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Patsy Widakuswara

Patsy Widakuswara is VOA's White House Bureau Chief. She brings with her over 27 years of broadcast experience as reporter, producer and anchor at leading radio and TV stations in Indonesia, the UK and the U.S.

Patsy holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of Indonesia and a master's in Journalism from Goldsmiths College, University of London. She lives in Washington with her son.

Produced by Patsy Widakuswara

December 14, 2024
Biden aides in region on diplomatic push for Syria, Gaza

Top aides to U.S. President Joe Biden are in the Middle East this week, to push for a cease-fire in Gaza and to deal with the fallout in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. The visits come amid military maneuvers from neighboring countries including U.S. allies Israel and Turkey. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
December 11, 2024
The president-elect may need to balance his isolationist tenor with US goals in Syria

Donald Trump has shown that he wants to avoid involvement in Syria following an insurgent group's ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. However, as White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports, the president-elect might need to balance his stance with U.S. goals of protecting Israel, isolating Iran, and dealing with Russia, Turkey, and other actors.
November 12, 2024
Trump looks at conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine as early foreign policy goals

President-elect Donald Trump has not provided details on what U.S. foreign policy will look like under his incoming administration. But his early conversations with leaders following his election victory suggest he aims to fulfill his promises to quickly end the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports.
November 07, 2024
Harris concedes presidential win to Trump

The United States is preparing for a transfer of power, with President Joe Biden congratulating President-elect Donald Trump on his victory and Vice President Kamala Harris conceding defeat. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report from Howard University, where Harris spoke Wednesday.
November 07, 2024
Harris supporters leave Howard University disappointed following election loss

Hundreds of supporters joined Vice President Kamala Harris at Howard University in Washington, DC to await the elections results. However, as VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara told VOA's Esther Githui-Ewart, what many expected to be a thunderous celebration ended in disappointment as she did not get the expected vote.
October 23, 2024
Blinken visits Tel Aviv as Israeli forces pummel Lebanon, Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv Tuesday, pushing to increase humanitarian access to Palestinians and to end Israel’s war in Gaza and Lebanon. Washington is calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and the enforcement of a U.N. resolution that ended the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah. But as White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports, both appear elusive.
October 17, 2024
How Hurricanes Helene and Milton might impact voting in the 2024 US Presidential election

The U.S. states of Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia are dealing with the aftermath of two major hurricanes that killed hundreds of people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. With the presidential election less than a month away and the race extremely close, White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at how the storms might affect voting in these states.
October 09, 2024
Officials in Michigan work to prevent voter fraud in upcoming election

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and many of his supporters claim, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen and are warning that the same could happen in 2024. Republican and Democratic election officials in Michigan disagree with those claims and are working to assure Americans that their votes are secure. VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports from Michigan.
October 09, 2024
Biden postpones Germany, Angola trip to oversee Hurricane Milton response

U.S. President Joe Biden Tuesday postponed his scheduled trip to Germany and Angola to oversee the response to Hurricane Milton, which has left residents of the state of Florida in fear as they brace themselves for the natural disaster, days after Hurricane Helene ravaged the nation’s southeastern region. VOA's White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has more.
September 25, 2024
Will pro-Palestinian opposition hurt Harris in Michigan?

Beginning as a protest against President Joe Biden’s policies on the war in Gaza, an organization called the Uncommitted National Movement announced last week that it will not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. “Abandon Harris,” another pro-Palestinian group, says it's working to ensure her defeat. Could these movements impact election results in battleground states? White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports from Michigan, the U.S. state with the highest percentage of Arab Americans.
September 13, 2024
Israel strikes central Gaza school, kills 6 UN aid workers and 12 others

Israeli authorities report recently striking a United Nations school turned shelter in central Gaza, resulting in the death of 18 people, including six U.N. aid workers who Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government says were members of Hamas. In response to the attack, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a key mediator in cease-fire talks between the warring rivals, said he will raise the issue of protecting humanitarian sites with Israel, Washington’s ally, while criticizing Hamas for “hiding in” civilian sites. VOA’s Patsy Widakuswara has more.
September 06, 2024
Will the gender of the US presidential candidates influence voters’ choices?

Unlike Hillary Clinton in her 2016 campaign, Kamala Harris has no apparent gender messaging in her 2024 presidential run. Yet both her gender — and that of her rival, Donald Trump — are on the ballot. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at the two campaigns and their approach on gender issues.
September 05, 2024
US dismisses concerns about possible complications with Gaza cease-fire deal

The United States on Wednesday dismissed concerns that criminal charges brought against Hamas leaders in connection with the October 7 attack in Israel would complicate ongoing negotiations to reach a Gaza cease-fire deal in return for the release of hostages held by the militant group. VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has more.
August 28, 2024
Next US government should prioritize Middle East tensions, analysts say

Political analysts observing developments in the U.S. as the nation prepares for its November elections, and in the Middle East where Washington’s ally Israel is at war against Hamas militants, say whoever takes over from outgoing President Joe Biden should prioritize managing tensions between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian militant group. VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has more.
August 24, 2024
Sidelined at the DNC, pro-Palestinian Democrats play the long game

Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed her support for Israel in her Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, signaling that her administration would not diverge from Joe Biden’s on its Gaza war policy. Pro-Palestinian delegates say they will continue pushing to condition U.S. military aid to Israel, White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports from the DNC in Chicago, Illinois.
August 23, 2024
Harris distinguishes her vision with Trump’s as she accepts Democrats’ nomination

Just a month after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection, Kamala Harris, Thursday, accepted the nomination to be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. She contrasted her record and vision to that of her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump. VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
August 20, 2024
US President Biden addresses DNC, passes torch to VP Harris

A month after stepping away from the race to the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden Monday addressed members of his Democratic Party at the Democratic National Convention, DNC, where he sought to burnish his legacy and pass the torch to his vice president and the party’s new nominee, Kamala Harris. VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has more from the DNC in Chicago, Illinois.
August 17, 2024
Harris, Trump, duel on inflation, taxes

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump laid out their economic visions for the country this week, promising to rein in inflation and slash federal taxes on workers’ tips. While both ideas are popular with voters ahead of the November presidential election, experts say they are not so easy to implement. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
August 06, 2024
Harris selects Tim Walz as her running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate Tuesday, capping off a whirlwind sequence of events since President Joe Biden endorsed her to be the top of the Democratic party's presidential nominee less than three weeks ago. Harris and Walz will kick off a seven-state trip to some of the biggest battleground states in the election. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
August 03, 2024
Trump criticizes Harris for foreign policy proposals

Former U.S. president and 2024 Republican candidate, Donald Trump has criticized his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, for what experts say would likely be a continuation of policies that were under outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration, should the vice president win the race to the White House. VOA’s Patsy Widakuswara has more.

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