Vice President JD Vance on Friday accused Politico of “journalistic malpractice” after the news site quoted anonymous sources and officials calling into question White House special envoy Steve Witkoff's competency as he leads US efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Mr Witkoff, who is also special envoy for the Middle East and is leading US efforts to end the war in Gaza, is a “rogue actor” who circumvents diplomatic norms, one source said.
He is also inexperienced and too willing to accept Russia's talking points and struggles to focus on more than one task at a time, others told Politico, among other claims.
The story included on-the-record praise from Mr Vance and flattering remarks from other people about Mr Witkoff, but the Vice President nonetheless took to X to attack the story and criticise the reporter, claiming she might be a willing participant in a “foreign influence operation”.
“I wonder if she ever asked herself why these anonymous sources came to her at this moment with this particular story,” Mr Vance wrote. “They have an agenda to blow up the President's efforts to make peace, and they saw her as a useful vessel to launder garbage into the conversation, truth be damned.”
Mr Witkoff reposted Mr Vance's statement and thanked him.
The Politico piece said Mr Witkoff is easily distracted, is not a “voracious” consumer of his intelligence briefings and flies to Moscow without bringing any policy experts.
It also pointed to a lack of preparation ahead of this month's summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as a failure to secure any meaningful concessions from Moscow.
“What I’m here to do is actually bring two sides together, narrow the issues and get it to a place where we can build political capital and fix this stupid thing,” Mr Witkoff told Politico.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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