Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Thursday 13 april 2017
Trump declares US-Russia relations may be at “all-time low”

Continued from Front the Trump administration
had sought to step back
But he clearly wasn’t from the U.S. position that
counting on it. Assad should leave power.
“That could happen, and it But Tillerson repeated the
may not happen,” he said. administration’s new be-
“It may be just the oppo- lief that “the reign of the
site.” Assad family is coming to
Not long before Trump an end.”
spoke in Washington, Sec- Trump’s hardened view
retary of State Rex Tillerson of Russia — including the
struck a similar tone after administration’s change
an almost two-hour meet- of heart on Syria — could
ing with Putin, saying the serve another purpose:
two countries had reached It could partly defang a
a “low point” in relations. perception of coziness be-
The president, who last tween Trump and Moscow.
week ordered airstrikes on As the FBI and multiple
a Syrian air base in retalia- congressional committees
tion for a chemical weap- investigate potential col-
ons attack, was asked if lusion between Russia and
Syria could have launched
the attack without Russia’s Trump’s campaign, the
knowledge. Trump said it US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson,right, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, enter a hall president can point to his
prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Tillerson’s Moscow talks hinge on
was “certainly possible” new US leverage over Syria. hard-line stance on Assad
though “probably unlike- (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) as evidence he’s willing to
ly.” stand up to Putin.q
More than 80 people were and Tillerson reflected the
killed in what the U.S. has former Cold War foes’ in-
described as a nerve gas ability to forge better rela-
attack that Syrian Presi- tions, as Trump until recent-
dent Bashar Assad’s forces ly has advocated.
undoubtedly carried out. Allegations of collusion be-
Russia says rebels were tween Russian officials and
responsible for whatever Trump campaign associ-
chemical agent was used, ates also have weakened
which the Trump adminis- Trump’s ability to make
tration calls a disinforma- concessions to Russia in
tion campaign. any agreement, lest he be
Not long before Trump accused of rewarding bad
spoke, Russia vetoed a behavior.
Western-backed U.N. res- Russia wants the U.S. to
olution that would have eliminate sanctions on
condemned the chemical Moscow related to its 2014
weapons attack and de- annexation of Ukraine’s
manded a speedy investi- Crimea region and support
gation. for pro-Russian separatists
The dim view of U.S.-Rus- in eastern Ukraine.
sian ties from both Trump Until the chemical attack,

Former Trump campaign chair
will register as a foreign agent

Associated Press comes as the Trump ad-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- ministration has been fac-
dent Donald Trump’s for- ing heavy scrutiny over the
mer campaign chairman foreign ties of former cam-
Paul Manafort will register paign advisers and other
with the Justice Depart- Trump associates.
ment as a foreign agent By registering retroactively,
for lobbying work he did on Manafort will be acknowl-
behalf of political interests edging that he failed to
in Ukraine, led at the time properly disclose his work
by a pro-Russian political to the Justice Department
party, his spokesman said as required by federal law.
Wednesday. The Justice Department
Manafort is the second rarely prosecutes such
Trump campaign adviser violations of the Foreign
to have to register as a Agent Registration Act, but
foreign agent since the Manafort will now have to
election. The confirmation publicly detail his foreign
that he intends to register agent work.q