Vietnam appoints army general as new president after months of turmoil

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam elected Luong Cuong, a military general, as its new president on Monday, the fourth official to fill the largely ceremonial role in 18 months.

Cuong, 67, was elected by the National Assembly to replace To Lam, who remained president even after he was formally appointed as the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party in August.

The role of the general secretary is the most powerful position in Vietnam while the presidency is mostly ceremonial and involves meeting foreign dignitaries.

Cuong in a speech vowed to conduct foreign policies that sought independence and peace and to promote Vietnam “as a friend, a trusted partner, an active and responsible member of the international community.”

Cuong, who has served in the Vietnamese army for over four decades, has been a Politburo member since 2021.

His appointment took place after months of uncharacteristic tumult in Vietnam's politics and the death of former party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who had dominated the country’s leadership since 2011.

Trong was an ideologue who viewed corruption as the single gravest threat in maintaining the party’s legitimacy and launched a sweeping anti-graft campaign known as the “blazing furnace.” It singled both business and political elites, including former presidents Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong and the former head of parliament, Vuong Dinh Hue.

As Vietnam’s top security official at the time, Lam had led the campaign until May. When he became the new general secretary, he promised to maintain the anti-corruption fight.

The campaign, albeit popular with many Vietnamese citizens, had spooked investors and made the bureaucracy more cautious, slowing down decision-making in the country.

The appointment of Cuong as the new president was a “move to stabilize the system” after the period of turbulence, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow in the Vietnam Studies Program at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.

“Luong Cuong’s appointment represents a deliberate attempt to restore balance between Vietnam’s military and security factions, particularly ahead of the 2026 Party Congress,” he said.

“By ceding the presidency, To Lam shows his commitment to the collective leadership principle, while still retaining the decisive power in the system,” he said.

Vietnam's leaders are next due to convene a Communist Party Congress in early 2026.

Critics said that Cuong's appointment would expand repression in Vietnam.

Ben Swanton of The 88 Project, a group that advocates for freedom of expression in Vietnam, said that Cuong would be a “reliable deputy” to Lam.

“The installation of Luong Cuong as president is yet another example of the expansion of Vietnam’s police state," he said.

Newly elected President Luong Cuong arrives at the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

Vietnam's newly elected President Luong Cuong, from left, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam and Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man pose together for photo in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

Vietnam's newly elected President Luong Cuong, left, and General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam are seen outside the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam delivers a speech at the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

Vietnam's newly elected President Luong Cuong, from left, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam are seen outside the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday, Oct.21, 2024. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and tied a career high with 19 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-116 on Wednesday night.

James Harden added 21 points for the Cavaliers, who have won four straight and seven of eight. Cleveland (51-29) can finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is 1/2 game behind New York for the third seed.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 24 off the bench as Atlanta was unable to clinch a playoff berth with the loss. The Hawks (45-35) have dropped their last two after winning four straight. They are one game ahead of Toronto for the fifth seed but only 1 1/2 in front of Orlando to avoid being in the play-in tournament.

It was Mitchell's 200th regular-season game with at least 20 points in four years with the Cavaliers. He is the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.

Mitchell had his 14th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta took a 67-56 lead on a dunk by Dyson Daniels with 57 seconds remaining in the first half before Cleveland went on a 17-3 run over the final minute of the second quarter and first three minutes of the third.

Cleveland outscored Atlanta 44-20 in the third to take a 104-87 advantage into the final 12 minutes. A 3-point play by Dennis Schroder put the Cavaliers up 110-92 before the Hawks answered back with an 18-2 run where Alexander-Walker had seven points.

Kuminga's dunk got Atlanta within 118-116 and had a chance to tie after Sam Merrill missed a 3-pointer. But Alexander-Walker lost possession of the ball in the paint before Jarrett Allen got the steal. Mitchell then made a pair of free throws to put the Cavaliers up by more than one possession.

The two teams meet Friday in Atlanta for the fourth and final time in the regular season.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in front of Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, right, reaches for the ball with teammate Dean Wade (32) and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, center, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) dunks between Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu, left, and guard Dyson Daniels (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)