America takes centre stage in show of diplomatic power in Israel

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2 mins ago

October 22, 2025

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As shows of diplomatic power go, this was a pretty good one. Here, in an industrial complex in the south of Israel that is rapidly being repurposed into a joint operations centre, America is taking centre stage.

A group walks in. At the centre is US Vice President JD Vance, flanked by omni-envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s unofficial emissary to the Middle East and official son-in-law.

And as if to prove just how much heft there is on show, the fourth person to walk in is Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US’s Central Command, in charge of a bewildering number of troops and the most powerful foreign military leader in the Middle East. But in this company, he barely said a word.

Mr Vance was composed, enthusiastic and conciliatory. During our drive down to the complex, near the town of Kirya Gat, we had read the latest statement from Donald Trump, released on the social media platform that he owns, threatening swingeing repercussions against Hamas. “FAST, FURIOUS AND BRUTAL,” he had written.

So often the echo of the president’s words, Mr Vance struck a more nuanced tone. Yes, he said that Hamas could end up being “obliterated”, but he also offered the group some support. Since the ceasefire was signed, Hamas has repeatedly said that it cannot easily recover the bodies of all the dead hostages. Mr Vance agrees.

“This is difficult. This is not going to happen overnight,” he said. “Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are.”

He said it would have been unwise to set a deadline, insisting “we’ve got to be a little bit flexible” and even accused Israel, along with Gulf Arab states, of “a certain amount of impatience with Hamas”.

I asked him if his visit was as a direct result of Israel’s actions on Sunday, responding to the deaths of two soldiers with attacks that killed dozens of Palestinians.

No, said Mr Vance, it had “nothing to do with events in the past 48 hours”. Many will remain dubious – this is his first visit to Israel as vice president, and, if the timing really was coincidental, it was very fortuitous.

Then I asked him about the future of Gaza, about whether there really could be no safeguards that Palestinians would have a significant role in the future of the enclave.

I didn’t expect a long answer – and I certainly didn’t expect him to start by saying “I don’t know the answer to that question” – but that’s what we got.

“I think that what is so cool, what’s so amazing about what these guys have done, is that we’re creating a governance structure that is very flexible to what happens on the ground in the future. We need to reconstitute Gaza. We need to reconstruct Gaza,” he said.

“We need to make sure that both the Palestinians living in Gaza but also the Israelis are able to live in some measure of security and stability. We’re doing all of those things simultaneously. And then I think once we’ve got to a point where both the Gazans and our Israeli friends can have some measure of security, then we’ll worry about what the long-term governance of Gaza is.”

While the words are different, and the tone is less didactic, the theme is familiar. The short-term gain is peace, while the long-term plan remains largely unaddressed and unformulated.

Work is being done on that front. Diplomatic sources tell me that the effort behind the scenes is now frenetic and wide-ranging, encompassing countries from across the region, but also way beyond.

But the questions they face are towering – who pays, who sets the rules, who enforces law, whose soldiers are the peacekeepers and what happens to all the displaced Gazans?

None of this will be easy.

Mr Vance, like Mr Trump, exudes confidence, and it has clearly inspired other leaders and their nations.

Few can doubt that Mr Trump’s iron-clad self-confidence has given life and momentum to this deal.

But that isn’t enough.

The diplomats, planners and, yes, the politicians have a lot to do.

US

Why is Trump and Putin’s meeting off?

Published

2 mins ago

October 22, 2025

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With Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s meeting in Budapest “on hold” for now, US correspondents Martha Kelner and Mark Stone unpick the US president’s latest position on the war in Ukraine.

Martha also chats to Huffington Post journalist SV Dáte about his run-in with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

Email us on trump100@sky.uk with your comments and questions.

US

Elon Musk launches personal attack on NASA boss – and says he isn’t smart enough for the job

Published

2 hours ago

October 22, 2025

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Elon Musk launches personal attack on NASA boss - and says he isn't smart enough for the job

Elon Musk has attacked NASA’s administrator – and claimed he isn’t smart enough to hold the top job.

The billionaire’s criticism of Sean Duffy came after the space agency said it was open to using moon landers that weren’t manufactured by his company SpaceX.

On X, Musk accused Mr Duffy of “trying to kill NASA”, and wrote: “The person responsible for America’s space program can’t have a 2 digit IQ.”

While NASA has been planning to use SpaceX’s Starship rocket system to land on the lunar surface, proposals will now be accepted from rivals.

The agency wants to return astronauts to the moon within Donald Trump’s second term and do so before China gets there.

Mr Duffy had told CNBC: “We’re not going to wait for one company. We’re going to push this forward and win the second space race against the Chinese.”

While SpaceX has a $2.9bn (£2.2bn) contract for the Artemis III mission, it has fallen behind schedule – with Starship suffering a series of explosive failures this year.

Nonetheless, Musk has defended the company’s progress, writing: “SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry.

“Moreover, Starship will end up doing the whole moon mission. Mark my words.”

In response, Mr Duffy said: “Love the passion. The race to the Moon is ON. Great companies shouldn’t be afraid of a challenge. When our innovators compete with each other, America wins!”

Mr Duffy is currently the acting administrator of NASA, but reports suggest that he wants to keep the role.

Musk has previously thrown his support behind a billionaire called Jared Isaacman for the top job, who has previously flown on two private SpaceX missions into orbit.

US

Demolition work begins on White House East Wing for Trump’s £186m ballroom

Published

23 hours ago

October 21, 2025

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Demolition work begins on White House East Wing for Trump's £186m ballroom

Demolition on parts of the White House’s East Wing has begun in order to build Donald Trump’s new ballroom.

On Monday, builders were seen tearing down the facade of the building.

The US President, who insists the $250million (£186m) ballroom will be paid for by himself and donors, said in July it would not interfere with the existing landmark.

The East Wing was built at the beginning of the last century and was last modified in 1942.

Mr Trump said in July: “It will be beautiful. It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be – it will be near it, but not touching it. And pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of. It’s my favourite.”

Mr Trump confirmed on Monday that ground had been broken on the project, despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.

Photos of the demolition work showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground.

He added that future parties would start with cocktails in the East Room, before they are taken into the “finest” ballroom in the country.

It will also boast views of the Washington Monument with room for 999 people, he added. Other estimates have claimed it will house some 600 people.

On his social media platform, Truth Social, he said: “Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernised as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!”

Trump has also claimed on social media that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly”.

Earlier this year, Trump said they have “wanted a ballroom” in the White House for 150 years.

“There’s never been a president that was good at ballrooms,” he said. “I’m good at building things and we’re going to build quickly and on time. It’ll be beautiful, top, top of the line.”

Since being in office, Mr Trump has made a number of changes to the White House.

He has hand-picked gold ornamentation for the Oval Office and has redone the Rose Garden.

A former Republican member of Congress, Joe Walsh, called the latest plans an “utter desecration”, and said if he became president would take “a bulldozer” to the ballroom.