I have respected and admired Avril Haines ever since she first served as my counsel on the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate. I saw then that she had a first-rate mind and keen insight into the biggest…

President Obama spoke by phone last night with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan to express the United States’ deepest condolences and unwavering support for the Pakistani people in the aftermath of yesterday’s horrific terrorist attack against Peshawar’s Army Public…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today President Barack Obama granted clemency to twenty individuals, consisting of eight commutations and twelve pardons. The President granted commutations of sentence to the following eight individuals: Sidney Earl Johnson, Jr. – Mobile, AL Offense:  Conspiracy to…

Jill and I want to thank Raj Shah for the leadership and determination he has shown through five years as one of the most effective USAID Administrators in our nation’s history. Both of us have had the honor of working…

Cabinet Room 12:01 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon.  Today, the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba. In the most significant changes in our policy in more than fifty years, we will end…

Today, the Vice President called Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to discuss the President’s announcement on U.S. Cuba policy changes. The Vice President discussed the President’s historic changes to U.S. Cuba policy, including re-establishing…

This afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden spoke with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani. The Vice President and President Barzani discussed recent security and political developments. The Vice President discussed with President Barzani the passage of congressional legislation that removes…

President Obama spoke last evening with Japanese Prime Minister Abe to congratulate him on his party’s impressive victory in last Sunday’s elections and to thank him for his strong leadership on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues over…

The President called Prime Minister Abbott last night regarding the Sydney hostage tragedy.  The President expressed condolences on behalf of the American people to the families that lost loved ones, and his wishes for a speedy recovery to those who…

For the past five years, Raj Shah has been at the center of my Administration’s efforts to advance our global development agenda as the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). To be sure, his tasks have never…