The human race has peaked in many areas and will now decline, scientists suggest - Independent

7/12/2017

The human race has peaked in many areas and will now decline, scientists suggest

There appears to be a limit to how tall, old and strong we can be, according to a major new study

Andrew Griffin @_andrew_griffin 11 hours ago0 comments

Humanity has reached its peak and is now probably in its downfall, according to major new research.

People have long thought of human development as one long process of improvement, going on forever. But we are now running up against the limits of how good we can be, say scientists – and most likely we'll now just begin to fall again.

The major research review looked at 120 years of data and found that there appears to be limits on our characteristics, like when we die, how tall we can be and how strong we are. We are pushing up against those limits now, the research suggests.

What's more, the ways that we are changing our environment – including through global warming – is probably going to pull those limits down and force humanity into a decline, the researchers said.

For a long time, humanity has looked to be improving. Sprinting speeds that once seemed impossible are now commonplace, for instance, and the record for oldest person in the world is often being broken.

But with time, we'll probably see fewer world records being broken, the new research suggests, and little development in how old the oldest people are. More people might reach those peaks of performance, but the peaks will get no higher, the research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found.

UK risks becoming 'sick man of Europe' as life expectancy stalls

"These traits no longer increase, despite further continuous nutritional, medical, and scientific progress. This suggests that modern societies have allowed our species to reach its limits. We are the first generation to become aware of this" said Jean-François Toussaint from Paris Descartes University, France.

Some of those limits now appear to be falling. And it is in large part because of changes we are making to our environment, said Professor Toussaint.

"This will be one of the biggest challenges of this century as the added pressure from anthropogenic activities will be responsible for damaging effects on human health and the environment." he said in a statement. "The current declines in human capacities we can see today are a sign that environmental changes, including climate, are already contributing to the increasing constraints we now have to consider.

"Observing decreasing tendencies may provide an early signal that something has changed but not for the better. Human height has decreased in the last decade in some African countries; this suggests some societies are no longer able to provide sufficient nutrition for each of their children and maintain the health of their younger inhabitants."

The focus of politicians and other important decision makers should now be to focus on ensuring as many people as possible can reach the current limits, rather than stressing our need to keep pushing them higher, the researchers said.

"Now that we know the limits of the human species, this can act as a clear goal for nations to ensure that human capacities reach their highest possible values for most of the population," said Professor Toussaint. "With escalating environmental constraints, this may cost increasingly more energy and investment in order to balance the rising ecosystem pressures. However, if successful, we then should observe an incremental rise in mean values of height, lifespan and most human biomarkers."

6 things, including bitcoin, that Bill Gross thinks investors need to worry about in 2018 - CNBC New ( source : from Reuters )

7/12/2017

6 things, including bitcoin, that Bill Gross thinks investors need to worry about in 2018

Janus Henderson portfolio manager Bill Gross thinks investors should worry about central banks, debt and inflation in 2018.

The bond guru has been warning about investment dangers all year and has advised staying away from both bonds and stocks.

Gross discusses bitcoin, economist Hyman Minsky and the cost of carry.

Jeff Cox | @JeffCoxCNBCcom

CNBC.com

Bill Gross

Lucy Nicholson | Reuters

Bill Gross

Bond guru Bill Gross thinks investors need to "be careful in 2018" and cites six areas they need to watch as the calendar is set to turn.

In his monthly newsletter to clients, Gross frets over debt, liquidity and even bitcoin. The warnings come in a year when the portfolio manager at Janus Henderson expressed disdain for both stocks and bonds and advised owning real assets instead.

Of course, stocks have been on fire while bonds have been flat. Gross' $2.2 billion Janus Henderson Global Unconstrained Bond Fund has been a laggard, returning just 2.74 percent year to date and in the bottom third of its class, according to Morningstar rankings.

His cautious approach to investing remains, and he outlined a half-dozen reasons why:

Central banks

The Federal Reserve and its global counterparts have begun the first steps of policy normalization but have kept interest rates low.

While providing a backstop for the economy and markets, it also has given central banks less room to move in the future. Gross sees that as a problem because investors have less "insurance," in the form of central bank maneuverability, for bad times ahead.

