ADL’s Lauren Wolman: ‘The fact that a Member of Congress was subjected to this kind of abuse so openly is outrageous and a sign of how far too normalized antisemitism has become’
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Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) speaks during a press conference outside of Columbia University on April 22, 2024 in New York City.
Add JewishInsider on GoogleWilliam Paul, the adult son of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), verbally accosted Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) at a popular bar in Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening in a lengthy, public antisemitic tirade, Lawler confirmed to Jewish Insider on Wednesday afternoon.
NOTUS, whose reporter witnessed the confrontation, was the first to report the situation.
The tirade occurred less than a week before the congressional election in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, where anti-Israel Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has repeatedly faced accusations of antisemitism, is facing a primary challenger, Ed Gallrein, backed by President Donald Trump and a range of Jewish and pro-Israel groups.
Lawler said that William Paul was visibly intoxicated when he entered the restaurant, the Tune Inn. He said that Paul had confronted him when he first entered the restaurant, and introduced himself as the senator’s son, later sitting next to Lawler at the bar and ultimately interjecting into Lawler’s conversation with the NOTUS reporter.
“He goes on a drunken tirade about Thomas Massie, and if he loses, it’s because of my people. I said, ‘My people, who’s that?’ He goes, ‘Jews,’” Lawler, who is Catholic, told JI.
Lawler said that he told Paul he was not Jewish, and that Paul had apologized for “accusing you of that,” to which Lawler responded, “‘Even if I was Jewish, what’s the problem?’ And he just went on a tirade about it. Totally insane.”
He said that Paul went on to rant, “I hate Jews and I hate gay people, and I don’t care if they die,” which Lawler called “pretty vile” and “f****** disgusting.” He described Paul as engaging in a “roughly 10-minute diatribe about Israel, accusing Jews of being responsible for so many things, playing right into the typical antisemitic tropes that so many people rely on.”
Paul ended the conversation by giving Lawler the middle finger, and tripped on his way out of the bar, according to Lawler.
Lawler said that he was “honestly flabbergasted that somebody would engage in that type of rhetoric, let alone directly to a member of Congress.” He called it “arguably the most shocking thing” he’d experienced in his four years in Washington.
Paul apologized for the comments on Wednesday.
“Last night, I had too much to drink and said some things that don’t represent who I really am. I’m sorry and today I am seeking help for my drinking problem,” Paul wrote on X.
Asked what he wanted to hear from the elder Paul in response to the incident, Lawler said he would be “mortified” if it was his own child who had engaged in such behavior, but said he would leave it to the senator how he wants to respond. He said he hasn’t spoken to Sen. Paul or Massie about the incident.
He said that there is “no question when you look at some of the polling that the issue of Israel among young people and support for Israel is waning, and it’s a concern. … I think a lot of the anti-Israel sentiment is rooted in Jew-hatred, and driven by antisemitic tropes that are published on social media and online, and it’s something that we as a society and certainly Congress needs to combat.”
He said the incident “speaks to a larger issue, obviously in society, and what we’re seeing among young people and what we see online,” a “level of hatred and vitriol” that his Jewish colleagues and Jewish constituents have experienced firsthand.
The Kentucky senator’s office did not respond to JI’s request for comment on the incident.
Multiple House lawmakers condemned Paul’s son.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) told JI, “his grandfather,” former Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) “was an antisemite. So why should we be surprised that it didn’t fall from the tree? And his father’s supporting the biggest antisemite in the house, Thomas Massie. So I don’t find it surprising. I would be curious where he works, because I wouldn’t suspect he’ll work there for long.”
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) wrote on X, “If you are wondering how things are going up on Capit[o]l Hill. We have elected family members screaming ‘you are a Jew’ at catholics.”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) called it, “Repugnant behavior that we don’t want in the GOP.”
Melanie Pell, chief engagement officer for the American Jewish Committee, who lives in Kentucky, told JI, “What’s most disturbing here is how casually ‘Jew”’ was weaponized as a slur in a face-to-face exchange. This isn’t about politics or personal relationships — this is textbook antisemitic bigotry, and its normalization should alarm everyone.”
Pell said she “would hope that Senator Paul would be quick to condemn any use of ‘Jew’ as a slur irrespective of the source.”
The Republican Jewish Coalition responded to the original NOTUS report saying simply, “gross.” Jeff Miller, a Republican lobbyist and board chair of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, responded, “WTF.”
Rabbi Shlomo Litvin, the chairman of the Kentucky Jewish Council, said that his organization was “deeply disturbed both by the antisemitic conspiracy theories posited by Mr. Paul and with his comfort in harassing someone he thought was Jewish in a public place.”
“The antisemitic conspiracy of Jews controlling the government, supported by extremist bigots like Thomas Massie and Tucker Carlson are not only false, stupid, and a refutation of American values, they are also dangerous, as we can see how they go from online bots to public confrontations, and can potentially turn to violence,” he said in a statement.
Litvin reiterated his concern over the younger Paul’s actions in an interview with JI later Wednesday, questioning if the encounter with Lawler would have ended differently if Paul had confronted “a kid in a yarmulke.”
“My initial reaction is hurt, but not shock. What Congressman Lawler went through last night is an experience that nearly every Jewish American understands,” Litvin said. “I’m relieved this was a U.S. congressman who he thought was Jewish. It could have just been a kid in a yarmulke, and I don’t know how the night would have ended in that case.”
Litvin linked the Tuesday night incident with Massie’s appearance on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, accusing the Kentucky congressman of spreading “Nazi propaganda of Jewish control of the government” as he claimed Jews were responsible for his primary challenge.
Massie, according to Litvin, “said, ‘I’m the only one who didn’t support the leader of my party in my body, Speaker Johnson, and I voted against Trump. Now they’re coming after me and it’s because of the Jews.’ Perhaps, if you’ve made enemies out of all the leaders of your party, the Jews are not responsible when people are upset with you, but that’s his claim, that it’s the Jews, it’s the Zionists.”
“That’s exactly what this young man said to Mike Lawler: ‘You need to watch more Tucker Carlson because this is what they’re talking about,’” he said.
Still, Litvin repeatedly emphasized in his statement and to JI that he has “never seen a hint of antisemitism” from Sen. Paul “who has been a friend to Jewish Kentuckians, condemning antisemitism, supporting Jewish students, standing for the return of stolen Holocaust art and valuables, rejecting the hateful extremism at international organizations, and celebrating the Jewish community’s contributions to our country.”
Litvin called on statewide officials to condemn the younger Paul’s comments, while defending the Kentucky senator.
“I think everyone should speak out at this point. I think we have a growing problem we’ve been ignoring in America. Of Candace Owens, of Tucker Carlson, of Hasan Piker,” he continued. “They’re not on some big news station who’s held responsible. They are given a limitless platform and a microphone, and far too many times we have seen those direct comments lead to violence.”
Lauren Wolman, the senior director of government relations and strategy for the Anti-Defamation League, called the comments “disgusting and dangerous.”
“We’re thankful to Rep. Lawler for standing up in the face of this hate, but the fact that a Member of Congress was subjected to this kind of abuse so openly is outrageous and a sign of how far too normalized antisemitism has become,” Wolman said. “Every leader and public official, in every party, must condemn it clearly and unequivocally and make clear this hate will not be tolerated.”
The incident comes just days after another antisemitic incident in Massie’s race drew widespread national condemnation. An outside group backing Massie and opposing Gallrein published a vitriolic attack ad against Gallrein donor and Jewish billionaire Paul Singer, which placed Singer alongside a large star of David.
Paul has made headlines in the past for alcohol-related issues, including a 2015 collision with a parked vehicle while intoxicated and a 2013 arrest for assaulting a flight attendant, underage drinking and disorderly conduct.
Paul’s LinkedIn page lists him as a digital communications manager in the House, and a former staffer for two conservative groups. But a recent post from four days ago suggested he no longer works on the Hill.
Jewish Insider’s Washington reporter Matthew Shea contributed to this report.
Despite the three Republican defections, the measure still failed to pass
Kevin Carter/Getty Images
U.S. Capitol Building on January 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) became the latest of a small number of Senate Republicans to break ranks and vote with the majority of Democrats in favor of an effort to force an end to the war in Iran on Wednesday.
She joined Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who voted for the second time for such an effort, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has consistently voted with Democrats on the issue. Nevertheless, the effort still fell short of a majority of the Senate, or of the 60 vote threshold needed for passage, with a final vote of 49 in favor to 50 against.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) remained the only Democrat to vote against the war powers effort.
Murkowski has been working with other Senate Republicans on an Authorization for Use of Military Force to set limits on the U.S. operations against Iran, but it remains unclear when she plans to introduce it or what its scope will be.
Murkowski and Collins’ votes suggest they’re unconvinced by the administration’s assertions that the military operations that began in late February have now concluded. The War Powers Act sets a 60-day deadline for military action without congressional approval.
“You’ve got a timeline that has taken us beyond the 60 days,” Murkowski told reporters. “I thought that perhaps we would get … more clarity from the administration in terms of where we are, and I haven’t received it. So I felt that it was now time to advance a discharge so that we can discuss our responsibilities as Congress under the War Powers Act.”
Collins said following the prior vote, two weeks ago, that she had voted for the resolution in order to enforce the War Powers Act.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who previously said his position might change after the 60-day mark and has been urging the administration not to restart military operations, again voted against the war powers effort.
“I think the administration’s in compliance, the president’s [in] compliance with the war powers statute given his certification to Congress … saying that he had terminated hostilities under Operation Epic Fury,” Hawley told Jewish Insider, echoing comments he made earlier this week. “I welcome the termination of hostilities … I’m glad [Trump] has resisted some of my colleagues’ calls to return to large-scale bombing and is pursuing an end to the conflict. I think that’s good.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had urged Republicans not to break ranks on the issue while President Donald Trump is in China on a state visit this week.
“Right now, the president’s overseas,” Thune said. “He’s negotiating with the Chinese on a whole range of issues, some of which bear on national security, and I think it would be best if everybody hung together and supported the president.”
Sen. John Curtis (R-UT), who had previously expressed opposition to any military operations beyond the 60-day deadline, also voted against the resolution. He suggested to reporters that the efforts from Democrats were not “serious.”
“I’ve yet to see a serious war powers vote. Let’s admit it, all this is a poke at the president,” Curtis said.
Curtis told reporters later in the day that the situation and the path forward is not simple, and that many questions including whether the U.S. is in a ceasefire, whether hostilities have actually stopped and whether the U.S. is drawing down from operations in Iran need to be answered to shape his approach to the issue.
He said that there is not “any question in my mind” that the 60-day period has expired. He reiterated that he would not fund the war beyond 60 days without congressional authorization.
Asked by JI whether he would introduce his own war powers resolution or AUMF as an alternative to those pushed by Democrats, Curtis indicated he does not plan to do so. “Ever since 1973,” when the War Powers Act was first passed, “Congress has struggled with what the answer is.”
He said he wants to ensure the administration maintains freedom to act in an emergency scenario. He said that drawing the proper boundaries is “not easy, and there’s a reason nothing’s been done on it. It’s not a matter of will, it’s a matter of where do you draw that line? I do think it’s time to have that conversation and count me in, in a group that would try to define that.”
Asked about the potential for renewed military action, he said he would have to evaluate it and the requirements for notifying Congress based on events as they occur.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) told reporters he wants to work with the administration on an AUMF, dismissing comments by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth yesterday indicating that the administration feels it does not need and does not plan to seek an AUMF if it returns to combat.
The House is set to vote on a war powers resolution on Thursday, which stands a greater chance of passage. However, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), who voted for the first war powers resolution that came before the House earlier this year, said he plans to vote “present” tomorrow, as he did on the second House vote.
Jewish Insider Washington reporter Matthew Shea contributed reporting.
Plus, Jewish activists look local to fight for their values
Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Ron Dermer, Israeli ambassador to the United States, seen speaking at an AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
👋 Good Tuesday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we look at how Israel is responding to the Trump administration’s openness to negotiations with Iran, and spotlight the post-Oct. 7 rise in grassroots Jewish activist groups that seek to educate local officials and candidates about issues of importance to the Jewish community. We have the scoop on a private apology from a Washington, D.C., mayoral candidate to local Jewish leaders over her pledge to the Democratic Socialists of America to boycott Zionist events, and report on former Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s work with Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, whose “AIPAC Tracker” targets candidates who have accepted campaign funds from a range of pro-Israel groups. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Nathan Benaich and Eli Wald.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by JI Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with assists from Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was confirmed last night as secretary of Homeland Security in a 54-45 vote, with Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) voting for Mullin and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voting against. He’ll be sworn in later this morning.
- Meanwhile, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle signaled movement toward resolving the stalemate over Department of Homeland Security funding after a group of Republicans spoke to President Donald Trump about the issue.
- The Hill & Valley Forum is taking place today in Washington. Jacob Helberg, a co-founder of the forum now serving as the State Department’s undersecretary of state for economic affairs, will kick off the daylong confab this morning, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will deliver the keynote address in the afternoon. Others slated to speak at Hill & Valley include U.S. International Development Finance Corporation CEO Ben Black, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jim Banks (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mark Warner (D-VA); Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Riley Moore (R-WV); Palantir’s Mike Gallagher (himself a former member of Congress), JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, Sequoia’s Shaun Maguire and Base Power Company’s Zach Dell.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S LAHAV HARKOV
“We will safeguard our vital interests under all circumstances,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, hours after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would suspend strikes on Iranian energy facilities to start negotiations.
In a Hebrew video statement, Netanyahu tried to reassure the Israeli public that the war would end in a way that made the previous three weeks — in which they, not Americans, ran with their children to bomb shelters multiple times a day — worth it. He vowed that Israel would be “continuing to strike in both Iran and Lebanon.”
“Earlier today, I spoke with our friend, President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “President Trump believes there is an opportunity to leverage the tremendous achievements we have reached alongside the U.S. military to realize the goals of the war through an agreement, an agreement that will safeguard our vital interests.”
Behind the scenes, however, the phone call was not enough to reassure Jerusalem that Washington had its interests in mind, and Netanyahu dispatched his closest advisor, Ron Dermer, to deter the Trump administration from reaching a “not good” deal, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
Note the word choice: “not good.” If negotiations are genuine and this is not another mind game by the Trump administration, Israeli officials were not so optimistic in their briefings to Jewish Insider and Israeli media as to say there could be a good outcome from a deal that, de facto, would continue to recognize the mullahs’ regime — but perhaps a disaster could be averted.
Netanyahu used the term “vital interests” twice in his statement. The top interest on Dermer’s list is ensuring that the 440 kg of highly enriched uranium, the material that Iran boasted to White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was enough for 11 bombs, would be removed from Iran. According to Ynet, Witkoff made this demand clear, raising his voice on the phone to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi before the latter’s first overture last week to return to the negotiating table.
PAIN TO POWER
From WhatsApp chats to City Hall, a new Jewish activism is born
A new class of Jewish American activists has emerged since the Oct, 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel: people who were disappointed by the apathy or even outright hostility that some co-workers, teachers, neighbors and local elected officials demonstrated towards Jews and Israelis suffering in the aftermath of the massacres and who felt no one was doing what was needed to reach those leaders, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Meeting a need: “Even when we have special elections for things that seem totally unrelated, like the county assessor, which is in charge of property taxes and things like that, at this point, people are reaching out to us and saying, ‘Who do we vote for?’” said Bay Area Jewish Coalition co-founder Keren-Or Reiss, who was born in Israel and now lives in San Mateo, Calif., where she works as a product manager at a tech company. “Is there someone here who’s going to somehow use this platform to spread hate or to normalize antisemitism against us?”
SCOOP
DSA-backed D.C. mayoral candidate apologizes privately to Jewish leaders over pledging to boycott Zionist events
Janeese Lewis George, a Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidate for mayor of Washington, D.C., met with prominent local rabbis and Jewish community leaders last week amid fallout over a DSA questionnaire she filled out outlining her views on Israel and antisemitism, that was made public last month, two sources familiar with the meeting told Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch.
