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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| USS Fitzgerald collision: Trump criticised for leaving key posts unfilled | USS Fitzgerald collision: Trump criticised for leaving key posts unfilled |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Donald Trump has been criticised for delays in appointing a navy secretary and ambassador to Japan, leaving a communications vacuum as the countries continued their search for seven missing sailors off the east coast of Japan. | Donald Trump has been criticised for delays in appointing a navy secretary and ambassador to Japan, leaving a communications vacuum as the countries continued their search for seven missing sailors off the east coast of Japan. |
| The commanding officer of the USS Fitzgerald, Bryce Benson, and two other crew were injured after the vessel collided with a Philippine-registered container ship before dawn on Saturday. | The commanding officer of the USS Fitzgerald, Bryce Benson, and two other crew were injured after the vessel collided with a Philippine-registered container ship before dawn on Saturday. |
| The US has been without an ambassador to Japan since Caroline Kennedy left Tokyo in January. | The US has been without an ambassador to Japan since Caroline Kennedy left Tokyo in January. |
| Her successor, the Tennessee businessman William Hagerty, has attended a Senate confirmation hearing but has yet to take up his post. | Her successor, the Tennessee businessman William Hagerty, has attended a Senate confirmation hearing but has yet to take up his post. |
| Brandon Friedman, a former Obama administration official and co-founder of the McPherson Square Group, a strategic communications firm in Washington, pointed to the absence of an ambassador and navy secretary – two officials who would be expected to take a lead in liaising between the US navy, and Japanese and US government officials during the search. | Brandon Friedman, a former Obama administration official and co-founder of the McPherson Square Group, a strategic communications firm in Washington, pointed to the absence of an ambassador and navy secretary – two officials who would be expected to take a lead in liaising between the US navy, and Japanese and US government officials during the search. |
| “The USS Fitzgerald might sink off Japan and the US President can’t call our ambassador or our navy secretary because we have neither,” Friedman said. | “The USS Fitzgerald might sink off Japan and the US President can’t call our ambassador or our navy secretary because we have neither,” Friedman said. |
| Trump’s nominee for US navy secretary, Richard Spencer, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. | Trump’s nominee for US navy secretary, Richard Spencer, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. |
| The former financial industry executive and US marine corps captain was tapped for the post after Trump’s first choice for navy secretary, Philip Bilden, withdrew his candidacy in February. | The former financial industry executive and US marine corps captain was tapped for the post after Trump’s first choice for navy secretary, Philip Bilden, withdrew his candidacy in February. |
| Bilden said that his business ties to Asian financial markets would constitute a conflict of interests and that he was not prepared to divest his financial interests to serve in the position. | Bilden said that his business ties to Asian financial markets would constitute a conflict of interests and that he was not prepared to divest his financial interests to serve in the position. |
| At his Senate hearing last month, Hagerty, a key member of Trump’s transition team, stressed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to its alliance with Japan, calling it “the cornerstone of regional peace and security” and “a platform for global cooperation”. | At his Senate hearing last month, Hagerty, a key member of Trump’s transition team, stressed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to its alliance with Japan, calling it “the cornerstone of regional peace and security” and “a platform for global cooperation”. |
| “This commitment is more critical than ever in the face of fast-emerging security challenges, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs, as well as China’s assertive behavior in the East and South China seas,” Hagerty said. | “This commitment is more critical than ever in the face of fast-emerging security challenges, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs, as well as China’s assertive behavior in the East and South China seas,” Hagerty said. |
| Others on social media were critical of Trump’s silence on the collision, the worst accident involving a US navy vessel in recent years. | Others on social media were critical of Trump’s silence on the collision, the worst accident involving a US navy vessel in recent years. |
| One Twitter user asked the president to “please comment about the USS Fitzgerald and the 7 sailors that are missing ... they deserve a comment from their POTUS”. | One Twitter user asked the president to “please comment about the USS Fitzgerald and the 7 sailors that are missing ... they deserve a comment from their POTUS”. |
| Another noted Trump’s silence, despite his role as commander in chief of US forces. | Another noted Trump’s silence, despite his role as commander in chief of US forces. |
| Two maritime safety experts in the US and Australia told the Guardian that it was too early to speculate over the possible cause of the collision. | Two maritime safety experts in the US and Australia told the Guardian that it was too early to speculate over the possible cause of the collision. |
| US military | US military |
| Trump administration | Trump administration |
| Japan | Japan |
| news | news |
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