Free Republic

White House press secretary Josh Earnest encouraged President-elect Trump on Monday to take advantage of the "expertise and advice" of career diplomats at the State Department as the controversy surrounding the incoming president's recent call to Taiwan continues to boil over. "Whenever you are talking about the president-elect interacting with foreign leaders, it's incredibly important. It has profound consequences for our country and for our national interests around the world," Earnest said in response to a reporter's question about whether Trump is "winging" his discussions with foreign leaders. "Last week, we had some conversations about a conversation the president-elect had...

China’s military imposed a destabilizing air defense zone over the East China Sea without consulting the United States, and top Pentagon leaders said Wednesday there have been no contacts with their Chinese counterparts since the zone was set up Nov. 23. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press conference at the Pentagon that the Chinese air zone is destabilizing the region. However, both leaders declined to urge China to roll back the air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, as Japan’s government has demanded of the Chinese. The lack...