Hotel chains are leaving Cuba after Trump’s sanctions

News blog about US politics

After Trump’s sanctions: hotel chains leave Cuba

There is a new intelligence coordinator in the USA. International hotel chains are leaving Cuba. All developments in the news blog.

US President Donald Trump wants to come to the rescheduled date of the gala dinner for the US capital’s press, which was canceled due to shots fired. The Republican announced on the Truth Social platform that he had agreed to give a speech there on July 24th. At the end of April, an armed 31-year-old stormed a security gate in the hotel where the dinner was being held in the presence of the US President – but he did not reach the ballroom.

However, shots were fired. A security official was hit; his protective vest prevented more serious injuries. The U.S. government was brought to safety and the dinner was canceled. Afterwards, a debate arose about security at the venue.

According to Trump, the venue this time is another hotel in the US capital. It is the Waldorf Astoria, which is a few streets away from the White House.

After the US government threatened sanctions, the powerful Cuban military company Gaesa is losing international business partners in the hotel industry on the Caribbean island. Cuba’s socialist government described the US measures as the “largest, most excessive and most dangerous escalation” of tensions with Washington yet.

Hotel chains such as Iberostar from Spain, Royalton from Canada (formerly Blue Diamond) and Archipelago International from Indonesia have begun to partially withdraw from Cuba, according to media reports.

The government of US President Donald Trump imposed new sanctions against Gaesa at the beginning of May. The aim is to deprive the country’s communist military leadership and elites of access to assets. Foreign banks and companies will also face sanctions from June 5th if they continue to work with the group. It is estimated that Gaesa controls at least 40 percent of the Cuban economy in various sectors.

Hollywood star Richard Gere has called US President Donald Trump a “lunatic”. “We are living in the darkest moment I have ever experienced on this planet,” said the 76-year-old at an awards ceremony in Oslo on Tuesday. “On the first day, this guy dismantled almost everything that was good about the US government and the US people,” Gere added to hundreds of listeners. Read more about it here.

US President Donald Trump has appointed William J. Pulte as acting coordinator of the secret services in the USA. The previous person in charge, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned from her position at the end of May. His appointment is effective June 30.

Last year, Trump appointed Pulte as director of the US Federal Housing Finance Agency. He also chairs the state mortgage banks Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Trump said he will continue to hold these positions while he works in the secret services. Pulte’s net worth is said to be more than $100 million.