. … As best as I can tell, no one was aware. And this is fundamentally different from what has transpired over the past two weeks,” he said.

Pompeo served as CIA director from the earliest days of the Trump administration until April 2018. He then replaced Rex Tillerson as secretary of State, where he remained for the rest of Trump’s term. Pompeo is the only person in history to have served in both offices.

“Never Give an Inch” mounts a pugilistic defense of the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Pompeo argues in essence that a nationalistic “America First” agenda served as a deterrent to adversaries including China, a source of reassurance to allies such as Israel and an affirmation of American power.

Pompeo also portrays himself and his boss as battling against entrenched interests in government, at the State Department and within a Beltway establishment.

Pompeo does not himself use the term “deep state,” but what he describes is similar in concept.

“Call it what you will,” Pompeo told The Hill. “The State Department is a blob. It’s the Washington establishment. It is a drag on change.”

“I lived it,” he continues. “They were leaking memos on me before they got to my desk. They were undermining direct orders that I had provided to them.”

Pompeo, two years out of power, is back in the news as speculation builds that he could join the 2024 presidential race.

He is open about the fact that he is considering such a move, mulling it with his wife, Susan. But he insists no decision has been made.

If he goes forward, he added, “We’ll go make arguments. It’s not about tweets. It’s not about noise. It’s not about ‘owning the libs.’ It’s about presenting a rational argument about how to get our government to function.”

Pompeo’s book is almost entirely complimentary of Trump, which begs the question as to how he would distinguish himself from the 45th president, who has already declared his 2024 candidacy.

“I approached my public service in a way that’s different from his. I try my best to use language that reflects the greatness of our country,” he told The Hill. “I think that’s important.”

He also notes in passing that the Trump administration “spent an awful lot of money. We’re now $31 trillion in debt.”

But his criticisms of Trump remain mild. And the most heated moments of his interview with The Hill concerned the near-total absence of any mention of the Capitol insurrection in his book’s 400-plus pages.

If Pompeo is largely loyal toward Trump, he is far more critical of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. Haley is all but certain to announce her presidential candidacy at an event in Charleston, S.C., on Wednesday.

Pompeo claims in his book that Haley was at one point seeking to displace then-Vice President Mike Pence — a claim Haley has called “lies and gossip.” 

Pompeo also resents Haley’s relatively speedy departure from the job to which Trump had nominated her. She announced her intention to resign in October 2018, less than halfway into Trump’s term.

“Some came in, punched their ticket and went on. And for those who made that decision, I just don’t have any time,” Pompeo told The Hill. “I don’t understand how someone who believes that they have this incredible opportunity, in an important role, says, ‘No, thanks. I don’t want to do that anymore.’”

Pompeo has a sizable mountain to climb if he enters the presidential race. He is for the moment an also-ran in polls of a hypothetical GOP field that is led by Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Idris Elba rules himself out as James Bond: ‘I’m not going to be that guy’ US warns it will defend Philippines after China laser report

Asked whether it sounds like he is leaning toward a run, Pompeo demurred.

“No, there’s no lean. I don’t mean that to be clever. It’s kind of binary. It’s a zero or one,” he said.

“Never Give an Inch” by Mike Pompeo is out now, published by Broadside Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

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Nats seek ‘fresh approach,’ fire Martinez, Rizzo

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Nats seek 'fresh approach,' fire Martinez, Rizzo

The last-place Washington Nationals fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.

Rizzo, 64, and Martinez, 60, won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but the team has floundered in recent years. This season, the Nationals are 37-53 and stuck at the bottom of the National League East after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox this weekend at home. Washington hasn’t finished higher than fourth in the division since winning the World Series.

“On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city,” principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C.

“While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. This is a pivotal time for our club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.”

Mike DeBartolo, the club’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, was named interim GM on Sunday night. DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the MLB draft. An announcement will be made on the interim manager Monday, a day before the club begins a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rizzo has been the top decision-maker in Washington since 2013, and Martinez has been on board since 2018. Under Rizzo’s leadership, the team made the postseason four times: in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The latter season was Martinez’s lone playoff appearance.

“When our family assumed control of the team, nearly 20 years ago, Mike was the first hire we made,” Lerner said. “Over two decades, he was with us as we went from a fledging team in a new city to World Series champion. Mike helped make us who we are as an organization, and we’re so thankful to him for his hard work and dedication — not just on the field and in the front office, but in the community as well.”

The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild that has moved slower than expected, though the team didn’t augment its young core much during the winter. Led by All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, Washington has the second-youngest group of hitters in MLB and the sixth-youngest pitching staff.

The team lost 11 straight games in a forgettable stretch last month. And during a 2-10 run in June, Washington averaged just 2.5 runs. Since June 1, the Nationals have scored one run or been shut out seven times. In Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Boston, they left 15 runners on base.

There was industry speculation over the winter that the Nationals would spend money on free agents for the first time in several years, but that never materialized. Instead, the team made minor moves, signing free agents Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and re-signing closer Kyle Finnegan. Now, the hope is a new management team, both on and off the field, can help change the franchise’s fortunes.

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Kershaw gets special ASG invite; no Soto, Betts

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Kershaw gets special ASG invite; no Soto, Betts

The rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game will feature 19 first-timers — and one legend — as the pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday for the July 15 contest at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who made his first All-Star team in 2011, was named to his 11th National League roster as a special commissioner’s selection.

