Matthew Lee

Stay informed with Matthew Lee’s coverage and analysis.

Page 2 of 6

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington, as President Donald Trump look on. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Secretary of State Rubio now has double role as he takes over Walz’s old job as national security adviser

By Matthew Lee, Farnoush Amiri, and others

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio unveils massive State Department overhaul that includes a 15% staff cut and the closure of 100 bureaus worldwide

By Farnoush Amiri, Matthew Lee, and others

WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES- MARCH 14: The exterior of the State Department complex is seen on March 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Elon Musk’s 28-year-old DOGE lieutenant dismantled USAID. Now it’s taking place at the State Department

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Lee, and others

FILE – Right-wing activist Laura Loomer speaks in front of the courthouse where the hush-money trial of Donald Trump is underway, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Trump fires NSC officials day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raises concerns about their loyalty in Oval Office meeting

By Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, and others

Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, March 24, 2025. US President Donald Trump reiterated his call for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, as he continues to push the central bank on monetary policy. Photographer: Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images

What degree of power will America command in NATO? Europe warily awaits U.S. secretary Marco Rubio to determine the future of the alliance

By Matthew Lee, Lorne Cook, and others

Elon Musk speaks during a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Pool via AP)

Federal workers start to get a new email demanding their accomplishments

By Chris Megerian, Adriana Gomez Licon, and others

Demonstrators protest against cuts to American foreign aid spending, including USAID and the PEPFAR program to combat HIV/AIDS, at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump administration blames ‘institutional drift’ as it plans to cut over 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Mark Sherman, and others

FILE – President-elect Donal Trump looks at France’s President Emmanuel Macron in Notre Dame Cathedral, Dec. 7, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool, File)

French and U.K. leaders visit Trump in White House as Europe worries about U.S. ties to EU and Ukraine

By Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, and others

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make a joint statement to the media at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem on February 16, 2025. Rubio said Palestinian militant group Hamas “must be eliminated”, after meeting on February 16 with Israel’s prime minister. (Photo by Ohad Zwigenberg / POOL / AFP) (Photo by OHAD ZWIGENBERG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel’s Netanyahu calls Trump proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza ‘the only viable plan to enable a different future’

By Matthew Lee, Natalie Melzer, and others

Volodomyr Zelenskyy speaks on stage at the Munich Security Conference

Zelenskyy says he believes Trump is the key to ending the Russia-Ukraine war—but mentioned it was ‘not very pleasant’ Trump spoke to Putin first

By Aamer Madhani, Matthew Lee, and others

JD Vance speaks in front of a microphone to world leaders

World leaders expected clarity on Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine. Instead, JD Vance scolded them on immigration and lectured them about censorship

By Aamer Madhani, Matthew Lee, and others

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump shake hands

‘It’s time to stop this ridiculous war’—Trump and Putin come to the negotiating table over Ukraine

By Matthew Lee, Eric Tucker, and others

Trump speaks in front of the American and Israeli flags

Just one day after Trump called to ‘permanently’ resettle Palestinians from Gaza and build the ‘Riviera of the Middle East,’ US officials say Trump meant it would only be temporary

By Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, and others

FILE – Solar panels system funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are seen in the Lebanese-Syrian border town of Majdal Anjar, eastern Bekaa valley, Lebanon, Nov. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)

Trump administration is recalling almost all USAID workers worldwide

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Lee, and others

FILE – USAID humanitarian aid destined for Venezuela is displayed for the media at a warehouse next to the Tienditas International Bridge on the outskirts of Cucuta, Colombia, Feb. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

Over 50 USAID senior officials put on leave over fears they might thwart Trump orders

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Lee, and others