Blinken calls deposed Niger leader ahead of expected US declaration that his overthrow was a coup

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called Niger’s deposed President Mohamed Bazoum ahead of an expected decision by the Biden administration to formally declare that his overthrow was a coup d’etat. The State Department said Blinken called Bazoum on Monday to stress that a restoration of a democratically elected government remains the best opportunity for Niger to remain a key partner of the U.S. and others in countering extremism in the region. The call came as the Biden administration is preparing to make a formal determination that July’s military takeover in the central African nation meets the legal standard for a coup, according to officials familiar with the matter.