Kershaw, who became only the fourth left-hander to amass 3,000 career strikeouts, is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts after beginning the season on the injured list. He joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as a legend choice, after the pair of sluggers were selected in 2022.

Kershaw said he didn’t want to discuss the selection Sunday.

Among the first-time All-Stars announced Sunday: Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood and left-hander MacKenzie Gore; Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown and shortstop Jeremy Pena; and Chicago Cubs 34-year-old left-hander Matthew Boyd.

“It’ll just be cool being around some of the best players in the game,” Wood said.

First-time All-Stars previously elected to start by the fans include Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Overall, the 19 first-time All-Stars is a drop from the 32 first-time selections on the initial rosters in 2024.

Kershaw would be the sentimental choice to start for the National League, although Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who leads NL pitchers in ERA and WAR, might be in line to start his second straight contest. Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, is 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA after Sunday’s complete-game victory and also would be a strong candidate to start.

“I think it would be stupid to say no to that. It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Skenes said about the possibility of being asked to start by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I didn’t make plans over the All-Star break or anything. So, yeah, I’m super stoked.”

Kershaw has made one All-Star start in his career, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.

Among standout players not selected were New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a $765 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who had made eight consecutive All-Star rosters since 2016.

Soto got off to a slow start but was the National League Player of the Month in June and entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NL in WAR among position players while ranking second in OBP, eighth in OPS and third in runs scored.

The players vote for the reserves at each position and selected Wood, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres as the backup outfielders. Kyle Stowers also made it as a backup outfielder as the representative for the Miami Marlins.

Unless Soto later is added as an injury replacement, he’ll miss his first All-Star Game since his first full season in 2019.

The Dodgers lead all teams with five representatives: Kershaw, Yamamoto and starters Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. The AL-leading Detroit Tigers (57-34) and Mariners have four each.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will join AL starters Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Javier Baez, while Raleigh, the AL’s starting catcher, will be joined by Seattle teammates Bryan Woo, Andres Munoz and Julio Rodriguez.

Earning his fifth career selection but first since 2021 is Texas Rangers righty Jacob deGrom, who is finally healthy after making only nine starts in his first two seasons with the Rangers and is 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has never started an All-Star Game, although Skubal or Brown would be the favorite to start for the AL.

The hometown Braves will have three All-Stars in Acuna, pitcher Chris Sale (his ninth selection, tied with Freeman for the second most behind Kershaw) and first baseman Matt Olson. The San Francisco Giants had three pitchers selected: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and reliever Randy Rodriguez.

The slumping New York Yankees ended up with three All-Stars: Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Max Fried. The Mets also earned three All-Star selections: Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz.

“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ‘fit in mind.”

Rosters are expanded from 26 to 32 for the All-Star Game. They include starters elected by fans, 17 players (five starting pitchers, three relievers and a backup for each position) chosen in a player vote and six players (four pitchers and two position players) selected by league officials. Every club must be represented.

Acuna, Wood and Raleigh are the three All-Stars who have so far committed to participating in the Home Run Derby.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bellinger rescues Yankees to avoid Subway sweep

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Bellinger rescues Yankees to avoid Subway sweep

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees were seemingly in deep trouble Sunday when Juan Soto cracked a pitch to left field in the seventh inning.

The New York Mets, down two runs, were cooking up a rally with no outs. Francisco Lindor stood at first base, Pete Alonso loomed on deck, and Brandon Nimmo was in the hole. This was the heart of the Mets’ potent lineup. Given the Yankees’ recent woes, fumbling their two-run lead and suffering a Subway Series sweep at the hands of their neighbors — and a seventh straight loss — seemed almost fated.

Then Cody Bellinger charged Soto’s sinking 105 mph line drive, made a shoestring catch and fired a strike to first base for an improbable double play to secure a skid-snapping 6-4 win — and perhaps rescue the Yankees from another dreadful outcome.

“Considering the context of this week and everything,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “that’s probably our play of the year so far.”

Soto’s line drive off Mark Leiter Jr. had a 10% catch probability, according to Statcast, but Bellinger, a plus defender at multiple positions who started at first base Saturday, was just able to snatch it before it touched the grass. Certain that he caught it clean, he made an 89.9 mph toss that reached first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a line, over Lindor, who didn’t slide into the bag.

“I saw it in the air and had a really good beat on it,” said Bellinger, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.

The Mets challenged the catch, but the call stood.

“That was incredible,” said Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who swatted his 33rd home run of the season in the fifth inning. “I’ve never seen something like that on the field.”

For the past week, a stretch Boone described as “terrible” for his ballclub, poor defense has been an issue for the Yankees. Physical errors. Mental lapses. Near disasters. The sloppiness helped sink a depleted pitching staff, more than offsetting the offense’s strong production.

That combination produced the team’s second six-game losing streak in three weeks and a three-game deficit in the American League East standings behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.

The surging Blue Jays won again Sunday to extend their winning streak to seven games and keep their division lead at three games, but Bellinger’s glove and arm ensured it didn’t grow to four.

“That was an unbelievable play,” Goldschmidt said. “Amazing catch and absolute cannon to me at first. To make that play was a game-changing play and potentially game-winning play for us today. And we needed it.”

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