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Indian-origin Raj Shah to fill in for White House Press Secretary

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Indian-origin Raj Shah to fill in for White House Press Secretary

The highest ranking Indian-American in the White House Press Room, Raj Shah was once a bitter critic of US President Donald Trump

White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah will fill in for Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday (February 9) in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. Before joining the administration, Shah called President Trump “deplorable,” and also worked on campaign ads against him. Ironically, he is now the highest ranking official of Indian-origin in the White House Press Room and has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates of the Trump administration.

Here’s everything you need to know about Indian-American politician Raj Shah:

  1. He’s Deputy Press Secretary, but his role in the Trump administration is on a steady upswing

Shah is the White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Assistant to the President, but he has appeared regularly as a White House surrogate on TV. Representing the White House on television is usually reserved for more senior staffers.

In an interview with National Public Radio after the State of the Union, Shah said Trump’s speech was “unifying.”

“I do think it was a very unifying address. There was a lot that Democrats could have embraced. They seemed unwilling to want to,” he said to host Steve Inskeep.

He has supported and promoted Trump’s immigration views.

“Illegal immigration can pose a public safety and terrorism threat to the United States. That report reinforces that point,” he said to Chris Cuomo.

  1. First Indian-American in the White House Press Office

Shah’s parents were born in India, his father in Mumbai and his mother in Gujarat. They studied in the United States, moved back to India and then moved back to the United States in the 1970s. His father was an engineer, though later in life his father opened a chain of retail stores, His mother was a dentist.

Shah was born in Connecticut in 1984 and attended Brien McMahon High School, where he was named as an Ettinger Scholar. He volunteered for Representative Chris Shays and attended Cornell University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Government in 2006.

Shah is presently the highest ranking Indian-American to work in the White House Press Office.

  1. Not Always a Trump supporter

New York magazine had obtained private messages that showed Shah having once called Trump “deplorable” during the Presidential Election campaign in which Trump was pitted against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

On October 7, 2016, after the Washington Post published the Access Hollywood tape, in which listeners can hear Donald Trump discuss harassing women, Shah sent a message to Andrew Hemming, a senior RNC officer. He said: “I’m kinda enjoying this, some justice. I honestly don’t think it’s the worst thing he’s done but he somehow got passes for the other acts,” according to New York. He added, “Trump is a deplorable.”

The year before, Shah worked with Hemming to create an ad for the Jeb Bush campaign. On December 15, 2015, he sent an email with a CNN transcript where Trump speaks positively about President Obama and Hillary Clinton. Shah asked Hemming for footage of the interview, which was provided and used in a Jeb Bush campaign ad titled “Happy Anniversary, Donald!” released on the seven-year anniversary of the CNN comments.

  1. Shah Voted for George Bush, and Worked for Jeb

During high school, Shah volunteered for Representative Chris Shays and interned for Senator Joe Lieberman. He cast his first vote for George W. Bush, and interned in the White House in 2005. In 2010, Shah worked as campaign spokesman for New Mexico candidate for Governor Susana Martinez.

During the 2012 election, Shah was working as deputy research director at the Republican National Committee.  He then left to co-found America Rising, a right-wing political action committee.

During the 2016 election campaign cycle, Shah worked for Jeb Bush’s campaign, then rejoined the RNC in February 2015, working on opposition research.

Shah joined the Trump administration almost immediately after Trump took office. He was first Deputy Communications Director and Research Director at the White House, before being promoted to Deputy Press Secretary.

Credit: Hill.com

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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