Questionnaire controversy: In the questionnaire, Lewis George pledged not to attend events focused on “promoting Zionism and apartheid.” She also said that she had attended a D.C. Jewish Community Relations Council event in December only to talk about opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s deportation measures in the region, and that she did not agree with JCRC’s stances on Israel, Zionism and antisemitism. At the meeting, at the Orthodox Ohev Sholom Congregation in Shepherd Park, Lewis George apologized for her statements in the questionnaire, one of the event’s attendees told JI, and cried when someone in the meeting described feeling hurt by her answers in the questionnaire.
Bonus: In the Washington Jewish Week, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington CEO Ron Halber raises concerns about the DSA’s questionnaire, calling it “an outrageous and revolting display of religious discrimination. Candidates should not engage with this anti-Jewish loyalty oath, and candidates who have received the DSA endorsement should disavow it.”
SECOND ACT
Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman finds work with Track AIPAC
Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who lost his bid for reelection in 2024 largely over his hostile views on Israel, now appears to be working for a political action committee linked to a radical anti-AIPAC social media account — a committee funded in part by soft-rock icon Don Henley, Jewish Insider’s Will Bredderman reports.
Paper trail: The latest disclosure filings from Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, one of two PACs tied to the X account AIPAC Tracker and website Track AIPAC, show that it paid $7,000 to a Yonkers, N.Y.-based firm called JAB Advocates for “General Campaign Consulting.” JAB does not appear to be a registered company in New York, but its address in the filing belongs to Bowman, who lost a primary challenge for his seat covering parts of the Bronx and Westchester County to Rep. George Latimer (D-NY) in 2024. Bowman’s LinkedIn identifies him as JAB Advocates’ “Founder & Principal.”
BACKTRACK BLAKE
Ritchie Torres challenger Michael Blake flip-flops on BDS stance
Michael Blake, a far-left primary challenger to Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) who has grounded his challenge largely in criticism of Torres’ pro-Israel stance, flipped his view on the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement during his campaign, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod and Will Bredderman report.
Flip-flop: In January, at a candidate forum, Blake affirmed his opposition to the BDS movement and highlighted anti-BDS legislation he helped sponsor as a state assemblyman. But in an X post on Friday, he reversed his position on the issue. “I oppose efforts that punish [BDS movement] participation,” Blake said on X. “My previous support of NY bills was wrong b/c I didn’t understand the harm incl. the ‘Palestine exception’ on speech & academic freedom for Palestinian rights. Gov’t must protect Free speech & reject retaliation & fear.”
POLICY REBUKE
Sen. Richard Blumenthal decries ‘stupid’ decision to ease Iranian oil sanctions
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) lambasted the Trump administration for lifting sanctions on some Iranian oil last week, allowing the sale of 140 million barrels of oil currently at sea in a bid to bring down oil prices globally and potentially netting Iran $14 billion, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What he said: “The irony is, we worked so hard to get those sanctions imposed and Republicans pushed so diligently, and now literally in the flick of a pen, [President Donald] Trump lifts them with very little benefit to consumers in America and tremendous boost to Iran and Russia, both of them trying to kill our troops and saying ‘death to America’ and ‘death to Israel,’” Blumenthal told JI.
No comment: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) did not directly address whether the degradation of Iran’s military infrastructure should be viewed as a positive outcome, instead emphasizing the war’s potential economic and geopolitical consequences, when asked by MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough on Monday’s edition of “Morning Joe” whether that degradation was a “good thing.”
CLEARED FIELD
N.J. progressive Analilia Mejia will not face serious Dem opposition in primary
Analilia Mejia, a progressive activist and organizer who won a surprise victory in the special election primary in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, looks to be on track to win the district’s regular election Democratic primary after several of her potential opponents declined to run, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Dropping out: Former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way announced Sunday that she won’t run against Mejia for the seat, leaving Mejia with no major Democratic competition; other moderate candidates in the special election primary also declined to run again, and Assemblywoman Rosaura Bagolie briefly considered a run, but decided not to pursue a bid as elected Democrats in the state quickly coalesced behind Mejia. Way was the favorite of pro-Israel groups in the primary. Several of the other Democratic special election candidates pledged not to run for the full term if they lost the special election — but Way had not made such a promise.
Worthy Reads
The Mullahs’ Messenger: The Wall Street Journal’s Laurence Norman spotlights Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has led Tehran’s negotiations with the West on a variety of issues, including the nuclear talks that preceded the start of the war last month. “In the months leading up to the U.S. and Israeli campaign, senior Arab officials say Araghchi flitted between openness, at times joining friendly dinners, and menacing by appearing to imply Iran might attack its neighbors. At one point, he told Saudi officials that Iran would target the United Arab Emirates, which has an open split with Riyadh, if war broke out. At other moments, he suggested the kingdom was also in Iran’s sights if it didn’t prod Washington away from war, the officials said. Tehran eventually attacked both.” [WSJ]
Droning On: The Washington Post’s Damir Marusic considers how Iran’s use of mass-produced, low-cost weaponry could affect how the Pentagon plans for future military conflicts. “The Shaheds detonating around the Persian Gulf underline the point that the era of relying purely on exquisite, expensive weapons is over. Watching cheap drones tear apart Ukraine’s Western-provided air defenses should have been a wake-up call, but the problem remained theoretical. Washington carefully rationed what was sent to the Ukrainians without asking difficult questions about U.S. arsenals. Now, by depleting existing stocks, Trump is forcing the reckoning: Just how will the U.S. rebuild?” [WashPost]
Open Season: In UnHerd, Ben Judah, who served as special advisor to former U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy, reflects on the recent instances of violent antisemitism targeting Diaspora Jewry, including in his community in London. “A war is being waged against the Jewish diaspora. It is being waged with bombs, shootings, harassment and intimidation. The attacks, and the fear of them, are a small side plot in a great Middle Eastern War. … Yet more than fear, I feel disappointment. For if ever me and my son, or any of us who pray here, were butchered by a gunman shouting ‘Free Palestine,’ many Western activists would equivocate, contextualize, or even say it served us right.” [UnHerd]
Word on the Street
Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said that the U.S. plans to contribute $250 million to a supply chain investment fund — part of the White House’s Pax Silica initiative — whose other participants include the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Qatar….
The Telegraph reports that outposts of British private schools based in Qatar are using course materials that whitewash the Holocaust…
Wesam Hassanein, who served as Vice President JD Vance’s Middle East affairs advisor, is departing government to join the lobbying firm Continental Strategy LLC; Hassanein said that he was “not leaving because I oppose the president’s decision on Iran — I’m 100% supportive of President Trump’s decision to deny Iran nuclear weapons,” adding, “We should have done what President Trump is doing years ago”…
President Donald Trump declined to say on Monday if he knew whether Joe Kent, who stepped down last week as director of the National Counterterrorism Center in protest of the war in Iran, was leaking classified information amid reports he is under investigation by the FBI for doing so, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports…
Speaking at CERAWeek in Houston, former Defense Secretary James Mattis said the U.S. is “in a tough spot … and I can’t identify a lot of good options” regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz…
The Wall Street Journal looks at how Trump’s decision to enter talks with Iran — after giving Tehran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend — came about following a series of quiet talks among Arab states looking to find an off-ramp to the conflict, even as those countries remained skeptical that a quick end to the war was in sight…
In response to former French diplomat Gérard Araud’s comment that the United Arab Emirates — which has received the brunt of Iranian missile attacks since the start of the war — was “deepening your dependence on a country that has led yours into a disastrous conflict without caring about your interests,” Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed replied, “We will never be blackmailed by terrorists”…
ABZ’s comments come as Gulf states, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, reportedly consider becoming more deeply involved in the fight against Iran…
The Associated Press spotlights how surveillance systems have been increasingly used as a tool in warfare, spotlighting Israel’s access to Tehran’s network of street cameras, which allowed the IDF to conduct strikes that eliminated much of Iran’s top leadership on the first day of the war…
Politico profiles Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is quietly being considered by the Trump administration for a leadership role in a post-regime Iran…
The Financial Times explores how Palantir is becoming a “flashpoint” in midterm campaigns around the U.S. due to its work with federal immigration officials, prompting some sitting members of Congress and candidates with previous ties to the data intelligence firm to distance themselves…
In an interview with Politico, in which he was asked if he is a Zionist, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he “revere[s]” the state of Israel” and is “proud to support” the Jewish state, but “deeply, deeply” opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and indulgence of the far right. He also clarified that he does not consider Israel an apartheid state, and that his use of the phrase was in reference to a column by The New York Times’ Tom Friedman…
Estée Lauder is in talks with Spanish beauty conglomerate Puig to potentially merge into a single $40 billion company…
Nathan Benaich’s Air Street Capital raised $232 million for a new fund as it focuses on AI investments…
The Justice Department announced two new investigations against Harvard University — one probing the school’s compliance with a 2023 ruling striking down the use of affirmative action in admissions, and the other looking into complaints of antisemitism…
The New York Times looks at the rollout of a new initiative in dozens of New York City public schools to teach Jewish and Muslim American history…
Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday at the Vatican; Dayan gifted the pontiff a reproduction of Belgian-Jewish artist Carol Deutsch’s “Where Art Thou?” that was painted before Deutsch was murdered at Buchenwald in 1944…
BlueFuture LLC founder Eli Wald is joining Democratic Majority for Israel as chief development officer…
Venture capitalist Leonid Radvinsky, who acquired ownership of the OnlyFans website in 2018, died at 43…
David Simon, known as the “mall king” for leading his family’s real estate companies through three decades that saw the firm acquire more than 200 retail properties, died at 64…
Pic of the Day
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer (third from left) met on Monday with representatives of London’s Jewish community hours after four Hatzola ambulances were set on fire in an antisemitic attack.
Birthdays
Former CEO of Microsoft, he is the owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer turns 70…
Beverly Hills-based estate planning attorney, Ronald M. Kabrins turns 88… Co-owner of Baltimore-based Bond Distributing Company until 2022, Rochelle “Ronnie” Footlick… Member of the House of Lords and star of the U.K.’s version of “The Apprentice,” he was the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, Baron Alan Sugar turns 79… Film and television actress and director, Donna Gail Pescow turns 72… Attorney in Tarzana, Calif., Paul Marshall Leven… AIPAC and Jewish community activist in Austin, Deborah E. Rudy… Owner of Joslynda Capital, Michael Weiss… Veteran of four NASA space shuttle missions, he had a mezuzah on his bunk in the space shuttle, Scott Jay “Doc” Horowitz turns 69… Professor emerita of art history at Hofstra University and widely published poet, Martha Hollander turns 67… Professional wrestler under a series of ring names including “The Star of David,” his wrestling career spanned from 1979-2000, Barry Horowitz turns 66… Former president of American Jewish University, the Newseum and Colgate University, Jeffrey Herbst turns 65… CEO of The Female Quotient, Shelley Zalis… Former official at UJA-Federation of New York and JDC, now at NYC’s 92NY, Laura Spitzer… Actor who is best known for his roles on the Fox medical drama series “House” and the USA Network’s science fiction drama “Colony,” Peter Jacobson turns 61… Founding partner and chief strategy officer at The Quiet Co., Fred Menachem… Veteran Israel-based journalist, now working for The Jerusalem Report, Ruth Marks Eglash… Actress, she appeared in every film of the “American Pie” film series from 1999-2012, Alyson Hannigan turns 52… Special counsel at Sullivan & Cromwell, Aharon Friedman… Chairman and CEO of Dorshei Torah v’Tzion and senior rabbi of the Hudson Yards Synagogue, Rabbi Jason Herman turns 49… Actor best known for his role as FBI Special Agent Aram Mojtabai in NBC’s “The Blacklist,” Amir Arison turns 48… Director of marketing at Window Nation, Eric Goldscher… Executive editor at Bloomberg Green, a vertical and print magazine focused on climate change, Aaron Rutkoff… Famed NYC photographer now working for the MTA, he is known for wearing vintage suits and hats daily, Marc A. Hermann turns 44… Pitching coach at San Jacinto College, he pitched for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and in the 2020 Olympics, Josh Zeid turns 39… Director of communications at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Joshua D. Cohen… Venezuelan-born featured celebrity chef, she is a caterer and a private chef in Los Angeles, Deborah Benaim turns 38… Growth strategist at Fun and Function, Jenna Nelson Beltser… Three-time all-star hockey player, most recently with PWHL Boston of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Kaleigh Fratkin turns 34… Former COO at Bnai Zion Media, Justin B. Hayet… Competitive pair skater for Israel at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, now a software development engineer for Amazon Web Services, Andrea “Anya” Davidovich turns 29…
Plus, Temple Israel seeks to 'tell its story'
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Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office at the White House on February 12, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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📡On Our Radar
Notable developments and interesting tidbits we’re tracking
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard distanced herself — to a degree — from two of her isolationist-minded aides, Joe Kent and Dan Caldwell, who have taken a hostile stance to the U.S.’ Middle East policy, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Gabbard affirmed, after being pressed at a House Intelligence Committee hearing today, that the conspiratorial views about Israel espoused by Kent in his resignation letter earlier this week did concern her, and said about Caldwell that he would have no influence over intelligence reports at her agency.
Gabbard, who has previously been a vocal critic of military engagement with Iran, further acknowledged that her current position requires her to “check” her personal views “at the door”…
Reports of a potential $200 billion emergency funding request from the Pentagon for the war in Iran are drawing firm Democratic opposition and hedged responses from Republicans on the Hill: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he’ll “look at” the request “but obviously it’s a dangerous time in the world and we have to adequately fund defense,” while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said he’d “hate to be the senator that denied the request if it made sense.” Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) responded with a simple “No,” while Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called it a “nonstarter”…
The Senate is set to hold another round of votes on blocking U.S. arms transfers to Israel, after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filed three new joint resolutions of disapproval against $658.8 million in sales of over 20,000 bombs to Israel, JI’s Marc Rod reports.
A majority of the Democratic caucus — 27 lawmakers — voted to block at least one arms sale in July of last year, a significant jump in support from previous similar efforts; Israel’s standing in the party has largely declined since then amid Democratic criticism of the war with Iran…
During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House today, President Donald Trump reiterated that he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Iranian oil facilities, after an Israeli strike on the South Pars gas field yesterday: “I told them, don’t do that. We didn’t discuss. … It’s coordinated, but on occasion, he’ll do something.”
Trump also put pressure on Takaichi to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, while European leaders released a joint statement “express[ing] our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” after repeatedly declining to get involved. A team of British military planners is now consulting with CENTCOM on options to assist short of military action, The New York Times reports…
Asked if he will deploy more U.S. troops in the region, Trump told reporters he’s “not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you — but I’m not putting troops”…
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth compared Iran to Hamas in a briefing today, saying that, “just like Hamas and their tunnels,” Iran has “poured any aid, any economic development … into tunnels and rockets”…
A group of congressional Democrats is urging the State Department to restart chartered evacuation flights out of Israel and take additional steps to help U.S. citizens who wish to leave the country amid the ongoing war with Iran, JI’s Marc Rod reports.
The lawmakers described the State Department’s current partnership with El Al, which launched on March 13 with a limited number of special evacuation flights for U.S. citizens, as insufficient. The Israeli airline has currently suspended registration for the flights, and government-imposed security restrictions are limiting passenger capacity on each flight and reducing airport operations…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the U.S. may lift sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea in order to blunt rising gas prices. “In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians to keep the price down for the next 10 or 14 days as we continue this campaign,” he explained on Fox News…
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned the kingdom is reaching a breaking point after continued Iranian attacks, saying “what little trust” Riyadh had with Tehran has “completely been shattered.”
On a potential Saudi military response, Prince Faisal said, “Do they have a day, two, a week? I’m not going to telegraph that.” It’s a notable shift for Riyadh, which had been pivoting away from its traditional allies and towards Iran and other Islamist countries prior to the war…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker condemned AIPAC after a primary cycle in which the pro-Israel group spent millions backing — and opposing — candidates across the state, calling it “an organization that was supporting Donald Trump and people who follow Donald Trump.”
