Trump Foreign Policy, Abu Ghraib Ruling, Cop 29 Climate Summit

Summary

Up First from NPR: Detailed Summary

Episode Title: Trump Foreign Policy, Abu Ghraib Ruling, Cop 29 Climate Summit
Hosts: Michelle Martin and A Martinez
Transcript Duration: 14 minutes and 57 seconds

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1. Trump’s Foreign Policy Team Picks

Overview: In the lead-up to his second term, President-elect Donald Trump is assembling a team that could significantly alter the United States' foreign policy landscape. His selections reflect a blend of political allies and unconventional choices, signaling a shift toward a more nationalistic and transactional approach.

Key Points:

• Unconventional Appointments: Trump has nominated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as UN Ambassador, and Congressman Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser. Notably, he plans to nominate Pete Hegseth, a television host and military veteran with no senior military or national security experience, as Secretary of Defense.

• Implications for Foreign Policy: These picks indicate Trump's emphasis on loyalty and trust within his administration. Analysts suggest this could lead to reduced infighting and a clear alignment with his foreign policy priorities, including strong opposition to China, robust support for Israel, and a critical stance on Ukraine.

• Reception Among Republicans: While some Republicans express surprise at Hegseth’s nomination, there is a general inclination to support Trump’s choices, especially with the Republican control of the Senate anticipated.

Notable Quotes:

• A Martinez (00:03): "President elect Donald Trump is making some unconventional picks for a second term team."

• Michelle Martin (02:14): "He says he will nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as UN Ambassador, and Congressman Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser."

• Franco Ordonez (02:42): "It's a more nationalistic focus, more transactional. You can expect strong opposition to China, support for Israel, and skepticism toward Ukraine."

• A Martinez quoting Mike Waltz (03:15): "We have plenty of leverage with Zelensky to get them to the table."

Analysis: Franco Ordonez, NPR's White House correspondent, highlights that Trump’s selections are not just about loyalty but also reflect his administration's strategic priorities. The inclusion of seasoned lawmakers like Elise Stefanik suggests continuity in foreign policy expertise, while the nomination of Pete Hegseth introduces an element of unpredictability regarding defense leadership.

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2. Abu Ghraib Ruling and Accountability for Wartime Abuses

Overview: A U.S. jury has awarded $42 million to three Iraqi survivors of torture at Abu Ghraib prison, marking a significant legal stance on accountability for wartime abuses. This verdict, however, highlights the challenges victims face in seeking redress from the U.S. military.

Key Points:

• Case Details: The plaintiffs alleged torture and abuse by U.S. military contractors and soldiers at Abu Ghraib during the Iraq War. The jury held the private contractor CACI (referred to as Khaki in the transcript) liable for conspiring with U.S. soldiers to perpetrate these abuses.

• Survivors' Testimonies: Talib Al Majli, a former detainee, provided harrowing accounts of his experience, including being stripped naked, subjected to physical violence, and enduring psychological terror.

• Legal Implications: This is the first time a civilian jury directly heard accounts of torture in U.S. post-9/11 detention facilities. Despite the verdict, compensation remains limited to the three plaintiffs, with no broader mechanism for other victims to receive reparations.

• Government Response: Contrary to earlier statements by Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, there has been no systemic compensation or formal apology from the U.S. government for Abu Ghraib detainees, as confirmed by human rights investigations.

Notable Quotes:

• A Martinez (00:11): "A U.S. jury awards $42 million to three Iraqis held by Americans during the Iraq war. The plaintiffs say they were tortured."

• Ruth Sherlock (06:14): "They torturing us, they making us naked. Sometimes they threw that sound grenades on our shells and sometimes they use the shotguns. When they used dogs to terrify us."

• Ruth Sherlock (08:01): "The short answer is no. The case is specifically about these three plaintiffs. I think actually what this case shows is just how hard it is for victims of US Military abuse to get any kind of redress."

Analysis: Ruth Sherlock underscores the prolonged struggle victims endure to obtain justice, with the plaintiffs having faced numerous legal obstacles over 16 years. The ruling against CACI sets a precedent for holding private military contractors accountable, but it also exposes the limitations within the legal system for broader compensation and systemic change.

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3. COP 29 Climate Summit and Global Climate Actions

Overview: The COP 29 climate summit in Azerbaijan is underway, amidst shifting global dynamics with the new Trump administration in the U.S. While American leadership on climate change seems less forthcoming, other nations like the United Kingdom are making ambitious pledges to combat global warming.

Key Points:

• UK’s Ambitious Pledge: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to reduce climate pollution by at least 81% from 1990 levels by 2035. The UK is investing heavily in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, as well as nuclear energy, positioning climate action as an economic opportunity.