"Should a crisis arise because of policy mistakes, geopolitical crises, or other currently unforeseen risks, the ability to protect principal will be impaired relative to history," he wrote. "That in turn argues for a more cautious and easier Fed than otherwise assumed."

Financial instability

Gross cites economist Hyman Minksy who warned about how long periods of financial stability actually could create instability. A "Minksy moment" in market parlance refers to a point where asset prices crash due to a sudden shift in debt or currency stability.

The surge in leverage since the financial crisis has been a concern for Gross and others, including Fed Chair Janet Yellen, who recently warned that the surge in government debt should "keep people awake at night."

Minksky "alerted economists to the fact that an economy is a delicate balance between production and finance. Both must be balanced internally and then the interplay between them balanced as well," Gross said.

Credit and asset prices

Capitalism in the current sense depends on credit creation that leads to asset price growth which ultimately generates business investment, Gross said.

However, it's a delicate ecosystem that can break down.

"This model, however, is leverage dependent and – 1) debt levels, 2) the availability, and 3) cost of that leverage are critical variables upon which its success depends," he wrote. "When one or more of these factors deteriorates, the probability of the model's success and stability go down."

Cost of carry

"Carry" refers to the price investors pay to hold assets on their balance sheets.

Professional investors need to be mindful of that cost and how it compares to whatever benchmark it is they are trying to beat. When the carry equation doesn't work anymore, investors have to move on.

"Timing that exit is obviously difficult and perilous, but critical for surviving in a new epoch. We may be approaching such a turning point, so invest more cautiously," Gross said.

The question of 'money'

Gross discusses the difference between cash and credit. When too many investors turned to cash and equivalents over credit, that can create a liquidity breakdown in the system.

"When the possibility of default increases and/or the real return on credit or liquidity decreases and persuades creditors to hold classical 'money' (cash, gold, bitcoin), then the financial system as we know it can be at risk (insurance companies, banks, mutual funds, etc.) as credit shrinks

and "money" increases, creating liquidity concerns," he said.

The Fed and inflation

The Fed and Treasury always have an interconnected relationship, but particularly so over the past decade as the central bank's holdings of government debt has surged.

At present the Fed is holding nearly $2.5 trillion of Treasurys on its $4.5 trillion balance sheet. However, the Fed is allowing a capped level of government debt to run off each month. Essentially, what the Fed has been doing is allowing the government to borrow money and pay a low level of interest on its debt.

"Money for nothing – The Treasury issuing debt for free. No need to pay down debt unless it creates inflation," Gross wrote. "For now, it is not. Probably later."

Trump Jr. says he communicated first with Hope Hicks, not his father, about Trump Tower response - CNN News

Trump Jr. says he communicated first with Hope Hicks, not his father, about Trump Tower response

CNN Digital Expansion DC Manu RajuJeremy Herb

By Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb, CNN

Updated 2325 GMT (0725 HKT) December 6, 2017

Trump Jr. says he talked to Hope Hicks about meeting

WaPo: Trump dictated son's Russia statement

Ike Kaveladze

8th person at Trump Tower meeting identified

President Donald Trump waves as he walks to Marine One to depart the White House, Wednesday, July 12, 2017, in Washington. Trump is headed to Paris for Bastille Day.

President Trump tweets defense of Trump Jr.

Jay Sekulow sotu 7/16

Trump attorney: Trump Jr. meeting not illegal

Chuck Grassley Donald Trump Jr testify raju intv_

Why GOP senator wants Trump Jr. to testify

French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump hold a press conference following meetings at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on July 13, 2017, during the US president's 24-hour trip that coincides with France's national day and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Donald Trump arrived in Paris for a presidential visit filled with Bastille Day pomp and which the White House hopes will offer respite from rolling scandal backing home.

President Trump defends son in Paris

trump jr fox

Trump Jr. defends Russia meeting in interview

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18: Donald Trump Jr. listens to a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Trump Jr. says he talked to Hope Hicks about meeting

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18: Donald Trump Jr. listens to a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Donald Trump Jr. to meet with House Intel

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 18: Donald Trump Jr. arrives at Trump Tower on January 18, 2017 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump is to be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Atlantic: Trump Jr. messaged with WikiLeaks

FILE - In this July 11, 2017, file photo, Donald Trump Jr. is interviewed by host Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel television program, in New York. The Republican National Committee has spent nearly $200,000 on legal fees for President Donald Trump's eldest son in connection with the Russia investigation. An RNC official says about $167,000 was paid to Donald Trump Jr.'s attorney, Alan Futerfas. Another $30,000 went to the law firm of Williams & Jenson, which helped prepare him for testimony. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss financial information not yet made public.