Pritzker, a Jewish Democrat who was once an AIPAC donor himself, said it “really is not an organization that I think today I would want any part of.” He further echoed far-left sentiments that Israel dragged the U.S. into conflict with Iran, claiming Trump “simply follow[ed] Netanyahu into that war”…
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) details his experience with a would-be assailant, a man described by authorities as a “ticking time bomb,” who was arrested near his home last year after police discovered an arsenal of weapons and a handwritten list of targets that included Jewish sites and Moskowitz.
“Besides the police presence outside his house, Moskowitz himself will not appear in parades and says he won’t speak at outdoor staged events. ‘It’s not worth it. I’d rather lose my election,’” the lawmaker told Roll Call…
Temple Israel in suburban Detroit released photos of the devastation to the building caused by an attacker last week, noting that it had “chosen thus far not to make [the photos] public” but are doing so now “to take back control of our narrative” after several were leaked to the media.
“We share these images because our community deserves to see our building through eyes of love, not through the lens of spectacle. This is our sacred space, and we will be the ones to tell its story,” the synagogue wrote…
The University of California, Berkeley reached a settlement in its lawsuit with the federal government, agreeing to pay $1 million and make changes to its discrimination policy following accusations that the university had failed to properly address campus antisemitism.
Among the policy changes, the school will clarify that the word “Zionist” cannot be used as a proxy for Jew or Israeli. The claims in the lawsuit predate the recent campus unrest over Israel’s war in Gaza, stemming from an incident in 2022 when student groups adopted policies saying they would not host Zionist speakers…
⏩ Tomorrow’s Agenda, Today
An early look at tomorrow’s storylines and schedule to keep you a step ahead
Keep an eye out in Jewish Insider for a look at the struggles facing international broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Europe in reaching Iranian citizens during the ongoing war due to budget cuts and roadblocks from the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
The House Appropriations Committee will hold a field hearing at the U.S. Mission to the U.N. in New York City on “accountability and reform” at the U.N.
We’ll be back in your inbox with the Daily Overtime on Monday. Shabbat Shalom!
Stories You May Have Missed
DEADLINE LOOMING
Netanyahu has less than two weeks to pass a budget — or go to early elections
The prime minister’s governing coalition is struggling to stay intact to pass 2026 budget amid shifting political priorities
QUARREL ON THE QUAD
University of Michigan regent race revives campus fight over Israel
Anti-Israel activists are singling out regent Jordan Acker, hoping to unseat him with attorney Amir Makled, who represented a member of the school’s encampment
Plus, feds are on Kent's case
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Donald Trump speaks on stage at Verst Logistics on March 11, 2026 in Hebron, Kentucky.
👋 Good Thursday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report on yesterday’s worldwide threats hearing with senior intelligence officials, and look at an effort to target Jordan Acker, a Jewish member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents who is up for reelection this year. We interview Katy Padilla Stout, a Democrat in Texas hoping that the GOP’s nomination of a far-right influencer with a history of antisemitic comments will help her flip a red congressional seat, and look at how far-left activists in Colorado are mobilizing against Sen. John Hickenlooper and Rep. Diana DeGette. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Sharon Nazarian, Adam Kaplan and Dan Shapiro.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by JI Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with assists from Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- The House Intelligence Committee is holding its rescheduled hearing on worldwide threats a day after a similar hearing in the Senate. More below.
- The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is expected to mark up — and potentially vote on — Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) nomination to head theDepartment of Homeland Security. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the committee’s chair, has threatened to cancel the vote over personal clashes with Mullin, who has referred to Paul as a “freaking snake” — which he refused to apologize for at yesterday’s hearing. Paul has indicated that he will not back Mullin’s confirmation, but Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who also sits on the committee, said he’ll vote for Mullin, potentially getting the Oklahoma senator the requisite number of votes to move out of committee. More below on yesterday’s confirmation hearing.
- Antisemitic conspiracy theorist Candace Owens is slated to interview Joe Kent, who stepped down earlier this week as the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, at the Catholic Prayer for America gala in Washington. Last night, Kent gave his first interview since resigning to Tucker Carlson. More below.
- At least four people in Israel and the West Bank — including a foreign worker in Moshav Adanim and three Palestinian women in the village of Beit Awwa — were killed in overnight strikes from Iran.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S LAHAV HARKOV
Current and former Israeli and U.S. officials suggested that an Israeli strike on an Iranian gas field on Wednesday that prompted the Islamic Republic to strike Qatar was coordinated with the White House — despite President Donald Trump’s claim that the U.S. “knew nothing about this particular attack.”
Trump made the remarks in a Truth Social post, in which he threatened that the U.S. would bomb the South Pars gas field, the Iranian portion of the larger field shared with Qatar, if Iran does not stop attacking Qatar.
“The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape or form involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen. Unfortunately, Iran did not know this … and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s [liquid natural gas] facility,” the president wrote.
If “Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar,” he added, the U.S., “with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.”
An Israeli official told Kan News, Israel’s public broadcaster, that the attack on the South Pars gas field was coordinated with the U.S.
Dan Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Pentagon official in the Biden administration, wrote on X, “Trump can post whatever he likes. But there is zero, I mean zero, chance the IDF would conduct a strike in that location without giving CENTCOM full visibility.”
Gilad Erdan, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington and a former member of Israel’s Security Cabinet, told Jewish Insider that it was highly likely the U.S. knew about the strike, saying that Trump did not criticize Israel in his post, and “in the same breath” as saying the U.S. was unaware, “[Trump] himself threatened to erase the [gas] field.”
INTEL ASSESSMENT
Iranian regime is ‘intact but largely degraded’ amid strikes, DNI Tulsi Gabbard says
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Wednesday that the U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran have largely destroyed Tehran’s “power projection capabilities” in the region, but that the regime remains standing, if weakened, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Top lines: “The IC assesses the regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities,” Gabbard said at a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats. “Its conventional military power projection capabilities have largely been destroyed, leaving limited options. Iran’s strategic position has been significantly degraded.” The hearing also featured extensive back-and-forth over the war in Iran, the threats the U.S. faces from Iran and the intelligence community’s assessment of Iran’s activities and capabilities.
Doubling down: The Senate voted largely along party lines on Wednesday night to reject a procedural motion on an effort aiming to bring the U.S. operations in Iran to an immediate halt for the second time this month, JI’s Marc Rod reports.
HEARING SPOTLIGHT
Markwayne Mullin vows to improve security grant program in DHS nomination hearing
In his nomination hearing to be secretary of homeland security, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he will aim to “streamline the process” for grants, including the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) aimed at helping harden religious institutions, amid heightened antisemitism and increased threats during the ongoing war in Iran, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea and Marc Rod report.
‘Laser focused’: When pressed by senators on the need to unlock NSGP funding in the wake of the violent attack at Temple Israel in suburban Detroit last week, Mullin agreed that the process should be streamlined and said he would aim to “cut out the redundancies” and “amount of paperwork.” Mullin said that while he may have political differences with some of the lawmakers on the committee, this issue “isn’t one” of them and that he would be “laser focused and get this resolved.”
Bonus: In The Hill, Nathan Diament, the executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, calls on Congress to press Mullin to end the ongoing standoff over Department of Homeland Security funding, which includes NSGP funding, arguing that the Oklahoma senator’s “nomination is an opportunity for the administration to start anew, and focus on keeping vulnerable communities safe instead of political theatrics.”
KENT’S CLAIMS
In Carlson interview, Joe Kent doubles down on Israel conspiracy theories
Joe Kent, who resigned earlier this week from his role as director of the National Counterterrorism Center over his opposition to the war in Iran, offered a litany of baseless accusations about Israel while defending the Iranian regime in an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s program on Wednesday, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports.
What he said: Kent doubled down in the interview on an allegation made in his resignation statement that Israel coerced the U.S. into the war for its own benefit. As evidence, Kent and Carlson — a friend of Kent’s and a leading critic of the Trump administration’s approach to Iran in the conservative movement — pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying earlier this month that the “imminent threat” that prompted the U.S. to take action was the foreknowledge that Israel was going to strike, likely resulting in retaliation against American targets by the Iranian regime. “So, the imminent threat that the secretary of state is describing is not from Iran, it’s from Israel” Carlson mused. “Exactly,” Kent replied.
Newfound allies: Michael Blake, who is mounting a primary challenge to Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), praised Kent in an X post on Wednesday, saying, “An absolutely breathtaking, courageous and bold resignation letter stating that Iran posed NO IMMINENT THREAT to us and Trump made this decision due to the Israeli government and its American Lobby,” JI’s Marc Rod reports.
QUARREL ON THE QUAD
University of Michigan regent race revives campus fight over Israel
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel in 2023, University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker has become the target of the university’s anti-Israel activists, facing harassment and vandalism that Michigan leaders have called plainly antisemitic. Now Acker is up for reelection, along with regent Paul Brown. Both of them are Democrats who were elected to the board in 2018, and they each oppose divestment of university funds from Israeli companies. But the university’s anti-Israel activists are targeting only Acker, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Under fire: The activists are advocating for voters to unseat Acker and to vote instead for Amir Makled, a candidate who has aligned himself with anti-Israel activists and advocated for the university to divest from Israel. Only two of the three candidates will proceed to the general election, where they’ll go up against two Republicans. A flyer that was distributed at a recent Washtenaw County Democrats meeting in support of Makled called out only Acker for his support of Israel. “UM Regent Jordan Acker is up for re-election this year, and as one of the most vocally zionist regents who has personally advocated for the repression of pro Palestine voices at the university, we are mobilizing to unseat him from his position on the Board of Regents,” read the flyer, which featured a photo of Acker’s face crossed out with a red X.
EYE ON THE PRIZE
Democrat sees chance to flip red seat in Texas race against Brandon Herrera
Democrat Katy Padilla Stout, an attorney and former teacher in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, sees an opportunity to flip the red seat that President Donald Trump won by 15 points in the last presidential election. Her path opened up with the GOP’s nomination of Brandon Herrera, a hard-right influencer who has repeatedly come under fire for social media videos in which he used imagery from and made light of the Nazi regime and the Holocaust, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. Herrera won the nomination following Rep. Tony Gonzales’ (R-TX) decision not to seek reelection amid scandal.
An opening: Padilla Stout told JI this week that she felt a “deep sense of disgust” with Herrera’s past videos. She dismissed his claims that the incidents were only intended in jest, calling the pattern “really concerning,” particularly when coupled with Herrera’s longtime membership in a neo-Confederate group. “Everybody who watched it understood that he was normalizing that and that it wasn’t funny, and it wasn’t about humor,” she said. “It was about doing something that was harmful to our society and desensitizing people.” A spokesperson for Herrera said the accusations against the GOP candidate were “manufactured through misleading video edits,” adding that Herrera “does not have an antisemitic bone in his body.”
ROCKY MOUNT REVOLT
Colorado far left mobilizes against John Hickenlooper, Diana DeGette
Far-left challengers to Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) are picking up support in internal party proceedings in what some progressives are touting as a sign of the incumbents’ vulnerabilities, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Lay of the land: In the Senate race, Hickenlooper, facing state Sen. Julie Gonzales, a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America who has centered her campaign around criticism of Israel, dropped out of the Democratic caucus nominating process, choosing to qualify for the June primary through petition signatures instead. In DeGette’s district, far-left candidate Melat Kiros won nearly two-thirds of the Democratic Party delegates’ votes in Denver last weekend, nearly doubling DeGette’s support, and calling DeGette’s spot on the ballot into question. But local experts say those developments shouldn’t necessarily be read as signs that the two establishment Democrats are on their way out, noting that the state’s Democratic Party processes tend to favor more progressive candidates.
Worthy Reads
Blind Spots on the War: The Atlantic’s Eliot Cohen posits that advocates for and opponents of the war in Iran are failing on different counts — those who support the war have not shored up enough support for it, while those who oppose military action do not recognize the threat posed by the endurance of the Iranian regime. “When a war begins, our emotions often overtake our ability to analyze and judge. That is a problem not only for those who wage war, engaging either directly as combatants or indirectly as senior leaders, but for the rest of us. That partial eclipse of reason is on full display in the current Iran war, exacerbated by previously held beliefs about the leaders of the United States and Israel on the one hand, and about the Iranian regime on the other.” [TheAtlantic]
What the UAE Means: In The Wall Street Journal, Badr Jafar, the United Arab Emirates’ special envoy for business and philanthropy, argues that Iran’s targeting of the UAE, which has been the primary target of Tehran’s missile launches, underscores its importance as a hub for global business. “What Iran is attacking is an idea: that an open economy can flourish in one of the world’s most contested regions. That idea matters — and not only to the UAE. … The question for the global business community is whether the fundamental case for working and investing in this country has changed. It hasn’t. That case rests not on the absence of risk but on a demonstrated history of resilience, a uniquely diversified economic base, and an unmatched set of physical and financial assets that serve not only the Gulf but Asia, Africa and Europe alike.” [WSJ]
Strait Talk Express: In The New York Times, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Mark Montgomery suggests that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and wrangling control of the waterway from Tehran are vital to the U.S.’ long-term strategic interests in the region and beyond. “The president should remember that China is watching. If pressure in the oil markets is enough to break America’s resolve and lead Mr. Trump to pull out of the war, Chinese leaders are that much more likely to conclude that our commitments to defend Taiwan are nothing but bluster. If the United States can hold firm for the next few weeks, it can fully degrade Iran’s war-making apparatus. This would usher in a multiyear interval of calm of the kind that neither sanctions nor diplomacy has been able to produce in over four decades.”[NYTimes]
Word on the Street
The FBI is investigating allegations that former National Counterterrorism Center head Joe Kent shared classified information; the monthslong investigation was already underway at the time of Kent’s resignation earlier this week…
The IRS and FBI are partnering on an effort to investigate links between nonprofit groups and domestic terrorism, following a December directive from the Justice Department instructing federal agencies to look into alleged “tax crimes” of extremist groups…
Adam Kaplan, the deputy inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said that his office will investigate U.N. staff for ties to Hamas, noting that previous vetting requirements by the aid agency exempted employees of the international body, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports…
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has reportedly angered the White House over her recent trip to the Middle East and efforts to conduct her own rescue missions of Americans stranded in the region, including her direct outreach to Saudi officials that bypassed the State Department…
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) told Politico this week that he “wouldn’t take AIPAC money,” adding that his perspective had changed since he last accepted donations from pro-Israel groups in 2024…
Argentina assumed the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance for a one-year term…
Wisconsin’s state Senate passed legislation adopting IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism; the bill will now go to Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, for his signature…
Sharon Nazarian and her family’s philanthropic organization, the Younes & Soroya Nazarian Family Foundation, announced a new partnership with Hebrew Union College for a new initiative at University of Southern California’s Louchheim School for Judaic Studies focused on educating students about extremism, rising hate and antisemitism, JI’s Haley Cohen reports for eJewishPhilanthropy…
Authorities in the U.K. charged two people — an Iranian man and a British-Iranian dual citizen — with surveilling Jewish sites in London last summer on behalf of Iran…
Belgian lawmakers said the government would begin deploying military troops to protect Jewish sites in the country following an explosion last week at a synagogue in Liège…
The antisemitism commissioner in the German state of Brandenburg resigned from the far-left Die Linke party, of which he was a member for more than a decade, following the passing of a resolution condemning Zionism…
The New York Times looks at the ascendance of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which is gaining popularity in the country ahead of federal elections this fall…
The Washington Post reports on growing anger at Hezbollah in Lebanon as Israel escalates its targeting of the terror group, amid Beirut’s failure to disarm it in accordance with the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon…
The Wall Street Journal spotlights the U.S.’ use of ground-based missiles that are being deployed for the first time…
NPR looks at the growing use of cheaply made drones in modern warfare and the challenges they pose to the U.S. and American allies that have not developed a robust enough defense system to fully fend off drone attacks…
Elbit Systems announced plans to develop laser weapons to be mounted onto fighter jets and military helicopters, but did not provide a timeline for the development…
Pic of the Day
Representatives from the J7 Jewish Communities met on Wednesday at the Anti-Defamation League’s headquarters in New York City with U.N. permanent representatives. Shown facing forward, from right, are French Amb. Jérôme Bonnafont, U.S. Amb. Jeff Bartos, Canadian Deputy Permanent Representative Michael Gort, Australian Amb. James Larsen and Argentine Amb. Jose Luis Fernandez Valoni.