• U.S. Climate Policy Under Trump: The nomination of Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signals a possible rollback of climate regulations. Zeldin's deregulatory stance raises concerns about the future of EPA initiatives, including the recent methane leak fee imposed on oil and gas companies—a rule likely to be overturned with Republican control in Congress.

• Global Climate Litigation: A Dutch court recently overturned a ruling mandating Shell to reduce its climate pollution by 45%. While Shell still has a duty of care to limit emissions, the court could not determine the extent of required cuts. This decision underscores ongoing climate litigation against major oil companies across various jurisdictions.

Notable Quotes:

• Michelle Martin (06:40): "And world leaders are meeting to fight climate change. But don't look for the US to lead this time."

• Julia Simon (10:55): "The UK Is investing in proven climate solutions, things like wind energy, solar energy, big batteries, also nuclear energy."

• Franco Ordonez quoting Keir Starmer (11:16): "This is a huge opportunity for investment for UK Businesses, for British workers if we act now to lead the world in the economy of tomorrow."

• Julia Simon (12:02): "According to the League of Conservation Voters, Zeldin voted several times against clean air and clean water legislation."

• Julia Simon (12:59): "There are still lots of climate litigation claims against big oil companies, including in states like Massachusetts, Hawaii, California."

Analysis: Julia Simon highlights the juxtaposition between the U.S.'s uncertain stance on climate leadership and the proactive measures taken by other nations. The UK's significant commitment serves as a beacon for global climate efforts, emphasizing economic benefits alongside environmental responsibility. Conversely, the Trump administration’s potential deregulation could hinder U.S. contributions to global climate goals, affecting international collaboration and progress.

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Conclusion

This episode of Up First from NPR delves into critical issues shaping the current geopolitical and environmental landscape. From the implications of President-elect Trump’s foreign policy team selections to the landmark Abu Ghraib ruling and the global responses at COP 29, the discussions provide insightful analysis on accountability, leadership, and the collective fight against climate change. Noteworthy quotes and expert commentary enrich the narrative, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of these pressing topics.

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For those interested in these stories, subscribing to Up First provides the essential news with in-depth reporting and analysis, available on the NPR app and other podcast platforms.

Transcript

[A Martinez]

President elect Donald Trump is making some unconventional picks for a second term team.

[Michelle Martin]

Taken together, his picks could dramatically reshape America's foreign policy.

[A Martinez]

I think we have plenty of leverage with Zelensky to get them to the table. I'm A Martinez with Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News. A U.S. jury awards $42 million to three Iraqis held by Americans during the Iraq war. The plaintiffs say they were tortured. What does a ruling mean for accountability for wartime Abus?

[Michelle Martin]

And world leaders are meeting to fight climate change. But don't look for the US to lead this time. The UK Is stepping up with a major pledge. But what will other countries do if Trump scales back on climate rules? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[A Martinez]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Saatva, maker of quality handcrafted mattresses. Founder and CEO Ron Rutzen shares one of their core values. At Saatva, we believe sleep does unlock a superpower. When you wake up and you're totally refreshed, you go after things more. And it all starts with being on the right mattress. And that's what Safa has been inspired by from the day that we started. To learn more, go to s a tva.com NPR this message comes from Capital One.

[Ron Rutzen]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.combank for details. Capital1NA member FDIC this message comes from HubSpot. Growing a business means a lot of audience, attracting lead scoring and long days. But with HubSpot, it's easier than ever for marketers to remix content, boost leads and score customers fast. Learn [e-mail] marketers president elect Donald Trump.

[Michelle Martin]

Is moving fast, assembling his team for a second term in the White House. He says he will nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as UN Ambassador, and Congressman Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser.

[A Martinez]

But some of his choices are getting a lot of attention, like his plan to nominate a television host to be secretary of Defense. Pete Hegseth of Fox News is a military veteran but has no senior military or national security experience.

[Michelle Martin]

Here to talk about this is White House correspondent Franco Ordonez. Franco, welcome back.

[Franco Ordonez]

Hi, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

So we could do a segment on each of these picks, honestly. But what about the big picture? What does this tell us about Trump's plans to change how the US positions itself in the world.

[Franco Ordonez]

Right. I mean, I think it's a few things. First, it clearly reflects Trump's focus on trust and loyalty. These are all big supporters, which his team does hope will eliminate some of the infighting that plagued his first transition. But they're also indicative of Trump's foreign policy priorities. It's a more nationalistic focus, more transactional. You can expect strong opposition to China, support for Israel, and skepticism toward Ukraine. Here is Mike Waltz, for example, talking with our own stevenskeep about pressing for a deal between Ukraine and Russia.

[A Martinez]

We have leverage, like taking the handcuffs off of the long range weapons we provided Ukraine as well. And then, of course, I think we have plenty of leverage with Zelensky to get them to the table.