Report: Trump Jr. corresponded with WikiLeaks

GOLDEN, CO - OCTOBER 29: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally in the Rodeo Arena at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds October 29, 2016 in Golden, Colorado. The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Friday it discovered emails pertinent to the closed investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server and are looking to see if they improperly contained classified information. Trump said "I think it's the biggest story since Watergate." (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump was for leaks before he was president

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 30: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks to the media in the briefing room at the White House, on May 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

WH: As far as we know, meeting was on adoption

nyt report trump jr russia meeting mook bpr nr_00020317

NYT: Trump Jr. wanted damaging info on Clinton

LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 23: Donald Trump Jr. (L) looks on as his father, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks at a caucus night watch party at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on February 23, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The New York businessman won his third state victory in a row in the "first in the West" caucuses. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

WaPo: Trump dictated son's Russia statement

Ike Kaveladze

8th person at Trump Tower meeting identified

President Donald Trump waves as he walks to Marine One to depart the White House, Wednesday, July 12, 2017, in Washington. Trump is headed to Paris for Bastille Day.

President Trump tweets defense of Trump Jr.

Jay Sekulow sotu 7/16

Trump attorney: Trump Jr. meeting not illegal

Chuck Grassley Donald Trump Jr testify raju intv

Why GOP senator wants Trump Jr. to testify

French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump hold a press conference following meetings at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on July 13, 2017, during the US president's 24-hour trip that coincides with France's national day and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Donald Trump arrived in Paris for a presidential visit filled with Bastille Day pomp and which the White House hopes will offer respite from rolling scandal backing home.

President Trump defends son in Paris

trump jr fox

Trump Jr. defends Russia meeting in interview

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18: Donald Trump Jr. listens to a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Trump Jr. says he talked to Hope Hicks about meeting

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18: Donald Trump Jr. listens to a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Donald Trump Jr. to meet with House Intel

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 18: Donald Trump Jr. arrives at Trump Tower on January 18, 2017 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump is to be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Atlantic: Trump Jr. messaged with WikiLeaks

FILE - In this July 11, 2017, file photo, Donald Trump Jr. is interviewed by host Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel television program, in New York. The Republican National Committee has spent nearly $200,000 on legal fees for President Donald Trump's eldest son in connection with the Russia investigation. An RNC official says about $167,000 was paid to Donald Trump Jr.'s attorney, Alan Futerfas. Another $30,000 went to the law firm of Williams & Jenson, which helped prepare him for testimony. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss financial information not yet made public.

Report: Trump Jr. corresponded with WikiLeaks

GOLDEN, CO - OCTOBER 29: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally in the Rodeo Arena at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds October 29, 2016 in Golden, Colorado. The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Friday it discovered emails pertinent to the closed investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server and are looking to see if they improperly contained classified information. Trump said "I think it's the biggest story since Watergate." (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump was for leaks before he was president

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 30: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks to the media in the briefing room at the White House, on May 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

WH: As far as we know, meeting was on adoption

nyt report trump jr russia meeting mook bpr nr_00020317

NYT: Trump Jr. wanted damaging info on Clinton

(CNN)Donald Trump Jr. told House investigators that he did not communicate directly with his father when confronted with news reports about his June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, according to multiple sources with knowledge of his testimony.

Instead, Trump Jr. said he was speaking to White House aide Hope Hicks about how to respond to the reports. He said President Donald Trump, according to the sources, was debating between a longer and a shorter statement while the President and Hicks were aboard Air Force One.

Hicks was aboard Air Force One and was speaking with Trump while the statement was being crafted.

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Hope Hicks: A witness to Trump's rise

Hope Hicks: A witness to Trump's rise

Separately, sources said, Trump Jr. said he could not recall some key details about the White House response.