Birthdays
Online producer, writer and director, who together with his brother Rafi, are best known for their React video series, Benny Fine (right) turns 45…
Chairman of the board of Americans for Democracy in the Middle-East, he is the rabbi of Temple Israel of the Poconos, in Stroudsburg, Pa., Daniel M. Zucker turns 77… Israeli politician, the daughter of slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Dalia Rabin-Pelossof turns 76… Former executive editor of The New York Times, the first woman to ever hold that post, Jill Abramson turns 72… NYC-based real estate investor, he is one of three co-founders of the Tribeca Film Festival, Craig Hatkoff turns 72… Musician, composer, singer and songwriter, he was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and now lives in Jerusalem, Yehuda Julio Glantz turns 68… Actor, stand-up comedian and author, Fred Stoller turns 68… EVP of merchandising at American Signature Furniture, a Schottenstein company, Steven D. Rabe turns 66… Writer, critic and author, he writes often about klezmer, Jewish music and Bob Dylan, Seth Rogovoy… Retired partner at Latham & Watkins, Jonathan R. Rod turns 66… Neurologist in Naples, Fla., Brian D. Wolff, MD… Member of the New York state Assembly, Stacey Pheffer Amato turns 60… Former collegiate and professional tennis player, now first vice chair of Camp Ramah Darom, Stacey Schefflin Slomka turns 58… Dean of students at Reichman University (formerly known as IDC Herzliya), she was previously a member of the Knesset for the Yesh Atid party, Adi Koll turns 50… Brazilian-born entrepreneur and angel investor, he is one of the co-founders of Facebook, Eduardo Luiz Saverin turns 44… Former director of North American staff at Taglit-Birthright Israel, Aaron Bock… Member of the New York City Council, Lincoln P. Restler turns 42… Founder of two lines of jewelry, the Brave Collection in 2012, and Zahava (Golden, in Hebrew) in 2018, Jessica Hendricks Yee… Line producer at NBCUniversal in NYC, Emma Gottlieb… Discus thrower, he represented the USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Samuel Harrison Mattis turns 32…
Plus, JD Vance says he likes Joe Kent
Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, testifies during a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2026.
This P.M. edition is reserved for our premium subscribers — offering a forward-focused read on what we’re tracking now and what’s coming next. Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and feedback by replying to this email.
📡On Our Radar
Notable developments and interesting tidbits we’re tracking
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today that the Iranian regime “appears to be intact but largely degraded,” Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports, as the U.S. and Israel continue to target Iranian leaders and assets. If it survives the war, she said, the regime would “seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces.”
Gabbard, a longtime opponent of war with Iran, repeatedly declined to say whether the intelligence community had assessed Iran to be an imminent threat to the United States, after her former deputy, Joe Kent, alleged in his resignation letter yesterday that no such threat existed. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, however, was clear in his view that “Iran has been a constant threat to the United States for an extended period of time, and posed an immediate threat at this time”…
Regarding Kent’s resignation over his opposition to the war in Iran and claims that Israel coerced the U.S. into the war, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Kent “was not someone who was involved in … the president’s intelligence briefings over the last several months. Have not seen him here at the White House for quite some time.”
She said President Donald Trump finds it “disappointing” that Kent would “resign with a letter filled with falsehoods, accusing the president of the United States [of] being controlled by a foreign country. That’s both insulting and laughable.”
Vice President JD Vance told reporters, “I know Joe Kent a little bit. I like Joe Kent … It’s fine to disagree, but once the president makes a decision, it’s up to everybody who serves in his administration to make it as successful as possible. That’s how I do my job”…
In his nomination hearing to be secretary of homeland security, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he will aim to “streamline the process” for grants, including the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, JI’s Matthew Shea reports, vowing to work to “cut out the redundancies.”
“The amount of paperwork once you’re approved to get the funding flowing, and then the paperwork that’s followed up on is way too encompassing,” Mullin said. “Taking years to get reimbursed is not acceptable. Taking months to get reimbursed is not acceptable.” His hearing was otherwise colored by personal hostility with Homeland Security Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), which could complicate Mullin’s path to nomination…
The Israeli Air Force reportedly struck the South Pars gas field in Iran, the largest in the world; Qatar, which owns half of the field, called it a “dangerous and irresponsible step.” The U.S. reportedly had knowledge of the operation, despite the Trump administration asking Israel earlier this month not to strike energy facilities…
Trump issued a veiled threat to American allies who have declined to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz, musing on Truth Social, “I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Strait?’ That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!”…
Michael Blake, the Democrat challenging Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) whose campaign has focused extensively on criticism of Israel and AIPAC, expressed strong support for Kent’s resignation letter and his baseless claim of Israel’s role in initiating the war. “An absolutely breathtaking, courageous and bold resignation letter stating that Iran posed NO IMMINENT THREAT to us and Trump made this decision due to the Israeli government and its American Lobby,” Blake wrote on X…
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner released an ad in response to one from his opponent, Gov. Janet Mills, highlighting social media comments he had made about sexual assault. “If I saw these ads, I’d have questions,” Platner says in the spot. “Maine, I’m asking you not to judge me for the worst thing I said on the internet on my worst day 14 years ago, but who I am today.”
Mills replied with another ad featuring an interview clip of Platner in which he said about his posts, “I made a lot of comments that I’m not, like, ashamed of. It’s not as though I have this ream of comments in which I look back and I’m like, oh my god, I was a terrible person back then”…
During an economic-focused visit to Detroit today, Vance remarked about the recent shooting attack at nearby Temple Israel, “When something happens to any member of our American family, and this particular incident happened to Jewish members of our American family, it is something that all of us have to stand up and say, it’s disgusting, it’s unacceptable”…
Also in response to the Temple Israel attack, Montgomery County, Md., a heavily Jewish suburb of Washington, announced it will provide $500,000 in supplemental funding for its Nonprofit Security Grant Program for current recipients over the next 90 days. It’s one of the few localities that provides its own funding in addition to the federal program…
⏩ Tomorrow’s Agenda, Today
An early look at tomorrow’s storylines and schedule to keep you a step ahead
Keep an eye out in Jewish Insider for a look at the far-left candidates running against establishment Democrats in Colorado.
The Senate will vote on another war powers resolution this evening aiming to stop the U.S. operation in Iran. The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), is expected to fail largely along party lines, as the previous one did earlier this month.
Administration intelligence officials including DNI Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe will appear before the House Intelligence Committee tomorrow for its rescheduled worldwide threats hearing.
The Senate’s Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee is set to hold a vote on Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) nomination to be secretary of homeland security, though Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) threatened to cancel it over personal animosity and outstanding questions about a 2016 overseas trip that Mullin claims was classified. If a vote is held, Mullin will need the support of at least one Democrat on the committee in order to advance without Paul’s support, which Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has previously pledged to provide.
After his appearance this evening on far-right commentator Tucker Carlson’s podcast, Joe Kent will be interviewed tomorrow by Candace Owens, who similarly deals in antisemitic conspiracy theories, at the Catholic Prayer for America gala in Washington. Also appearing at the gala is Carrie Prejean Boller, the former beauty pageant queen who was removed from the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission after berating Jewish hearing witnesses over antisemitism.
Stories You May Have Missed
LONE STAR LIABILITY
Israel conspiracies threaten Democratic hopes in Texas runoff race
Bexar County sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia is facing off against Maureen Galindo, who has made antisemitic conspiracy theories a key feature in her campaign
HORSESHOE POLITICS
Onetime Democratic critics elevate Joe Kent’s conspiratorial resignation letter
Democrats previously slammed Kent as an untrustworthy extremist in opposing his nomination. Now, amid his anti-Israel accusations, some argue he has a point
Plus, Kent help himself
(Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling location inside Goudy Elementary School during a primary election in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
👋 Good Wednesday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we look at how Illinois congressional candidates backed — or opposed — by AIPAC fared in yesterday’s primaries, and report on Jerusalem’s assessment that joint U.S.-Israel strikes have destroyed Iran’s ballistic missile production capabilities. We cover Joe Kent’s resignation as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and look at how Senate Democrats who previously raised concerns about his far-right links are now echoing his conspiracy theories about Israel’s role in the war in Iran, while their GOP counterparts criticize his comments. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Jonathan Gould, Rep. Tom Suozzi and Idan Roll.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by JI Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with assists from Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed “significant surprises” in Iran and Lebanon that “will escalate the war,” a day after Israel assassinated Iranian National Security Council head Ali Larijani. Katz also said that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib had been killed in overnight strikes. More below.
- The Senate Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing on worldwide threats this morning, with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel set to testify.
- Gabbard’s appearance comes a day after Joe Kent — whom Gabbard had reportedly refused orders from the White House to fire — stepped down as head of the National Counterterrorism Center (more on Kent’s resignation below). President Donald Trump, for his part, reupped a 2020 tweet of Kent’s in which the former Green Beret said, “We shouldn’t sit and wait for the next attack, wipe Iran’s ballistic capability out.”
- Less than 24 hours after news broke of his resignation, which he tendered to Vice President JD Vance on Monday, Kent is expected to sit for a live interview today with Tucker Carlson as the commentator further locks in his position as the go-to first interview for recently departed Trump officials following Carrie Prejean Boller‘s appearance on “The Tucker Carlson Show” following her ouster from the Religious Liberties Commission over her support for Candace Owens and comments about Israel.
- Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are attending a closed briefing today on the situation in the Middle East with senior officials from the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
- The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will have its confirmation hearing this morning for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to be Homeland Security secretary, following Kristi Noem’s departure last week from the role.
- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is holding a virtual hearing on the rise of global antisemitism.
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told JI that Senate Democrats are likely only planning to force a vote this week on one of the half-dozen war powers resolutions that they’ve introduced to halt the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) reiterated that he’s planning to force further action on war powers resolutions in the House.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S JOSH KRAUSHAAR
Reports of the demise of AIPAC’s political clout in Democratic primaries, it turned out, were greatly exaggerated.
Pro-Israel candidates who received backing from AIPAC or AIPAC-aligned groups won two of the four targeted Democratic primaries in Illinois — and helped block all the Squad-aligned far-left candidates from winning nominations in all of the races. It was a respectable, if not dominant showing, but one consistent with making an impact with the $22 million pro-Israel groups spent in the four open congressional races.
In the 8th District, former Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) came out ahead of anti-Israel activist and businessman Junaid Ahmed, and looks like a lock to hold onto the suburban district as long as she wants.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who benefited from about $4.5 million in outside spending from a pro-Israel group, comfortably outdistanced former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) in the 2nd District by a double-digit margin (41-29%) — even though Jackson entered the race as the favorite. The anti-Israel candidate in the field, state Sen. Robert Peters, finished in a distant third place, with only 12% of the vote.
AIPAC’s biggest setback came in the affluent Chicago lakefront seat of retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), where Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss prevailed over pro-Israel state Sen. Laura Fine despite facing a barrage of attacks from an AIPAC-aligned group. But pro-Israel voters also dodged the worst-case outcome in the 9th District, with anti-Israel social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh finishing in second, and trailing badly in the district’s suburban precincts. All told, Biss won with 30% of the vote, Abughazaleh finished with 26% and Fine tallied 20%.
And despite AIPAC’s super PAC spending nearly $5 million in positive ads to boost Chicago city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin in the 7th District, state Rep. La Shawn Ford narrowly prevailed in the crowded primary, 24-20%. Ford was backed by retiring Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), with the congressman’s political machine ultimately making a bigger difference than the money spent on behalf of Conyears-Ervin.
Anthony Driver, Jr. and Kina Collins, the two candidates running on anti-Israel platforms, lagged well behind in third and fourth place, tallying a combined 20% of the vote.
AIPAC managed to block all six of the far-left candidates it viewed as potential Squad-aligned lawmakers, which a source close to AIPAC told JI was the group’s top goal in the home stretch of the campaign — once it backed off of anti-Biss attacks that failed to dislodge him as the front-runner and Abughazaleh closed in in second place. AIPAC is treating that as a win as well.
MILITARY UPDATE
Israel, U.S. destroyed Iran’s ballistic missile production capabilities, IDF says
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian production sites during the ongoing war have destroyed the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile production capabilities, the IDF told Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov on Wednesday. ”Right now, they are unable, during this war, to produce ballistic missiles … due to steps we and the Americans took,” IDF Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the IDF’s international spokesperson, said in response to a query from JI.
Iran arsenal shrinks: The elimination of production facilities and stores of material for manufacturing the missiles means that Iran has a finite number of ballistic missiles that they produce domestically. The Islamic Republic has been burning through its ballistic missile stockpile daily, shooting at Israel and others in the region. Shoshani noted that ahead of the war, Iran engaged in the “hyper-production” of ballistic missiles, and suggested that the Islamic Republic could restart production after the war, as it did after last year’s 12-day June war. ”But right now, as they’re fighting and desperate, they are unable to produce more missiles,” he added.
HORSESHOE POLITICS
Onetime Democratic critics elevate Joe Kent’s conspiratorial resignation letter
Some congressional Democrats who previously criticized Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, for his extremist history are now elevating his conspiratorial resignation statement in which he blamed Israel for bringing the U.S. into the war with Iran, as well as a series of other Middle East conflicts, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. Meanwhile, Republicans who supported Kent during his nomination process are now criticizing the former administration official.
U-turn: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said during Kent’s confirmation process that Kent had a “consistent pattern of questionable judgment and false statements” and willful ignorance to evidence that conflicted with his preexisting political biases and that he had “aligned himself with political violence, promoted falsehoods that undermine our democracy and tried to twist intelligence to serve a political agenda.” On Tuesday, however, Warner echoed Kent’s comments in his resignation letter, where he wrote that Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Read the full story here with additional comments from Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rand Paul (R-KY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Max Miller (R-OH) and Don Bacon (R-NE).
POWER SHIFT
Senate Republicans say Iranian official Ali Larijani’s killing could help pave way to regime change
Some Senate Republicans suggested on Tuesday that Israel’s killing of senior Iranian regime official Ali Larijani could help pave the way toward resistance and uprising by the Iranian people, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What they’re saying: “At some stage of the game, the people there will have had enough. We just want to make sure that this regime is weakened enough to where, when the people of Iran decide that they want a change in leadership, that it is a possibility of success for them,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) told JI. On the Democratic side, two pro-Israel Democrats said that while they’re critical of the Trump administration’s decision to enter the war without congressional authority, they’re not shedding tears for Larijani.
LONE STAR LIABILITY
Israel conspiracies threaten Democratic hopes in Texas runoff race
An upcoming Democratic runoff for a red-leaning open House seat in Texas that could be competitive in November is now emerging as a stark example of the growing tensions between moderate candidates and their fringe opponents on the extreme left over how to approach Israel and the rise of antisemitism, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.
State of play: The May 26 election in Texas’ recently redrawn 35th Congressional District, which was created to favor Republicans and extends from San Antonio to Austin, pits Johnny Garcia, a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy who is backed by pro-Israel Democrats and establishment officials, against Maureen Galindo, a local activist who has used her growing social media presence to promote a range of conspiracy theories, including specious claims about Israel and its ties to the United States. Despite spending only around $4,000 on her insurgent bid and raising no money, Galindo, 38, narrowly won the crowded primary earlier this month, clinching just over 29% of the vote — two points ahead of Garcia, who placed second.
CAMPUS CRITIQUE
Education Committee finds SJP and faculty groups play central role in campus antisemitism
A new report from House Republicans on the Education and Workforce Committee alleges that faculty members and student groups have played a central role in promoting and amplifying antisemitism on college campuses, particularly those affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports.
Findings: The report, titled “How Campuses Became Hotbeds: The Rise of Radical Antisemitism on College Campuses,” was released Tuesday and examines campus activity following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. The report finds that faculty affiliated with Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP) “played a significant role in legitimizing and amplifying antisemitism on college campuses,” and that campuses with FSJP chapters were seven times more likely to experience “violence against Jews.” It alleges that some faculty members sought to “strip Jewish students of protections, incited protests that turned violent, taught antisemitic content in their courses and hosted programming that isolated Jewish students and demonized Israel.”
