Trump’s Top Diplomat in Africa Leaving State Department-llllllllllll
Troy Fitrell, President Donald Trump’s top diplomat in Africa, will leave the State Department at the end of the month. Jonathan Pratt, who is the deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs, will take over. Fitrell is a diplomat in the foreign service and used to be the US ambassador to Guinea.
He has held several roles at the State Department in Africa, including as director of the Offices of Western and Southern African Affairs. He was also the Deputy Chief of Mission in the US embassies in Ethiopia and Mauritius.
A representative for the State Department said, “After a long and distinguished career, Ambassador Troy Fitrell is retiring as planned from the Bureau of African Affairs.”
Jonathan Pratt, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs, will take over as Senior Bureau Official after Ambassador Fitrell leaves.
Since the Senate has not yet nominated an assistant secretary for the State Department’s African bureau, Fitrell has been in charge of it.
Fitrell, who has been a diplomat for more than 30 years, recently stated that the Trump administration is shifting the way the US engages with Africa from “one rooted primarily in development assistance to a strategy that prioritizes robust commercial engagement.”
Pratt, who will take over for Fitrell, was the US ambassador to Djibouti from 2021 to 2023. He also worked for the State Department on other missions in Pakistan, Sudan, and Angola.
This is the second well-known person to leave the administration in the last few weeks.
The military leader in charge of the Pentagon’s growing operations against ships in the Caribbean Sea, which the Trump administration says are involved in drug smuggling, said he was leaving.
Adm. Alvin Holsey, who is in charge of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees all operations in Central and South America, is leaving his job. This is happening even though the Pentagon quickly sent about 10,000 troops to the area for what it calls a major counterdrug and terrorist effort.
Admiral Holsey’s sudden resignation, which happened less than a year into a three-year term and during the biggest operation of his 37-year career, is still not clear. But two U.S. officials, one current and one retired, who spoke anonymously about personnel problems, said that Admiral Holsey had raised concerns about the operation and the attacks on the supposed drug ships.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not say anything about having problems with his four-star commander in a statement.
“On behalf of the Department of War,” Hegseth said, adding, “We extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at year’s end.”
Some Pentagon insiders indicated that there were policy disagreements on Venezuela that the admiral did not agree with, and these were not in line with the Trump administration.
The announcement of the admiral’s retirement follows a report by CNN indicating that the Trump administration had clandestinely permitted the C.I.A. to execute covert operations in Venezuela.
President Donald Trump declared that he had approved the secret operation and hinted that the US was thinking about attacking Venezuela.
The U.S. military is also thinking about possible escalation and coming up with options for Trump, including strikes inside Venezuela.
The Trump administration has said that its attacks on drug trafficking suspects are a way to protect the country from a rise in overdose deaths in the U.S.
The size and scope of the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean are very large. There are about 10,000 U.S. forces stationed in Puerto Rico, mostly at bases there. There are also 2,200 Marines on amphibious assault ships.
Rep. Ilhan Omar Intensifies Criticism of Federal Immigration Enforcement
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota sharply escalated her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations on Monday, accusing federal agents of treating Minneapolis as an occupying force and again calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation or impeachment.
In remarks to constituents in Minneapolis, Omar repeatedly described the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal officers in the city as an inappropriate use of government authority, saying the situation has created fear among local residents. Omar said Minneapolis is “currently under occupation” and cited concerns about schools, hospitals and daily life as evidence of what she called harmful federal intervention.
“We do not exaggerate when we say we have schools where two-thirds of the students are afraid to go to school,” Omar said. “We do not exaggerate when we say we have people who are afraid to go to the hospital because our hospitals have occupying paramilitary forces.”
Omar referenced two recent fatalities during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis — the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — and argued those incidents underscored the need for new leadership at DHS. In her remarks, she blamed senior White House advisers for shaping the administration’s immigration policies.
“When we say it is time for Kristi Noem to go, we mean it now,” Omar added. “And there needs to be accountability for the architect of the terror we are facing in Minneapolis and so many other cities, which is Stephen Miller.”
Omar’s comments follow an appearance on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, where she reiterated those positions and broadened her critique to include senior administration officials. In that interview, she said Noem should resign or face impeachment, echoing earlier statements from House Democratic leadership. Omar also repeated criticism of Miller, a senior White House adviser on immigration policy, calling him a “copycat of the Nazis” and suggesting he should be prosecuted.
Her remarks also tied national Republican rhetoric on immigration to broader social tensions, asserting that aggressive enforcement language has “created anger” that can lead to confrontations with Somali immigrants and other community members in Minnesota.
Omar’s public criticism comes amid the ongoing federal immigration operation known as Operation Metro Surge. Federal agents have been deployed to Minneapolis to apprehend illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, drawing protests and heightened scrutiny from local officials and advocacy groups.
Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have called for increased oversight of DHS and ICE policies as part of broader negotiations over long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Jeffries has publicly stated that Noem should be impeached if she does not resign, and Schumer has called for additional conditions on immigration enforcement in appropriations legislation.
In response to increased political pressure, DHS has taken steps to increase transparency in its operations. Earlier this week, Secretary Kristi Noem announced that body-worn cameras will be issued to all federal immigration enforcement officers deployed in Minneapolis as an immediate measure, with plans to expand the program nationwide as funding becomes available. “Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis,” Noem wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Federal officials have said that some Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers present during the Jan. 24 shooting of Pretti were already equipped with body cameras, though full footage has not been released. Officials have not yet clarified whether ICE officers were wearing cameras during the earlier fatal encounter involving Good.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz responded to Noem’s announcement by saying body cameras should have been in place prior to the deaths of Pretti and Good, who were tragically killed while interfering with ICE law enforcement operations.
20 Minutes ago in Arizona, Savannah Guthrie was confirmed as… See more
Just 20 minutes ago in Arizona, Savannah Guthrie was confirmed as the focus of a rapidly developing update that has already begun to ripple across newsrooms and social media.
While early headlines sparked confusion and speculation, sources close to the situation emphasized that the confirmation centers on a professional development rather than the alarming rumors that briefly circulated online.
The speed at which the news broke—paired with Guthrie’s high public profile—helped fuel the immediate surge of attention, with viewers eager for clarity and context.
According to initial reports, the confirmation came during a tightly scheduled appearance in Arizona, where Guthrie has been involved in ongoing media commitments.
Attendees described a composed and focused presence, noting that the announcement was handled with care and precision. Industry insiders say the timing underscores how quickly information now travels, especially when it involves trusted faces in broadcast journalism.
Within minutes, clips, quotes, and partial summaries began trending, amplifying both interest and misunderstanding.
What stands out most is the response from colleagues and longtime viewers. Messages of support and curiosity poured in, reflecting the connection Guthrie has built over years of consistent reporting and calm authority during major national moments.
Analysts suggest that the public reaction speaks less to the announcement itself and more to the trust audiences place in familiar voices—when news breaks about them, it feels personal. That trust has kept the conversation largely measured, even as speculation continues.
As details continue to emerge, media observers caution against jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. Full context is expected to be clarified through official channels shortly, and until then, reputable sources urge patience.
One thing is clear: when news involves a figure as recognizable as Savannah Guthrie, even a brief confirmation can command national attention in minutes. Stay tuned as this story develops and the full picture comes into focus.