Trump Jr.'s highly anticipated testimony comes as he has faced growing questions on Capitol Hill about the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower where he met with Russian operatives after being promised dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees have interviewed several of the participants in the meeting, including when the House panel last week questioned the Russian translator, Anatoli Samochornov, who also attended the Trump Tower session, sources said.

Trump Jr. firmly denied that he had communicated with his father about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, according to the sources.

White House lawyer Ty Cobb told CNN on Wednesday that "the fact that each is fully cooperating is consistent with the way the White House has proceeded throughout the series of inquiries."

The Trump Tower meeting between Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort with a Russian lawyer who Trump Jr. believed had dirt on Clinton has been of intense interest to the congressional Russia investigators as well as special counsel Robert Mueller.

While aboard Air Force One, Trump took part in crafting his son's initial response to the reports of the meeting, which was sent out through the Trump Organization under Trump Jr.'s name.

Mueller has interviewed key White House staff, and he's likely interested in the discussions surrounding Trump Jr.'s statement -- at the very least, they could shed light on how much Trump and others knew about the meetings before learning about them in the press reports. The White House says it didn't learn about the meeting until it was reported.

CNN's Gloria Borger contributed to this report.

Trump Spoke to Romney Last Night, Aide Says - Associated Press

Trump Spoke to Romney Last Night, Aide Says

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

December 7, 2017, 12:52 AM GMT+11

RNC Chair on Family, Possible Mitt Romney Senate Run

RNC Chair on Family, Possible Mitt Romney Senate Run

Washington (AP) -- A top White House aide says President Donald Trump spoke late Tuesday with 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Kellyanne Conway said on CNN Wednesday that the two had a "wonderful conversation."

It was not clear if they discussed the Utah Senate race. Romney has been considering a 2018 run in Utah if Sen. Orrin Hatch retires. Trump has encouraged Hatch, 83, to seek another term.

Conway wouldn't say if Trump would support Romney in a potential Senate bid.

Romney fiercely criticized Trump during the presidential campaign.

Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon assailed Romney during a Tuesday rally for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore. Bannon attacked Romney as a "draft dodger." Romney received a draft deferment for his missionary work in France.

White House officials: Jerusalem decision could hurt peace process - CNN Politics

White House officials: Jerusalem decision could hurt peace process

CNN Digital Expansion DC Elise LabottJeremy Diamond 2017

By Elise Labott and Jeremy Diamond, CNN

Updated 0753 GMT (1553 HKT) December 7, 2017

Trump calls Jerusalem Israel's capital

Jerusalem US Embassy Package Ian Lee

US may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Jewish people take part in the Cohanim prayer (priest's blessing) during the Passover (Pesach) holiday at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on April 13, 2017, with the Dome of the Rock seen in the background.

Confusion over status of Western Wall

Officials: Israel source of disclosed intel

Trump hopes to mediate Israeli, Palestinian peace

A picture taken on December 28, 2016 shows the US Embassy building in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Will US move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem?

Trump: UN treats Israel 'very, very unfairly'

What's the Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution?

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017.

Zakaria: Trump's Mideast plan makes no sense

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman looks on during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on January 26, 2015.

Israel threatens to destroy Syrian air defense

US President Donald Trump walks to Air Force One prior to departure from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, December 4, 2017, as Trump travels to Salt Lake City, Utah.Trump calls Jerusalem Israel's capital

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 06: US President Donald Trump announces that the U.S. government will formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as Vice President Mike Pence looks on in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House December 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. In keeping with a campaign promise, Trump said the United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sometime in the next few years. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem.

Trump's words on Jerusalem over the years

US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on Jerusalem from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, DC on December 6, 2017.

Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israeli capital

Jerusalem's Temple Mount

Why Jerusalem's holy sites are so significant

US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on Jerusalem from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, DC on December 6, 2017 as US Vice President Mike Pence looks on.

Trump: US will support a 2-state solution

Conway: Trump is fulfilling a promise

jerusalem tillerson mideast peace

Tillerson: Good opportunity for peace

Jerusalem mayor: I applaud Donald Trump

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - MAY 23: (ISRAEL OUT) In this handout photo provided by the Israel Government Press Office (GPO), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on May 23, 2017 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister reinforces bond with US

Jerusalem US Embassy Package Ian Lee

US may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Jewish people take part in the Cohanim prayer (priest's blessing) during the Passover (Pesach) holiday at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on April 13, 2017, with the Dome of the Rock seen in the background.