CARRYING THE TORCH
Parents of slain Israeli Embassy staffer urge Jewish community to carry on her legacy
Ten months after his daughter, Israeli Embassy employee Sarah Milgrim, was shot dead alongside her boyfriend and colleague, Yaron Lischinsky, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, Bob Milgrim said he feels a “deeper connection to the Jewish community [than] we ever felt before.” On Tuesday evening, at the conclusion of the Anti-Defamation League’s Never is Now conference in Manhattan, Milgrim was joined in conversation with his wife, Nancy Milgrim, and CBS News reporter Jonah Kaplan, Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports.
Turbulent time: The Milgrims spoke days after another Jewish community was rocked by an antisemitic attack last week, in which an assailant drove a truck filled with explosives into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., one of the largest Reform synagogues in the country, while 140 children were inside. Security guards prevented any casualties in the attempted terrorist attack. Two months earlier, an antisemitic arsonist heavily damaged Beth Israel Congregation, the only synagogue in Jackson, Miss. “It’s very easy to lose hope with what’s happening, especially with what happened at Temple Israel … and Mississippi,” said Milgrim. “There’s no end to it. But when you have hope you have to act. Even when you don’t have hope, you have to act.”
Communal considerations: Also speaking at the conference, prominent historian and Jewish studies scholar Pamela Nadell joined the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of legacy Jewish organizations on Tuesday, arguing that they play a crucial role in educating non-Jews about antisemitism.
Worthy Reads
Iran in North Africa: In Semafor, former White House Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt raises concerns about the expansion in North Africa of the Iran-backed Polisaro Front, with which Tehran has been building ties for decades. “By building ties with the Polisario, Iran gained a foothold in North Africa and a means of pressuring Morocco, one of Washington’s most reliable regional partners. Morocco’s cooperation with the United States includes counterterrorism coordination and broader regional security efforts. Undermining Morocco therefore undermines American interests.” [Semafor]
What Tulsi Believes?: The Atlantic’s Shane Harris considers the questioning Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has in the past opposed U.S. military action in Iran, may face on Capitol Hill today following the resignation of National Counterterrorism Center head Joe Kent over the Trump administration’s Iran strategy. “The entry of the United States into the very war that Gabbard has long opposed raises uncomfortable questions. How does Gabbard herself feel about the decision to go to war? Does she share Kent’s view that he could not ‘in good conscience’ support a war that, by his account, was predicated on misleading information? These are narrow versions of the big question that has dogged Gabbard for weeks: Why is someone who built her political identity on opposition to ‘regime-change wars’ still serving in this administration?” [TheAtlantic]
Angst in Amsterdam: In Tablet, Rabbi Pini Dunner reflects on recent attacks on Jewish institutions around the world, including a Jewish school (cheidar) in Amsterdam founded by his late grandfather, a Holocaust survivor who fought with the Dutch Jewish resistance. “My grandfather believed that the only answer to hatred was to double down on Jewish life — to strengthen it, expand it, and refuse to allow intimidation to succeed. The history of the Cheider proves that he was right. The school began at a moment when many believed traditional Jewish life in the Netherlands might never recover from the devastation of the 20th century. One man disagreed. He cleared a table in his apartment and gathered five children around it. That was how the Cheider began.” [Tablet]
Word on the Street
President Donald Trump warned that NATO allies were making a “foolish mistake” in not assisting in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but said the U.S. did not “need or desire” assistance to do so…
The USS Ford carrier group, which has been plagued by a series of issues, including fire damage and plumbing problems, during its nine months at sea,is expected to depart the Red Sea to travel to Crete for repairs…
The Wall Street Journal reports on Israel’s systematic targeting of Iranian regime officials, an effort that includes “chasing security forces from their headquarters to muster points then on to hide-outs under bridges in an effort to disrupt their activity and show Iranians that the enforcers are being taken out”…
Iran’s judiciary said it executed a man charged with spying for Israel…
The New York Times looks at how U.S. Gulf allies under attack from Iran are increasingly looking to Europe and Australia to fulfill their defensive weapons needs, while those countries push for the Iranian regime to be, per The Wall Street Journal, “neutered, if not dismantled,” in the U.S.-Israel strikes…
Dr. Anwar Gargash, a top advisor to president of the United Arab Emirates, told Bloomberg that Iran erred in attacking the UAE and other Gulf nations, saying the attacks have pushed moderate Arab states toward Israel and the U.S. and away from Tehran…
Major U.S. airlines, including United and Delta, are extending suspensions of direct flights to Israel, upending travel plans for thousands hoping to visit the country for Passover, when the country typically sees a surge in visitors, and beyond, JI’s Haley Cohen reports…
Albania’s parliament adopted a resolution declaring Iran to be a “state sponsor of terrorism,” a week after Iran-linked hackers coordinated a cyberattack and reportedly stole personal data of lawmakers in Tirana…
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) on Tuesday urged the administration to work to free one of his constituents, Kamran Hekmati, from prison in Iran. Hekmati, who is Jewish and a U.S. citizen, has been held by the regime for nearly a year for visiting Israel for his son’s bar mitzvah more than a dozen years ago, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports…
Nearly all Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the administration’s “seeming lack of preparedness for the war it initiated with Iran and its foreseeable risks to American citizens and U.S. government personnel”…
Administration officials dodged questions about weapons sales to Turkey during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday, despite calling antisemitic statements from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “atrocious,” JI’s Matthew Shea reports…
The Wall Street Journal spotlights Jonathan Gould, the head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, who is shaking up the banking industry by giving the green light to crypto firms to build national trust banks…
Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who is mounting a bid for Senate, released her first ad attacking Graham Platner over past comments he made regarding sexual assault as the two engage in a heated primary to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November…
A federal judge ordered the reinstatement of more than 1,000 Voice of America employees who were laid off nearly a year ago, determining that Trump administration official Kari Lake’s efforts to dismantle VOA parent U.S. Agency for Global Media were unlawful…
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day and the presence of former Irish President Mary Robinson in New York to talk Middle East politics and praise Robinson’s controversial tenure as the United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights, JI’s Will Bredderman reports…
Canadian businessman Stephen Smith will make his first foray into the media market and acquire a nearly 27% stake in The Economist Group from Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild in a deal worth roughly $400 million…
The New York Times talks to members of the Dutch Jewish community about antisemitism in the Netherlands following attacks on a religious school in Amsterdam and a synagogue in Rotterdam in the last week…
Former Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll is joining Code for Israel as the group’s new CEO; read our 2023 interview with Roll here…
Ben Wieder is joining the Los Angeles Times’ Washington bureau…
Literary agent Albert Zuckerman, whose Writers House worked with Ken Follett, Stephen Hawking and others, died at 94…
Pic of the Day
Israeli Ambassador to Argentina Eyal Sela (center), flanked by Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno (second from left) and Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan (right), a native of Argentina, spoke on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating the 34th anniversary of the bombing of Israel’s embassy in Buenos Aires, in which 29 people were killed and 200 injured.
Birthdays
Lead vocalist for the pop rock band Maroon 5, Adam Levine turns 47…
Screenwriter, actor, comedian and film executive, he is best known for co-writing the screenplay for “Jaws” and its first two sequels, Carl Gottlieb turns 88… U.S. special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism during the Biden administration, Ambassador Deborah Esther Lipstadt turns 79… National columnist with Creators Syndicate and contributor to CNN Opinion, Froma Harrop turns 76… One-half of the eponymous Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (Jerry is four days older), Bennett “Ben” Cohen turns 75… Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Howard E. Gendelman, MD turns 72… French businessman, he was the CEO and chairman of Électricité de France from 2014-2022, Jean-Bernard Lévy turns 71… Former crisis response team manager for the City of Los Angeles and now a consultant for nonprofit organizations, Jeffrey Zimerman, MSW… Former head coach of the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team, his Hebrew name is Mordechai as he was born in the week of Purim, Bruce Pearl turns 66… Senior rabbi-elect at the New North London Synagogue, Rabbi Daniel S. Nevins turns 60… Filmmaker, writer and stand-up comedian, Jake David Shapiro turns 57… Identical twin brothers and former yeshiva students, both singers and songwriters who recorded as “Evan and Jaron,” Evan Lowenstein and Jaron Lowenstein turn 52… Actor, comedian and writer, Adam Pally turns 44… COO at Roofmart, Ariel Koschitzky… Actor known for his roles in “24” and “House of Sand and Fog,” Jonathan Ahdout turns 37… COO and chief of staff at the Jewish Democratic Council of America, Samuel Crystal… Senior business transformation consultant at EY, Michael Schapiro… Actor and television producer, best known for his role on the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black,” Alan Aisenberg turns 33… Israeli actor, singer and television presenter, Shahar Tavoch turns 27…
Plus, Tehran attacks Azerbaijan
Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Entertainment Industry Foundation
Governor Gavin Newsom attends a pep rally to celebrate the second year of the Roybal Film and Television Production School on October 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
👋 Good Thursday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report on yesterday’s failed war powers resolution vote in the Senate and preview a similar vote in the House today. We take a closer look at the leftward shifts on Israel by both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) as both men gear up for potential 2028 presidential bids, and spotlight a series of recent public opinion polls in Israel and the U.S. about attitudes toward the war in Iran. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Ahmad Vahidi.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by JI Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with assists from Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- The House is slated to vote on a war powers resolution today, a day after a similar effort was blocked by Senate Republicans. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), an isolationist-leaning lawmaker, said he plans to vote with most Democrats in support of the resolution, joining Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). A few Democrats are expected to oppose the resolution. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), a moderate House Democrat, said he will also support the resolution. With razor-thin margins in the House, the ultimate outcome could come down to the number of Democratic defections, and potential absences, though Republicans have expressed confidence that the vote will fail.
- The House will separately vote on a Republican-led resolution affirming that Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism.
- Elbridge Colby, the Trump administration’s under secretary of defense for policy, is testifying this morning on the U.S. National Defense Strategy before the House Armed Services Committee.
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee is holding a hearing this morning with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers.
- Elsewhere on the Hill, the Muslim World League is hosting an interfaith iftar gathering later today.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is slated to be interviewed by anti-Israel podcaster Jack Cocchiarella in New Hampshire today for a conversation that is expected to heavily focus on Israel. More below on Newsom’s sharp left turn on Israel in recent months.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S LAHAV HARKOV AND TAMARA ZIEVE
More than 80% of Israelis support the war against Iran, polls by two major Israeli research institutions found this week, while several U.S. polls found that a majority of Americans oppose it.
The Israel Democracy Institute found that 82% of Israelis — 93% of Jewish Israelis and 26% of Israeli Arabs — support the war with Iran. Among Jewish Israelis, the war has strong support across the political spectrum, with 76% of respondents on the left backing it, 93% of voters from the center and 97% from the right.
Similarly, the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University found that 81% of Israelis back the war against Iran, and 63% support continuing military efforts until the Iranian regime falls. Among Jewish Israelis, support for the war was at 92%, while only 38% of Israeli Arabs support it. About half (49%) of Israeli Arabs oppose the war, while the rest said they did not know.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., a CNN poll, conducted by SSRS shortly after the war began on Saturday, found that nearly 41% of Americans approve of the U.S. military action in Iran, with a sharp divide between Republicans, Democrats and independents — 77% of Republicans approve of the launch of the operation, compared to 32% of independents and 18% of Democrats. The poll found that 59% of Americans disapprove of the U.S. decision to strike.
Similarly, an NBC poll found that 41% of American registered voters approve of President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran, while 54% disapprove and 5% aren’t sure. Just 8% of Democrats approve of the president’s handling of the situation, while 79% of Republicans and 28% of independents approve of it. In addition, the poll found that 52% oppose the current U.S. military operation. A sizable majority of Republicans (77%) agree with the U.S. decision to strike Iran, while 89% of Democrats and 58% of independents disagree.
There is a further divide between self-identified MAGA-aligned Republicans and other Republicans, the poll found: 90% of the former back the strikes, while 54% of the latter support them. The CNN poll found that MAGA Republicans are 30 points more likely than non-MAGA Republicans to strongly approve of the decision to take military action.
MILITARY UPDATE
Day 6: Repatriation flights briefly delayed in the air as Iran shoots missiles at Israel
Some of the first repatriation flights carrying Israelis who had been stranded abroad were briefly held mid-flight on Thursday morning as Iranian missiles were fired at central Israel. El Al, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa repatriation flights began departing for Israel on Wednesday evening from dozens of destinations in Europe, the U.S. and Thailand, and began landing Thursday morning. Several flights needed to briefly detour while en route to Ben Gurion Airport after Iran shot missiles toward central Israel. The flights are expected to continue through the weekend, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports.
Developments: Iran also attacked Azerbaijan for the first time Thursday morning, launching drones that injured two at Nakhchivan International Airport. Shortly after, Baku vowed to respond to the attack. Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands said they would send naval vessels to Cyprus, after an Iranian UAV struck a British base on the island state. The IDF has been preparing for the possibility that the Houthis will begin striking Israel as they have done sporadically since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Israeli media reported. The Houthis have threatened to fire at Gulf States if they attack Iran, and Saudi Arabia increased security for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in case of a Houthi attack, according to Israeli public broadcaster KAN.
FINGER IN THE WIND
Gavin Newsom shifts hard left on Israel policy amid presidential primary considerations
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday night on a popular liberal podcast that the U.S. should reconsider its military support for Israel, a marked evolution for a politician who traveled to Israel less than two weeks after the Oct. 7 terror attacks in 2023 and who said in an October interview that he would not consider eliminating U.S. military aid to Israel, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports. Asked by Jon Favreau, the co-host of “Pod Save America,” if the U.S. should, in the future, rethink its military support for Israel, Newsom responded, “It breaks my heart because the current leadership in Israel is walking us down that path where I don’t think you have a choice.”
Zoom out: Newsom’s move away from military support for Israel is a shift even from his recent positions. In October, during an interview with the “Higher Learning” podcast, Newsom said he would not support ending U.S. military aid to Israel. He touted his decision in December 2023 to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, while also defending Israel’s right to exist. Newsom is widely considered a 2028 presidential contender, and he has been shifting his public stances on Israel to the left in recent months in response to questions from progressive interviewers.
Bonus: The Free Press’ Peter Savodnik writes that Newsom “seems congenitally incapable of rising above his tribe and conceiving of the war [in Iran] as anything other than yet another opportunity for politicking, for taking a few shots, scoring some points.”
ABOUT FACE
Ruben Gallego transforms from pro-Israel moderate to face of antiwar opposition
With a series of pugnacious tweets and media appearances, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has made himself a face of the Democratic opposition to the war in Iran, issuing one of the first comments from a U.S. lawmaker opposing the effort in the early hours of Saturday morning. Gallego’s outspoken commentary, which has repeatedly pinned blame for the operation on Israel — a notion that colleagues on both sides of the aisle have disputed — also coincide with Gallego’s endorsement of Graham Platner, the progressive Maine Senate candidate who has faced a series of scandals related to antisemitism, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Current messaging: The high-profile moves come as Gallego, who claimed victory in Arizona in 2024 even as President Donald Trump won the state, is seen by political observers as positioning himself for a 2028 presidential campaign — and as anti-Israel policies have become a litmus test for the progressive left. “So Netanyahu now decides when we go to war? So much for America First,” Gallego said earlier this week, in response to comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that seemed to suggest that the timing of the war was dictated by Israel. “What the f*** happened to America First?” Gallego wrote in another post, adding that the U.S. should have left Israel to go ahead with the operation alone.