[Franco Ordonez]

Now, Waltz, though, is a former Green Beret who is considered to have quite a depth of foreign policy experience.

[Michelle Martin]

So, well, okay, so the national security adviser doesn't have to be confirmed by the Senate, but some of these other rules do. Do we have a sense of how this mix of, you know, lawmakers and personalities will be received? Although I. Look, I do have to point out that the president's party does control the Senate, or rather will control the Senate when Trump takes office.

[Franco Ordonez]

It's still a bit unclear, but I spoke about some of that with former Ambassador John Simon, who served in the Bush administration. He called Walt Stefanik and Huckabee leaders who have to be taken seriously. Simon also mentioned Senator Marco Rubio, who is widely reported to be the top candidate for Secretary of state, as another who has real foreign policy credentials.

[Michelle Martin]

These are people who have spent a.

[A Martinez]

Lot of time in Congress and focused.

[Michelle Martin]

On many aspects of foreign policy, who.

[A Martinez]

Have certainly met with a number of world leaders who are people who will be known quantities among the foreign policy establishment.

[Franco Ordonez]

But what's surprising is Trump naming TV host and army vet Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so how are Republicans reacting to this choice? I mean, in this position, you not just, you don't just advise the president, but you have to manage a huge agency. You have to manage relationships with other defense leaders around the world. What are Republicans saying about this?

[Franco Ordonez]

Well, one House Republican committee chair expressed shock, saying Hegseth was not known on the list of names under consideration. Indiana Senator Todd Young told reporters he didn't have a Sen. Of Hegseth's background or vision for the department. But he also said he wanted to give all of Trump's nominees a fair opportunity to be heard.

[Michelle Martin]

Which raises a key point. I mean, I'm guessing that many Republicans aren't going to want to take a stand against Trump's picks this early in the process.

[Franco Ordonez]

Yeah, I mean, it's not unusual for presidents to pull from out of, you know, different constituencies, but this is really an out of box kind of pick. The defense secretary leads over a million active duties troops. Hexath is a decorated veteran, but as you know, lacks the management and high profile national security experience. That said, Trump really cares a lot about who those can present.

[Michelle Martin]

Well on tv that is White House correspondent Franco Ardenius. Franco, thank you.

[Franco Ordonez]

Thank you, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

A U.S. jury has awarded three survivors of the Abu Ghraib prison $42 million.

[A Martinez]

The abuse of detainees by American troops there is one of the lasting legacies of the US Invasion of Iraq. The photos of that abuse published in 2004 are sh and a warning to our listeners. This story contains graphic descriptions of the torture of prisoners in U.S. incarceration last year. NPR's Ruth Sherlock spoke with a former detainee, Talib Al Majli.

[Ruth Sherlock]

They torturing us, they making us naked. Sometimes they threw that sound grenades on our shells and sometimes they use the shotguns. When they used dogs to terrify us.

[A Martinez]

They flooded ourselves with water. He was not involved in this court case, but the three plaintiffs in this lawsuit brought against a private U.S. military contractor detailed similar abuse.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Ruth Sherlock is with us now to tell us more about this. Good morning, Ruth.

[Ruth Sherlock]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

Could you just tell us more about this case?

[Ruth Sherlock]

Yeah. Well, the jury said this US Military contractor, CACI or Khaki could be found guilty because the interrogators it supplied to Abu Grabe conspired with U.S. soldiers there to torture and mistreat the three plaintiffs. The jury said Khaki interrogators were liable because it said they actually instructed military police officers to, quote, soften up the detainees. You know, Khaki denies this characterization. It says its employees were not responsible for nor took part in the abuse committed by military police Nabu Ghraib. But just after the verdict, I reached Bahr Asmi, the lawyer who filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs. He's with the center for Constitutional Rights and he told me this verdict is culmination of a 16 year long effort by the plaintiffs to tell their story to an American jury.

[A Martinez]

That struggle has lasted 16 years. Multiple trips to the Court of Appeals, surviving two dozen attempts for Khaki to dismiss the case and every obstacle you could imagine.

[Ruth Sherlock]

You know, he said, well, so this is the second trial. The first trial ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn't reach A verdict on whether khaki or the army could be held responsible.

[Michelle Martin]

Does this court victory pave the way for compensation for other Abu Ghraib detainees?

[Ruth Sherlock]

Well, Michelle, you know, the short answer is no. The case is specifically about these three plaintiffs. I think actually what this case shows is just how hard it is for victims of US Military abuse to get any kind of redress. It's the first time that a civilian jury has heard accounts directly from detainees of torture and mistreatment. That has happened, you know, in this post 911 era detentions. Taliban Majli, the Abu Ghraib detainee we spoke to told us how American soldiers stripped him naked, poked at his genitals, set snarling dogs on inmates, fired live ammunition into cells. They flooded his cell with cold water, he says, and he got pneumonia. He spent 20 years searching for a way to get compensation or even just an apology from the US Military, but ultimately he hasn't been able to find a mechanism for that redress.