Confusion over status of Western Wall

US President Donald Trump exits Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 13, 2017 .

Officials: Israel source of disclosed intel

Trump hopes to mediate Israeli, Palestinian peace

A picture taken on December 28, 2016 shows the US Embassy building in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Will US move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem?

Trump: UN treats Israel 'very, very unfairly'

What's the Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution?

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Zakaria: Trump's Mideast plan makes no sense

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman looks on during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on January 26, 2015.

Israel threatens to destroy Syrian air defense

US President Donald Trump walks to Air Force One prior to departure from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, December 4, 2017, as Trump travels to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Trump calls Jerusalem Israel's capital

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 06: US President Donald Trump announces that the U.S. government will formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as Vice President Mike Pence looks on in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House December 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. In keeping with a campaign promise, Trump said the United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sometime in the next few years. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem.

Trump's words on Jerusalem over the years

US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on Jerusalem from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, DC on December 6, 2017.

Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israeli capital

Jerusalem's Temple Mount

Why Jerusalem's holy sites are so significant

US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on Jerusalem from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, DC on December 6, 2017 as US Vice President Mike Pence looks on.

Trump: US will support a 2-state solution

Conway: Trump is fulfilling a promise

jerusalem tillerson mideast peace

Tillerson: Good opportunity for peace

Jerusalem mayor: I applaud Donald Trump

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - MAY 23: (ISRAEL OUT) In this handout photo provided by the Israel Government Press Office (GPO), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on May 23, 2017 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister reinforces bond with US

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The "derailment" was a cost the White House was prepared to accept

"We're prepared for derailment -- temporary, I hope," one White House official said

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump's decision Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital could temporarily derail the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, two senior White House officials acknowledged after Trump's speech.

The question now for those officials: For how long?

"We're prepared for derailment -- temporary, I hope. Pretty sure it will be temporary," said a senior White House official, who acknowledged that the President's peace team has not spoken with furious Palestinian officials since the Trump's announcement.

That "derailment" was a cost the White House was prepared to accept to fulfill Trump's campaign promise. And two senior White House officials said they felt making the announcement now -- before Israelis and Palestinians have reached the negotiating table -- would help mitigate the damage to the peace process.

Why Jerusalem's holy sites are so significant

Why Jerusalem's holy sites are so significant 01:59

"A lot of people put their heads into this decision to see how do we make this happen without at the same time throwing the peace process out of the window," one of the officials said.

"In terms of a moment where it could happen, where it could be the least disruptive at a moment in time, this is the moment," the second official said. "We know there will be some short term pain, but think it will help in the long run."

Trump's decision Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and direct the State Department to begin moving the embassy there comes after months during which Trump's peace team has focused on meeting with Israelis and Palestinians, gathering ideas and building relationships. Now, the officials said, they are in the midst of drafting a tentative peace accord, but have yet to seek to draw both sides back to the negotiating table.

But the move left Palestinian officials fuming, with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his chief negotiator Saeb Erakat blasting the US decision and claiming Trump's move "disqualified" the US from mediating the peace process.

The White House officials expressed hope that the Trump administration has built enough trust with the Palestinians to push through the current friction, but could not say when they believed the relationship would be patched up.

Trump's Jerusalem decision promises upheaval

Trump's Jerusalem decision promises upheaval

Trump's announcement on Jerusalem, which bucked seven decades of US foreign policy, came amid a string of setbacks for Palestinians, including a threat from the State Department to close the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Washington office.

While Trump had previously expressed a desire to hold off on moving the embassy to gauge the prospects for peace, the officials said Trump decided to move forward with the announcement because it will take months before US officials know if the current process -- led by the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt -- is likely to bear fruit.

And while senior administration officials have expressed hope that the move could help facilitate the peace process, two senior White House officials acknowledged Wednesday that that was not a central goal.

Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital

"His decision wasn't meant to help (the peace team). It was meant to do what he chose to do, but it was also meant to respect his other goal which is to reach a historic peace agreement," one senior White House official said.

Clarification: This story has been updated to give more precise timing about the impact on the peace process.

CNN's Jim Acosta contributed to this report.