VOTED DOWN
Senate defeats resolution to halt Iran war, largely along party lines
With the U.S.-Israel operation against Iran widening, the Senate voted 53-47 on Wednesday afternoon — largely along party lines — to block a procedural vote on a war powers resolution that would have forced the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from combat with Iran, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What happened: Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and John Fetterman (D-PA) broke with their respective parties as expected, with Paul voting for and Fetterman voting against the motion, with all other lawmakers voting along party lines. The vote showcased how the Iran war has quickly become a partisan issue, despite lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressing long-standing concerns about the threat from Iran and its malign activities and some Democrats offering a degree of positive commentary about the U.S. strikes. Though widely expected to fail, Democrats view the resolution, and a similar one up for a vote in the House tomorrow, as a critical avenue to go on record with their opposition to the Trump administration’s military offensive.
STEERING CLEAR
Lawmakers keep arm’s length from WH’s reported Kurdish insurgency push in Iran
Lawmakers are largely keeping an arm’s length from the administration’s reported discussions with Kurdish leaders in Iraq about supporting an armed offensive against the Iranian regime, as an on-the-ground force aligned with U.S. interests in the ongoing American and Israeli air campaign, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What they’re saying: Many Republican senators indicated Wednesday that they knew little about the effort. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told JI he couldn’t comment on the subject due to classification issues, but said generally that “the Kurds know how to fight — you don’t want to tangle with the Kurds.” Some seemed broadly supportive, while not commenting on the specifics of the reported moves. Democrats are generally skeptical of the reported plan. “I am struck by the hypocrisy of pulling the rug out from under the Kurds in Syria and then asking them to fight again for Iran. Kurds deserve better,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said.
NOT CONVINCED
Iran ‘catastrophically’ miscalculated in striking Arab countries, experts say
Leading Middle East foreign policy experts warned that Iran’s decision to expand its response to the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign by striking neighboring Arab states could prove to be a major strategic miscalculation — one that risks isolating Tehran further and potentially drawing Gulf countries to take action, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports. In the days following the launch of the campaign, Iran carried out widespread drone and missile strikes at multiple Arab nations, striking all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — as well as Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Oman.
Tehran ‘encircled’: Alexander Gray, a former National Security Council chief of staff under President Donald Trump and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told JI that Iran’s decision to attack Arab countries was an “extraordinary strategic miscalculation.” Gray said, “Not only has Iran forced the region’s Arab states to openly support the U.S. and Israeli operation, but it has encircled itself far more effectively than any American diplomacy could have accomplished.” Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at Israel Policy Forum, called the action a “risky move at best.”
Ankara angle: Iran and Turkey moved to de-escalate tensions between them in the immediate aftermath of the downing of an Iranian missile over Turkey on Wednesday, but the development signals dangerous potential if the conflict heats up between them, experts told JI’s Lahav Harkov.
Worthy Reads
A New Middle East: In Semafor, Jason Greenblatt, who served as White House Middle East envoy in the first Trump administration, posits that shifting regional dynamics have created an environment for a new power structure in the Middle East. “For the first time in decades, there is a convergence of strength in the Middle East: A US president willing to confront threats directly; an Israel capable of degrading proxy networks and striking hard at Iran’s military infrastructure; and Arab leaders who have built dynamic economies focused on modernization and long-term competitiveness. Working together, they can isolate the Iranian regime diplomatically, dismantle much of its proxy infrastructure, severely degrade its military reach, and strip it of the intimidation it has used to dominate the region.” [Semafor]
Why America Went to War: In The Free Press, Haviv Rettig Gur considers the broader global geopolitics at play amid debates in the U.S. over the main drivers of the war with Iran. “There is a regional chessboard, on which Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the other Gulf states all play. Iran’s proxies, its drones and ballistic missiles, its nuclear ambitions, its funding of Hezbollah and the Houthis: All of that belongs primarily to this smaller game. … But there is a second chessboard, vastly larger, on which the United States and China are the primary players. … America went to war in Iran because Iran made itself a Chinese weapon. It didn’t need to do this, to invest so much of the administration’s political capital and of the military’s firepower, just to shore up a second-run Israeli operation.” [FreePress]
Lonely is the Head…: In The Wall Street Journal, RealEye CEO Kevin Cohen looks at Israel’s strategy of targeting the top echelon of Iranian leadership. “The logic is straightforward. Authoritarian systems recover from shocks by quickly re-establishing hierarchy. If that re-establishment becomes dangerous, decision-makers hesitate. Hesitation spreads uncertainty through the entire structure. A regime can survive sanctions. It can survive airstrikes. It can even survive the death of a supreme leader. What it struggles to survive is doubt about who holds authority next. That doubt ripples outward. Commanders delay orders until legitimacy is confirmed. Rival factions position themselves cautiously. Security services turn inward, searching for infiltration. Decision cycles lengthen. Under pressure, elongated decision cycles become fragility. This strategy depends on intelligence rather than brute force.” [WSJ]
Word on the Street
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the accomplishment of several key objectives, including that “the leader of the unit” responsible for the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in November 2024 “has been hunted down and killed,” Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports…
Seventy-five retired U.S. generals and military officials signed onto an open letter from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America supporting the U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran…
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, expressed concerns about reports that the FBI had fired staff involved in countering threats from Iran in retaliation for their involvement in investigating President Donald Trump…
First in JI: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) endorsed James Leuschen, a former staffer for Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) running for Congress in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. “Americans are getting squeezed by high grocery prices, health care, child care, rent, and utility bills,” Gottheimer said in a statement. “They want results, not rhetoric. James Leuschen knows that serving the district where he was born and raised means working with anyone to lower costs and deliver real solutions — and to stop Donald Trump’s chaos”…
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) dropped his reelection bid hours before the deadline to file in Montana; Daines endorsed U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme, who filed to run for the seat shortly after Daines withdrew from the ballot…
Far-left Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam conceded to Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in the Democratic primary in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District after falling short in her second bid for the seat…
Former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) is expected to step down as inspector general of the Labor Department as soon as today and announce a comeback bid for the Long Island House seat he lost to Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) in 2024…
A federal judge in Florida ruled that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ move to declare the Council on American-Islamic Relations a terrorist group was unconstitutional and violated the group’s First Amendment rights…
A New York State Supreme Court justice who also serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s law school dismissed the punishments — including expulsions, degree revocations and suspensions — of Columbia students who participated in the takeover of the school’s Hamilton Hall in 2024 to protest Israel’s war in Gaza, determining that the school could not use sealed arrest records as evidence in disciplinary proceedings; the ruling came as a result of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s decision to drop criminal charges against the students, thereby sealing their records…
Florida International University is conducting a criminal investigation into a group chat of students associated with Miami-Dade County’s Republican Party in Florida where participants repeatedly used racial slurs, praised Nazi ideology and discussed violent acts against Black people…
Jewish leaders in Chicago are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to follow the recommendation of the city’s Commission on Human Relations and create an antisemitism task force…
A local Democratic candidate in Northern Virginia’s Prince William County is under fire for recently unearthed racist and antisemitic social media posts from 2012 and 2015…
The U.K. is undertaking an official review into antisemitism at British schools and universities, following a report from the Community Security Trust that showed that school-related antisemitic incidents had doubled since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks…
Poland repatriated more than 90 artifacts from Greece’s Jewish community that had been looted by the Nazis’ Rosenberg Taskforce during Germany’s occupation of the country during World War II…
The New York Times reports on how the Australian Jewish community, and specifically the Sydney Jewish Museum, is memorializing the victims of the December terror attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach…
Ahmad Vahidi, a key suspect in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was named the new head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps…
The Wall Street Journal looks at how Iran’s decision to build underground “missile cities” to store munitions has backfired, with U.S. and Israeli jets poised to strike missile launchers as they emerge from the underground caverns…
Pic of the Day
A delegation of the American Jewish Committee, led by CEO Ted Deutch (center) and President Bobby Lapin, met Tuesday with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña (far left) in the group’s first-ever visit to Paraguay.
Birthdays
Actor and screenwriter, Jason Isaac Fuchs turns 40…
Particle physicist and astrophysicist, he is a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, Carl William Akerlof turns 88… Retired university counsel for California State University, Donald A. Newman… Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, he is an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Roy Gutman turns 82… Retired partner of Los Angeles law firm, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP, Mark Edelstein… President of Los Angeles PR firm Robin Gerber & Associates, Robin Gerber Carnesale… Managing partner at Lerer Hippeau, a NYC-based VC firm, he co-founded Huffington Post and was the longtime chair of BuzzFeed, Kenneth B. Lerer turns 74… Political philosopher and professor at Harvard Law School, Michael Joseph Sandel turns 73… Founder and retired CEO of the DC-based News Literacy Project, Alan C. Miller… Author of Judaism: A Way of Being and former professor of computer science at Yale University, David Hillel Gelernter turns 71… Maryland state senator since 2019, Benjamin F. Kramer turns 69… Actor, screenwriter and film producer, he has been a contestant on three seasons of CBS’ “Survivor,” Jonathan Penner turns 64… Retired tennis player, she won 10 doubles tournaments, Elise Burgin turns 64… Former senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former NPR reporter, Sarah Chayes turns 64… Professor at Université de Montréal, most noted for his work on artificial neural networks and deep learning, Yoshua Bengio turns 62… Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, former president and board chair of AIPAC, Betsy Berns Korn turns 58… President and founder of West End Strategy Team, Matt Dorf turns 56… Los Angeles-area builder and developer, Michael Reinis… Renewable energy executive, Michael N. Kruger… Recording music industry executive, best known for his association with the game show “Jeopardy!,” Austin David “Buzzy” Cohen turns 41… Chief communications officer at Jenner & Block, Daniel S. Schwarz… Managing director at Portage Point Partners, Steven Shenker… Disgraced and jailed founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried turns 34… Manager of operations support at TEKsystems, Andrew Leiferman… Singer and influencer, her career started with a song she performed at her own bat mitzvah, Madison Elle Beer turns 27…
The resolutions are unlikely to pass; if they do, they will need two-thirds support to override an inevitable presidential veto
Kevin Carter/Getty Images
The U.S. Capitol Building is seen at sunset on May 31, 2025 in Washington, DC.
As the U.S.-Israel air war against Iran continues, the Senate and House are set to vote this week on war powers resolutions that would aim to cut the U.S. operations short.
The resolutions, led by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), respectively, were originally introduced before the war began, in an effort to block military action and signal dissatisfaction with the then-looming war.
Now, the resolutions, if passed, would force the administration to end the nascent war, withdraw forces and cease operations against the Iranian regime.
It’s almost certain that the resolution will not pass the Senate; the House vote may be closer but it is also not likely to pass. And even if the resolutions were to pass, they would not have the two-thirds support necessary to overcome an inevitable presidential veto.
But the resolution will be an opportunity for Democrats — and a small number of Republicans — to go on record demonstrating their opposition to the war and dissatisfaction with the administration’s approach.
Democrats, even lawmakers like Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) who are relatively hawkish on Iran and have offered some positive feedback about the ongoing operations, are expected to mostly vote for the war powers resolution.
They have cited concerns about the administration’s failure to brief Congress at large about its plans before launching the war, its decision not to seek congressional authorization for the operations and what they say is the administration’s failure to make the case for war to the American public.
Lawmakers are reportedly set to receive classified briefings on the war on Tuesday from Cabinet and other senior administration officials.
A small number of Democrats will likely vote against the resolutions, such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), an outspoken supporter of the war against Iran, and Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH), who backed limited operations against Iran and said yesterday he would oppose the resolution.
Two other Democrats, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), had said before the war started that they would oppose the war powers resolutions, but haven’t specified their plans now that active combat operations are underway.
The key difference between the text of the Senate and House resolutions is language in the Senate version specifically permitting the U.S. to continue intelligence sharing with and providing military aid for Israel and other allies. The House bill does not contain any such language, a potential issue for some supporters of Israel.
Most Republicans, with the exception of some isolationist-leaning lawmakers like Paul, Massie and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), have been offering full-throated support for the Trump administration’s actions and are likely to vote against the war powers resolutions.
Kaine said he expects the Senate vote will happen on Tuesday or Wednesday. The House isn’t set to reconvene until Wednesday, with a vote likely set for Wednesday or Thursday.
Plus, in Doha, UpScrolled founder rails against 'Zionist money'
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Saudi Arabia Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman ahead of a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the State Department Building on February 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.
👋 Good Monday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report on Friday’s meeting between the Saudi defense minister and Jewish leaders in Washington, and talk to the State Department’s Jacob Helberg about the Trump administration’s efforts to push AI as a uniting force in the Middle East. We report on South Africa and Israel’s tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions amid a deepening rift between Pretoria and Jerusalem, and have the scoop on a new bipartisan letter from Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Claudia Tenney, and Jared Golden blasting progressive groups over their silence on Iran’s crackdown on protestors. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Rep. Greg Meeks, Deni Avdija and Craig Newmark.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by JI Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with an assist from Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- The annual Web Summit conference kicked off on Sunday in Doha, Qatar. Earlier today, Issam Hijazi, the founder of new social media app UpScrolled, took the main stage, from which he boasted that the app “[doesn’t] have to rely on Zionist money, or Silicon Valley money.” Read more on Hijazi’s remarks from JI’s Lahav Harkov here.
- Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal is in Washington today for meetings with senior U.S. officials, two months after a previously planned trip was scrapped at the 11th hour over a statement put out by the military criticizing Israel.
- Following last week’s decision by the European Union to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror group, Iran summoned EU ambassadors stationed in the country over the designation. The move comes shortly after Iran’s parliament speaker said that the country considers the militaries of all EU member states to be terrorist groups.
- LionTree’s Aryeh Bourkoff is hosting his annual MediaSlopes gathering in Park City, Utah, ahead of the 10th Annual Silicon Slopes Summit, which kicks off Wednesday.
- Pedestrian transit resumed at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt today, 10 months after it was closed following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S JOSH KRAUSHAAR
Pro-Israel candidates and organizations showcased healthy financial hauls over the final three months of 2025, according to newly released fundraising reports. The strong totals were headlined by AIPAC’s United Democracy Project super PAC, which ended last year with an imposing $95.8 million on hand (up significantly from $40.7 million last cycle at this time), after raising $61.6 million in the final six months of 2025.
In many of the closely watched Democratic primaries pitting pro-Israel candidates against anti-Israel antagonists, both sides posted strong fundraising figures.
In Michigan’s hotly contested Senate race, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) raised $2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and banked $3.05 million at the end of the year. Stevens, a stalwart ally of the state’s Jewish community, narrowly outraised physician Abdul El-Sayed ($1.8 million raised), who has made hostility to Israel central to his campaign, and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow ($1.7 million), who has tagged Israel’s war against Hamas as a genocide.
Stevens also has significantly more cash on hand ($3 million), aided by her time spent raising money in the House. Both McMorrow and El-Sayed have just under $2 million cash on hand.
In Illinois’ closely watched open 8th District race, former Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) showcased her fundraising skills to comfortably lead the crowded primary field, bringing in $772,000 in the fourth quarter. Bean, a pro-Israel moderate during her last stint in Congress, nearly doubled the fundraising haul of Junaid Ahmed, a leading anti-Israel challenger, who brought in $360,000.
In the race to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), pro-Israel state Sen. Laura Fine raised an impressive $1.2 million — three times her fundraising total in the previous quarter — and banked $1.4 million. Her haul outdistanced her two anti-Israel rivals: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss (who raised $659,000 and banked $1.37 million) and social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh (who raised $1.1 million, but spent $1.4 million, leaving her with $811,000 cash on hand).
REASSURANCE ATTEMPT
Saudi defense minister pushed back on realignment concerns in meeting with Jewish leaders
Several Jewish and pro-Israel leaders met privately with Saudi Arabia’s defense minister in Washington on Friday afternoon, as Riyadh draws scrutiny for its increasingly hostile posture toward Israel and promotion of antisemitic messaging, Jewish Insider’s Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Matthew Kassel report.
Prince’s position: According to several sources familiar with the discussion, Prince Khalid bin Salman denied to attendees that increasing antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric out of the kingdom was reflective of the monarchy’s position and emphasized that Riyadh and Jerusalem have mutual understanding and ongoing military, security and intelligence cooperation. He praised Israel’s actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon but said he doesn’t agree with Jerusalem’s recent decision to recognize Somaliland’s independence.