[Michelle Martin]

So as we mentioned earlier, this verdict is against a private military contractor. But has the US Military paid compensation to victims?

[Ruth Sherlock]

This is the really important point. You know, after the photos showing the abuse of survivors in Abu Ghraib were published in 2004, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the time told Congress that a way should be set up to compensate the victims. But when we looked into this, reporting the story of Talib Al Majli, we couldn't find any examples where the US Military had compensated Abu Ghraib survivors. Human Rights Watch then followed up with a detailed investigation, and they also found that to this day, the US Government hasn't paid compensation or even set up a mechanism for these cases to be heard.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Ruth Sherlock. Ruth, thank you.

[Ruth Sherlock]

Thank you very much.

[Michelle Martin]

The COP 29 climate summit is underway in Azerbaijan this week.

[A Martinez]

With a new Trump administration coming in, there's not as much expectation for the US Setting a big climate goal. But at least one major industrial country is making a big pledge to fight global warming.

[Michelle Martin]

To walk us through this and other climate news, we have Julia Simon. She's Climate solutions correspondent on NPR's climate desk. Julia, good morning.

[Julia Simon]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

So the UN climate summit began Monday. What are we seeing so far?

[Julia Simon]

So going into this climate summit, there hasn't been as much optimism for US Leadership. After all, the newly elected Donald Trump famously called climate change a hoax. However, we are seeing other countries stepping up in the next few months. Countries have to announce these big targets for how much climate pollution they are going to cut to limit global warming and The United Kingdom, they're one of those countries stepping up. Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he gave this speech announcing plans to cut climate pollution at least 81% compared to 1990 levels by 2035.

[Michelle Martin]

How does the UK plan to do it? That seems like a really ambitious target.

[Julia Simon]

The UK Is investing in proven climate solutions, things like wind energy, solar energy, big batteries, also nuclear energy. But the UK Is really framing their climate action in economic terms. Here's UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

[Franco Ordonez]

This is a huge opportunity for investment for UK Businesses, for British workers if we act now to lead the world in the economy of tomorrow.

[Julia Simon]

And Michelle, you hear this economic argument from other countries like China. China, they're selling their technologies like electric vehicles in emerging markets like in Africa and Latin America. China, the UK they see climate solutions making business sense.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, back to the US President elect Trump is in the process of naming his new cabinet. He's already named a new head or he's announced plans to name a head of the epa. That is the former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin. What do we know about him?

[Julia Simon]

The word Trump used when announcing his pick of Zeldin is deregulatory, that is removing government regulations. According to the League of Conservation Voters, Zeldin voted several times against clean air and clean water legislation. With Zeldin, many EPA rules that limit climate pollution could be in jeopardy. And yesterday the EPA actually finalized this rule that oil and gas companies have to pay a fee when they leak methane. That's this very potent Planet heating gas under Trump and a possible Republican trifecta in Congress. Congress may overturn that EPA new methane rule.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, Julia, before we let you go, there's one last piece of climate news. A court in the Netherlands just overturned a ruling that the energy company Shell has to reduce its climate pollution by 45%. What are the implications of that? That.

[Julia Simon]

So the court did say Shell still has this duty of care to limit planet Heating emissions, but the courts couldn't figure out how big the cuts should be. Still, the point that's being brought up by other environmental groups is that there are still lots of climate litigation claims against big oil companies, including in states like Massachusetts, Hawaii, California. Those cases are being argued in state and municipal courts and they haven't been decided yet.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Julia assignment. Julia, thank you.

[Julia Simon]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

And that's up first for Wednesday, November 13th.

[A Martinez]

I'm Michelle Martin and Amay Martinez. How about listening to Consider this from npr. We here at up first give you the three big stories of the day. Or consider this Colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you in just 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michelle Martin]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Megan Pratt, Lauren Migaki, Neela Banerjee, Mohammed El Bardisi, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Ben Abrams and Julie Deppenbach. We get engineering support from Robert Rodriguez, and our technical director is Zach Coleman. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

[Ron Rutzen]

Want to hear this podcast without sponsor breaks? Amazon prime members can listen to up first sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org this message comes from Warby Parker what makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost, like free adjustments for life. Find your [e-mail] or visit one of their hundreds of stores around the country.

[A Martinez]

This message comes from Jackson Seek clarity in retirement [e-mail] Jackson is short for Jackson Financial, Inc. Jackson National Life Insurance Co. Lansing, Michigan and Jackson National Life Insurance Co. Of New York Purchase, New York.