Yes, but: The same day of the meeting, a Muslim cleric in Medina, Saudi Arabia, gave a sermon calling for “victory” over the “Zionist aggressors,” while an imam in Mecca preached, “O God support them in Palestine and substitute their weakness with strength.” Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted that the Saudi government selects speakers to deliver Friday sermons.
Coordination confirmation: The Wall Street Journal reports on the “increasingly anti-Israel tone” taken by Saudi government-backed media outlets, noting that Saudi officials confirmed that the campaign “has been directed by the kingdom’s leadership and takes aim at [Israel-United Arab Emirates] ties, which make for an easy target to swing public opinion.”
SUPPLY CHAIN DIPLOMACY
Jacob Helberg is betting AI will be a bridge across a fractured Middle East
Jacob Helberg, the under secretary of state for economic affairs recently returned from a trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, where he presided over a series of signing ceremonies for Pax Silica, an effort by the Trump State Department to bring American partners together to develop AI supply chains that rely less intensively on China. In an interview with Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch last week, Helberg said the trip was “incredibly significant, because this is the first time that Israel and Qatar have been brought under the same framework and signed the same document to actually agree that shared supply chains are more important than shared ideologies.”
Eye on the prize: “Our goal has been the expansion of the Abraham Accords, and the president’s been very, very clear and vocal about that,” said Helberg, a China hawk who is leading the Pax Silica initiative. “When people do business together, when people focus on shared goals, you inherently create, identify and focus on things that people agree on. It’s certainly my hope that this will pave the way for peace and economic integration of the region.”
RHOADES’ RUN
Swing district Democratic congressional candidate in Omaha blasts rivals over their criticism of Israel
Democrat Crystal Rhoades, the district court clerk of Douglas County, Neb., is running for Congress in the state’s 2nd District on an unapologetically pro-Israel platform, with the explicit goal of blocking a progressive whose record on Israel has raised concerns from becoming the party’s nominee in the critical swing district, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What she’s saying: Asked by JI in an interview last week why she’s running for Congress, Rhoades answered simply, “to stop John Cavanaugh,” referring to the Democratic state senator seen as the front-runner in the race. In her interview with JI and a position paper she authored on Israel, Rhoades expressed a deep commitment to the Jewish state, its security and the U.S.-Israel relationship, and offered significant criticism for fellow Democrats who are critical of Israel. She traced her support for the Jewish state to her time as a teenager working in a nursing home, where she helped take care of a Holocaust survivor and first learned about his story, antisemitism and the Holocaust.
DIPLOMATIC SPAT
South Africa banishes Israeli diplomat days before vote in Congress on trade benefits
South Africa and Israel banished each other’s highest-ranking diplomat serving in each country, after a video of Israel offering water technology and medical aid to minority tribes angered Pretoria last week, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports.
Zoom out: The diplomatic row took place days before Congress is expected to vote on renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which would allow many products from the continent to enter the U.S. duty-free. The Trump administration has considered removing South Africa from the program because it is a “unique problem,” as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described it in December. Removal from AGOA would adversely affect about half of South Africa’s exports to the U.S., its second-largest trading partner, Bloomberg reported.
EXCLUSIVE
Reps. Gottheimer, Tenney, Golden blast progressive groups over silence on Iranian crackdown on protests
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Jared Golden (D-ME) blasted a roster of progressive groups for their silence regarding the Iranian regime’s violent crackdown on recent protests, following the organizations’ outspoken criticisms of Israel over the past two years, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What they said: In a letter sent on Monday addressed to the League of Conservation Voters, Democratic Socialists of America, Sierra Club, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jewish Voice for Peace, Queers for Liberation, Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats, the lawmakers said that “as the Iranian regime guns down peaceful protesters, tortures dissidents, and shuts off the internet to hide its crimes, your voices are unfortunately and conspicuously silent.”
Preemptive action: Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY), leading voices in the Senate on war powers issues, introduced a war powers resolution on Friday to block military action against Iran without congressional approval.
TOXIC TECH TALK
In Doha, UpScrolled creator alleges Jewish tech execs are ‘controlling the media,’ rejects ‘Zionist money’
Issam Hijazi, creator of the new social media platform UpScrolled, presented his app as a way to escape “control [of] the narrative” by pro-Israel figures and said that he doesn’t need to rely on “Zionist money,” in his remarks at Web Summit Qatar in Doha on Sunday night. UpScrolled topped the charts in Apple’s app store in recent days, after an American investor group finalized a deal to buy part of TikTok from its Chinese owners, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports.
What he said: Hijazi, a Jordan-born Australian citizen who identifies as Palestinian, said in an onstage interview that “we cannot keep blaming the algorithm or tech” for censorious social media, “because there are people who are gilding this tech … who train this algorithm to flag things that don’t really go well with their propaganda or agendas. It became very obvious from the latest acquisition of TikTok by Larry Ellison and [Michael] Dell, and [Ellison] is one of the biggest donators [sic] for the Friends of the IDF.” The UpScrolled founder evoked a classic antisemitic trope to describe the Jewish tech entrepreneurs: “They’ve been controlling the media, as in the TV news outlets, for the past, I don’t know, six years, and now they understand social media is the new way to get information out, so they want to control the narrative again.”
Worthy Reads
‘Loose’ Nukes: In The Wall Street Journal, David Albright and Andrea Stricker address concerns about the fate of Iran’s stockpile of nuclear material should regime change occur in the Islamic Republic. “These ‘loose’ assets risk falling into the hands of rogue actors, militias or nonstate groups. They also pose severe hazards to people in the region through accidental release or abandonment. The international community, led by the U.S. and Europe, with Russian and Chinese buy-in, must develop contingency plans to prevent this. … Risks to nuclear and radioactive materials during state collapse aren’t new, and effective prevention depends on proactive planning. Disaster following the collapse of the Soviet Union was averted largely by quick actions of the U.S. government, working in cooperation with former Soviet states.” [WSJ]
Red Sea Signal: In his Substack “The Abrahamic Metacritique,” Hussein Aboubakr Mansour considers the role of the Red Sea corridor in the political shifts underway across the Middle East. “If the Saudi pivot is a strategy, the Red Sea littoral is its primary theater of application; if the Abraham Accords represented a vision of an integrated regional order anchored in normalization and infrastructure interdependence, the Red Sea is where that vision encounters the structural obstacles to its realization. … What appeared as discrete events — Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, the Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) military offensive across southern Yemen, Saudi airstrikes on Emirati weapons shipments, Somalia’s abrogation of all agreements with the UAE — are, as a matter of fact, moves within a single interconnected contest, each triggering countermoves across nominally separate theaters.” [AbrahamicMetacritique]
Word on the Street
President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh, the son-in-law of philanthropist Ronald Lauder, to be chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve on Friday, elevating an outspoken critic of the Fed’s current leadership who has recently indicated support for Trump’s broad goals of lowering interest rates, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports…
The U.S. would prefer a negotiated agreement with Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in an interview that aired on Israel’s Channel 12 on Saturday night, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports…
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, alleged on Friday that the Trump administration sidestepped standard congressional review procedures to fast-track a $6 billion arms sale to Israel, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports…
Gregory Bovino, the head of U.S. Border Patrol, reportedly made antisemitic comments about Daniel Rosen, the U.S. attorney in Minnesota, who was unavailable to work on Shabbat, during a recent phone call with federal prosecutors; read JI’s October 2025 interview with Rosen, during which he said he was motivated to take the position because of the “rapid escalation of violent antisemitism”…
Former Harris County, Texas, Attorney Christian Menefee won the special election in the state’s 18th Congressional District to succeed Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-TX), who died last year; Menefee runoff victory over former Houston City Councilmember Amanda Edwards further shrinks House Republicans’ majority, 218-214…
The California Department of Education found that the Oakland Unified School District engaged in antisemitic discrimination in multiple instances since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks and called for the Bay Area district to take corrective measures, including training for faculty and students regarding antisemitism awareness…
In the 46th annual State of World Jewry address at the 92NY in Manhattan, The New York Times‘ Bret Stephens said that the effort to fight antisemitism, “which consumes tens of millions of dollars every year in Jewish philanthropy, is a well-meaning but mostly wasted effort,” Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports for eJewishPhilanthropy…
The New York Times profiles Forward senior political reporter Jacob Kornbluh, the “London-born former professional lox-slinger” who is “ubiquitous on the forever-circuit of Jewish politics” as he covers New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani…
Israeli basketball sensation and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija has been selected as a Western Conference reserve for the NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first Israeli-born player to earn an appearance in the league’s marquee midseason showcase, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports…
Gal Hirsch, who who was appointed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to coordinate the government’s hostage-release efforts, said that the Biden administration’s pressure on Israel during hostage negotiations was “screwing up the negotiations” and “giving [Oct. 7 mastermind and former Hamas head Yahya] Sinwar exactly what he wants”…
Israel is halting the Gaza operations of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) over the group’s refusal to provide the names of its Palestinian staffers for vetting for possible links to terror groups; MSF slammed the decision, saying it was a “pretext to obstruct humanitarian assistance”…
The Wall Street Journal spotlights the Gen Z protesters who have taken to the streets of Iran in recent weeks during the country’s widespread protests…
Iranian screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian, who co-wrote Oscar nominee “It Was Just An Accident,” was arrested for signing onto a letter criticizing the Iranian government for its recent crackdowns on protesters in the country…
Emirates is preparing to restart flights to and from Israel in the coming months after a two-year pause following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza…
United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed canceled a planned trip to Japan this week amid elevated tensions between the U.S. and Iran, citing “domestic circumstances”…
The Wall Street Journal reports on a $500 million investment deal between a UAE-linked investment fund and the Trump family’s crypto company, World Liberty Financial, that will give the Emirati firm a 49% stake in World Liberty; meanwhile The New Yorker’s David Kirkpatrick does a deep dive into the Trump family’s finances and recent business dealings, finding the family had made $4 billion since Trump’s second inauguration by leveraging the power of the White Hosue…
The New York Times covers a clandestine Egyptian military base in the country’s west that is being used to aid in drone warfare in neighboring Sudan, where Cairo is carrying out strikes targeting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces battling the country’s military…
Pic of the Day
Philanthropist and Craigslist founder Craig Newmark addressed the Jewish Community Relations Council-New York’s annual Congressional Breakfast on Sunday in New York. Speakers at this year’s breakfast included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
Birthdays
Actress and comedian, Lori Beth Denberg turns 50…
Chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia, Barry Diller turns 84… Mayor of Irvine, Calif., Larry Agran (family name was Agranowsky) turns 81… Host of the Food Network program “Barefoot Contessa”, Ina Rosenberg Garten turns 78… Actor, comedian and singer, Brent Spiner turns 77… Journalist, novelist and author, Michael Zelig Castleman turns 76… U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) turns 74… “Washington Secrets” columnist at the Washington Examiner, Paul Bedard… Science fiction publisher and author, Selina A. Rosen turns 66… Rabbi at the Pacific Jewish Center (the Shul On The Beach) in Venice, Calif., he is also a practicing attorney, Shalom Rubanowitz… Sportscaster who currently does play-by-play for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, Kenny Albert turns 58… Movie and theater actress and screenwriter, Jennifer Westfeldt turns 56… Tony Award-winning actress, Marissa Jaret Winokur turns 53… Board-certified ophthalmologist, she is married to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and sits on the board of the Kennedy Center, Dr. Dana Blumberg… Basketball coach for many Israeli teams over more than 20 years, Dan Shamir turns 51… Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose stage name is Mayer Hawthorne, Andrew Mayer Cohen turns 47… Assistant professor at Clemson University, Rebecca Shimoni Stoil, Ph.D. … Senior staff writer at GovCIO Media and Research, Ross Gianfortune… U.S. senator (R-AL), Katie Boyd Britt turns 44… Television and radio host, David Pakman turns 42… Deputy special envoy to combat and monitor antisemitism during the last three years of the Biden administration, Aaron Keyak… Actress and musician, Zosia Russell Mamet turns 38… Former Team Israel baseball catcher, he is now director of business development at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nicholas Jay “Nick” Rickles turns 36… Avi Katz…
U.S. military assets have moved into the region in recent weeks amid escalating rhetoric from President Trump
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) speak to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on January 07, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY), leading voices in the Senate on war powers issues, introduced a war powers resolution on Friday to block military action against Iran without congressional approval.
The resolution comes after weeks of threats by President Donald Trump against the Iranian regime to intervene on behalf of anti-regime protesters, and amid a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East.
Kaine and Paul can force a vote in the Senate on the resolution, as Kaine has done with resolutions related to a series of other military actions taken by the Trump administration, including last summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Senate blocked that resolution by a 53-47 vote; Paul voted with most Democrats in favor of the resolution while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted with most Republicans against it.
Most recently, five Senate Republicans voted with Democrats for a procedural motion on a resolution to block further military action against Venezuela, but two ultimately flipped, under pressure from the Trump administration, on the final vote, blocking its passage.
Republicans were generally supportive of the U.S. strikes on Iran last summer, and some Democrats did praise the action after the fact, even as they expressed concerns about the administration’s unilateral action without congressional approval.
Trump has cited presidential self-defense authorities in carrying out various military actions around the world, including last summer’s strikes in Iran.
Plus, Maduro's successor holds the party line
Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullah speaks to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Dec. 26, 2025
👋 Good Wednesday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we do a deep dive into Israel’s strategic interests in and diplomatic overtures to Somaliland following Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar‘s trip the country, and look at early signals from interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez that she will maintain Caracas’ critical approach to Israel and relations with American adversaries. We talk to Rep. Josh Gottheimer about his recent trip to the Middle East and challenges in building Gaza’s International Stabilization Force, and report on an article in the Spanish daily El Pais that disparaged the Jewish background of the judge overseeing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s case. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Rep. Dan Goldman, George Conway and Joyce Karam.
Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by Jewish Insider Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with an assist from Danielle Cohen-Kanik. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is holding House and Senate briefings this morning before meeting this afternoon with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud.
- The New York City Council will elect its next speaker today. Councilmember Julie Menin, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, announced last month she’d garnered support from a supermajority of councilmembers. Read our report on Menin — and the counterweight she is expected to be to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s agenda — here.
- Mamdani’s first major test with the Jewish community could come as soon as this evening, when PAL-Awda, the group behind the November protest outside a synagogue that was hosting a Nefesh B’Nefesh event about immigrating to Israel, is slated to protest another event hosted by NBN tonight in Manhattan.
- Elsewhere in Manhattan, the annual Colel Chabad International Awards Gala is taking place tonight. Russian-Israeli entrepreneur Yitzchak Mirilashvili, Heather and Joe Sarachek, Sara and Harry Krakowski and Lauren and Martin Tabaksblat are set to be honored at the event. Also slated to be honored is Ahmed al-Ahmed, the Syrian immigrant to Australia who helped disarm one of the Bondi Beach terrorists during last month’s terror attack in Sydney.
- The Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center is holding a panel discussion this morning at its Washington headquarters on the future of humanitarian assistance. Speakers include IsraAID CEO Yotam Polizer, Zipline Africa’s Caitlin Burton, DAI’s Tine Knott and UNICEF USA’s Patrick Quirk
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S Tamara ziEVE AND MATTHEW SHEA
At the conclusion of the 12-day war in June of last year, both Israel and Iran suspected that the ceasefire brokered by the U.S. would be a pause, not a final cessation of hostilities. That truce has lasted for more than six months, with both sides wary of entering another military conflict — one likely to be more deadly and destructive than the first.
But now, amid destabilizing world events from Venezuela to the Middle East — compounded by growing domestic pressure on the Islamic Republic amid nationwide protests — that ceasefire is even more tenuous, with officials in Tehran and Jerusalem closely watching the other’s every move, careful not to make a potentially disastrous miscalculation — even as both sides make overtures at de-escalation.
Speaking at the Knesset on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “President [Donald] Trump and I have expressed a firm stance — we won’t allow Iran to rebuild its ballistic missile industry or to renew the nuclear program, which we damaged severely in Operation Rising Lion.”
In response, Iran’s newly formed Defense Council warned on Tuesday that the country could act preemptively if it detects clear signs of a threat. “The long-standing enemies of this land … are pursuing a targeted approach by repeating and intensifying threatening language and interventionist statements in clear conflict with the accepted principles of international law, which is aimed at dismembering our beloved Iran and harming the country’s identity,” the council said.
Recent reports suggest that Israel, in an attempt to de-escalate tensions, has used Moscow as an intermediary, communicating through Russian President Vladimir Putin that it has no intention of launching a preemptive strike on Iranian soil. Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are unconvinced.
In a post on X, Khamenei accused Israel of deception: “What makes the enemy first request a ceasefire during [12-day] war with the Iranian nation, then send messages saying he doesn’t want to fight us?”
“Now if he doesn’t believe the messaging and thinks that Israel is about to attack then you can understand why Israel is worried Iran is about to miscalculate and attack. Very tense days/weeks ahead of us,” Nadav Pollak, a lecturer on the Middle East at Reichman University, commented on Khamenei’s post.
REASONING AND RAMIFICATIONS
Why Israel recognized Somaliland — and what the rest of the world might do next
When Israel announced the day after Christmas that it would formally recognize Somaliland, making it the first country in the world to announce formal diplomatic relations with the secessionist region in the Horn of Africa, even some of Washington’s foremost foreign policy experts were sheepishly asking the same question: What, exactly, is Somaliland? There was no single event that led to Israel’s choice to recognize the sovereignty of Somaliland, which announced its independence from Somalia in 1991. The territory has functioned independently for 35 years; nothing in its governance changed last year. What changed was Israel — and its geopolitical calculus regarding regional security threats, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Security strategy: “The Houthis didn’t used to fire missiles at Israel. That’s new, and Israel’s now trying to respond to a new situation,” said David Makovsky, the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “I have no doubt that this was driven by how to try to neutralize a threat from the Houthis that Israel takes very seriously.” Somaliland sits just across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, from which the Iran-backed Houthis have fired drones and ballistic missiles at Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in 2023.
Sa’ar in Somaliland: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar made a historic diplomatic visit to Somaliland on Tuesday, marking the first official trip by an Israeli Cabinet minister to the territory and the latest move to strengthen bilateral ties following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence last month, JI’s Matthew Shea reports.
SAME AS THE OLD BOSS
New Venezuelan president signals similar anti-American foreign policy as Maduro
In the aftermath of U.S. strikes in Venezuela and the capture of leader Nicolás Maduro, uncertainty remains over whether the South American country’s ties to key U.S. adversaries and hostile posture toward Israel will change under interim President Delcy Rodríguez. Despite Maduro’s capture and vows from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to return to the country and reject the authority of the interim president, the U.S. appears to be backing Rodríguez, who is closely aligned with Maduro and has shown a similar posture when it comes to Israel and U.S. adversaries, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports.
Similar direction: Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JI that the Trump administration’s apparent backing of Rodríguez is a “mistake” and that he doesn’t see “any reason to believe” she would depart from Maduro’s approach to U.S. adversaries. “I have concern that we still have most of the problematic elements of the regime in Venezuela remaining in place,” said Bowman. “[Rodríguez] has been part of a regime that has been hostile to the United States and cozy with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its terror proxies. If one were a betting person, you would say at a minimum that [Rodríguez] is going to continue to harbor those problematic views toward China, Russia and Iran, if not manifest them in policy.”
REGIONAL RELUCTANCE
Gulf states yet to commit personnel to Gaza security force, Gottheimer says
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who visited Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia over the weekend, said that the Gulf countries have yet to commit personnel to be directly involved in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, without which the next phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas cannot proceed, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod and Emily Jacobs report. Gottheimer visited Qatar and Bahrain alongside Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Jason Smith (R-MO) and Ronny Jackson (R-TX). Members of the delegation were photographed meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who also serves as the kingdom’s foreign affairs minister.
Takeaway: “All the countries in the region who I’ve met with seem very eager to get to Phase 2. I think the question remains of which countries are willing to put boots on the ground and take the necessary steps to disarm Hamas,” Gottheimer told JI on Tuesday. “We’re all waiting for announcements on who that will be — that’s still the outstanding question … and what level of commitment.” Building and staffing the ISF, he emphasized, is a “very important piece of the puzzle right now.”
PAPER PROBLEM
Leading Spanish newspaper disparages Jewish background of Maduro trial judge
Spain’s leading newspaper, El País, came under fire Tuesday for publishing an antisemitic comment about the Jewish background of the judge overseeing the case against deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In a since-edited story, the left-leaning newspaper reported on Monday that federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein is a highly regarded jurist “despite being a recognized member of the Jewish community,” Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports.
Printed words: “Hellerstein, who studied law at Columbia University (New York), began his career as a clerk in the court he now presides over. Throughout his career, he has issued well-reasoned rulings and strived to maintain impartiality, despite being a prominent member of the Jewish community,” the article stated in Spanish. The end of the last sentence was removed on Tuesday. Before it was edited, the story was reproduced by the Uruguayan El País, which also removed the line on Tuesday evening, following an inquiry from JI.
DILUTING THE MESSAGE
Asked about antisemitism, VP Vance says ‘all forms of ethnic hatred’ should be rejected
Vice President JD Vance, asked about the rise of antisemitism in the conservative movement, said “all forms of ethnic hatred” must be rejected and emphasized that the U.S. is rooted in “Christian principles,” Jewish Insider’s Danielle Cohen-Kanik reports. In an interview released Tuesday, CNN commentator Scott Jennings, on his eponymous podcast, asked the vice president about “certain kinds of views that have been espoused by certain kinds of people” in the conservative movement who “try to drag you into this conversation all the time.”
What he said: “Just for the record, does the conservative movement need to warehouse anybody out there espousing antisemitism in any way?” Jennings asked. “No it doesn’t, Scott,” Vance answered. “I think that we need to reject all forms of ethnic hatred, whether it’s antisemitism, anti-Black hatred, anti-white hatred. I think that’s one of the great things about the conservative coalition, is that we are, I think, fundamentally rooted in the Christian principles that founded the United States of America and one of those very important principles is that we judge people as individuals.”
CANDIDATE CONCERNS
George Conway, running for Congress, hits Mamdani on Israel views
George Conway, a former Republican lawyer and prominent critic of President Donald Trump who announced his bid in a Democratic House primary in Manhattan on Tuesday, is raising concerns about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s approach to Israel and antisemitism, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.
Conway’s criticism: Conway, who recently relocated to Manhattan in order to run for the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), said in an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday that he was “disturbed” by Mamdani’s sharp criticisms of Israel, even as he called the mayor “a great politician” and voiced admiration for his “focus on affordability.” The first-time candidate, 62, added in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday that he was “concerned about some of the language” Mamdani has “used in the past about Israel,” as well as the mayor’s recent decision to revoke a pair of executive orders related to Israel and antisemitism on his first day in office.
Worthy Reads
Man of the Moment: In The Free Press, Eli Lake posits that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who began the second Trump administration as “the odd man out,” now “might be the second most powerful man” in DC. “So what’s the secret to Rubio’s success? Administration officials and Trump intimates tell me that he clawed ahead through a combination of competence, loyalty, and realism. Rubio has not embarrassed the White House with episodes like Signalgate, when former national security adviser Mike Waltz accidentally included Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal chat to discuss plans for bombing Houthi targets in Yemen. Rubio has not publicly accused subordinates of leaking classified information with little evidence, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has done. ‘Marco puts his head down and does his job, and the president appreciates that,’ one administration official told me.” [FreePress]
Thank You For the Music: Rolling Stone’s Marisa Fox looks at how former Israeli hostages leaned on music for strength while in captivity in Gaza. “‘Music has been my lifeline until today,’ says [Alon] Ohel, who also attended Nova, and was snatched from a shelter along with Hersh Golberg-Polin. ‘Music helped me get through the nightmare … and rise above.’ Held in an apartment for his first 52 days, he would hum Bill Withers’ ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ to himself, a track that took on new meaning in the pitch-black of the tunnels, where he was eventually relocated. Sometimes, he’d imagine the Police’s ‘Roxanne’ to rev himself up. But his most constant companion was ‘Shir LeLo Shem,’ or ‘A Song With No Name,’ by Israeli artist Yehudit Ravitz, and in particular the verse ‘For my song is a leaf in the wind/Faded out, forgotten/It’s the soft light opening in my nights/It is you who walks towards me.’” [RollingStone]
Word on the Street
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) formally launched his reelection bid in New York’s 10th Congressional district, where he is facing a primary challenge from the left from former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, on Tuesday…
In a New York Times interview, Goldman said that his support for Israel could cost him votes against Lander, acknowledging that some Democrats have been quick to turn on Israel; referring to a censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) over her comments early in the Israel-Hamas war that he had backed, Goldman said he would “most likely vote differently” if the vote were held again…
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) announced the death of 65-year-old Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA); the California Republican’s death shrunk the House GOP’s majority to 218-213…
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who is retiring at the end of this year, is expected to endorse Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss in the Democratic primary to succeed her in the state’s 9th Congressional District…
Former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) is passing on a challenge to Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) for his old Hudson Valley seat…
Former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) is moving closer to launching a Senate bid challenging Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) after narrowly losing her House reelection bid in 2024…
The Board of Deputies of British Jews called on the chief constable of West Midlands, U.K., to step down over his force’s recommendation to ban Maccabee Tel Aviv fans from a November match against Aston Villa and false statements given in a subsequent investigation…
A significant majority of Jewish Israelis feel that it is safer for them to live in Israel than abroad, according to a new survey by the Israeli Voice Index, reflecting heightened concerns about antisemitism overseas, Jewish Insider’s Tamara Zieve reports…
A teenager was killed and several others injured by a bus during a Jerusalem riot protesting Haredi draft efforts; the driver of the bus told investigators he had been attacked by Haredi protesters and lost control of the vehicle…
Senior Israeli and Syrian officials agreed at a U.S.-brokered meeting in Paris to speed up the pace of talks between the countries on reaching a security agreement…
Israel ordered Doctors Without Borders to cease operations in the Gaza Strip, citing the organization’s refusal to provide identification numbers of Palestinian employees as well its failure to comply with a policy cracking down on criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza…
Israel passed the final approval for the controversial E1 settlement project near Jerusalem, with a government tender now open for developers to submit bids, paving the way for construction that would effectively divide the West Bank…
At least 35 people have been killed and more than 1,200 arrested in anti-government protests sweeping across Iran…
Emily Bromberg is joining the Jewish Federations of North America as vice president of community security operations…
Joyce Karam was named the editor-in-chief of Al-Monitor…
Tennis table champion Josef Veselsky, who survived the Holocaust by joining the resistance in the mountains of Czechoslovakia before migrating to Ireland in 1949, where he eventually became the country’s oldest man, died at 107…
Pic of the Day
Ahmed al-Ahmed (third from left), who disarmed one of the terrorists during the terror attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, last month, joined Rabbi Yehoram Ulman (second from left), director of Chabad of Bondi, whose congregants and son-in-law were murdered in the attack, and Rabbi Sholom Duchman (fourth from left), director of Colel Chabad, at the Ohel, the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, in Queens, N.Y.
Birthdays
Co-founder and publisher of Rolling Stone magazine and co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Jann Wenner turns 80…
Former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Michael H. Moskow turns 88… U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Michigan since 1994, he assumed senior status in 2023, Judge Paul D. Borman turns 87… Pulitzer Prize-winning sports reporter, columnist and writer, he wrote for The New York Times from 1981 to 2007, Ira Berkow turns 86… Scottsdale, Ariz., resident, Bruce Robert Dorfman… Retired president of the University of South Florida system, Judy Genshaft turns 78… Senior U.S. District Court judge in Miami, Joan A. Lenard turns 74… Former brigadier general and chief rabbi of the IDF until 2016, then minister of Jerusalem affairs, Rafael “Rafi” Peretz turns 70… Former CEO of Glencore, one of the world’s largest commodity trading and mining companies, Ivan Glasenberg turns 69… Dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills, starting in 2011 he assumed control of his family’s nationwide real estate operations, Dr. Ezra Kest… Documentary filmmaker with a focus on social justice and Jewish history, Roberta Grossman turns 67… One of the heirs to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, Anthony Pritzker turns 65… U.S. senator (R-SD), he has served as Senate majority leader since January 2025, John Thune turns 65… U.S. senator (R-KY), Rand Paul turns 63… Managing director and senior relationship manager at Bank of America, she serves as the chair of the Jewish Funders Network, Zoya Raynes… Television and film actress, Lauren Cohan turns 44… Executive director of Keep Our Republic and author of Paths of the Righteous, Ari Mittleman… Concord, N. H.-based public affairs consultant, Holly Shulman… Executive director of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos, Calif., Jeremy Ragent… Music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, he will become the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic at the start of the 2026-2027 season, Lahav Shani turns 37… Drummer and founding member of The Groggers, a pop punk band from Queens, Nechemia “Chemy” Soibelman turns 35… Reporter on Haredi and Knesset affairs for Walla News, Yaki Adamker… Author of five books and host of the history podcast “Noble Blood,” Dana Schwartz turns 33… National chair of Israel Policy Forum Atid, Jonathan Kamel… Pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, the first Israeli player ever drafted by an MLB team, his great-uncle is Haim Saban, Dean Kremer turns 30…
The documentary highlights anti-Israel conspiracy theories and is filled with antisemitic tropes
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks at a rally near the U.S. Capitol on June 29, 2021, in Washington, D.C.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) distanced himself from antisemitic influencer Ian Carroll after the congressman posted to social media an excerpt from a YouTube documentary that featured separate clips of himself and Carroll.
Carroll, described in the documentary as a researcher, is an antisemitic conspiracy theorist who has engaged in Holocaust distortion. He has claimed that Israel and Jewish people are involved in a malign global conspiracy, control the U.S. government and were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. He has also asserted that pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein was a “clearly a Jewish organization working on behalf of Israel and other groups.”
In the excerpt shared by Khanna alongside his own comments, Carroll stated that recipients of pro-Israel support are “operat[ing] our government on behalf of someone else,” referring to AIPAC and Israel. Khanna himself discussed his concerns about interest group spending in U.S. elections.
“This was a documentary made by Tommy G who interviewed me. I did not speak to or meet Ian Carroll. I stand by my words and should be judged by them,” Khanna said in a statement to Jewish Insider. “I vehemently disagree and reject any views blaming Israel for 9/11, denying the Holocaust, or conspiracies about a Jewish syndicate exerting control.”
In the documentary, Khanna described the U.S. as “complicit” in the destruction in Gaza and stated that Israel has committed war crimes in the enclave and that the International Court of Justice should examine and adjudicate the issue.
“The Hamas terrorist attack was awful, and I said that people who committed those crimes had to be brought to justice and the hostages had to be released,” Khanna said. “But that happened months in. Netanyahu has been bombing for 2 years.”
“Who says, ‘We’re going to starve the people so much that they suffer that we’re going to force the surrender?’ It’s sick, and your tax dollars, my tax dollars, are funding them,” Khanna added.
The documentary itself, posted by a YouTube videomaker with the handle Tommy G, is filled with antisemitic tropes. The thumbnail for the video frames Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a puppetmaster with strings controlling several men in suits, posed in front of the White House, flanked by Israeli and AIPAC flags. There are also several dollar bills superimposed over the image.
The documentary highlights anti-Israel arguments — including some conspiracy theories — and repeatedly brushes off or attempts to rebut arguments from pro-Israel voices featured in it. Anti-Israel voices receive the majority of the screen time in the video.
The narrator, Tommy G, opens the documentary by highlighting claims of a coverup or Israeli foreknowledge of the Oct. 7 attack, and plays up alleged Israeli abuses in Gaza.
While condemning Hamas’ actions, he suggests that the terrorist group’s actions could be seen as reasonable or provoked by Israel’s own actions, framing the group — as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan — as “freedom fighters” and “resistance movements.”
Tommy G also makes passing mention of — and does not interrogate — baseless claims that Israel may have been involved in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The documentarian describes Carroll as “one of the internet’s top conspiracy analysts,” who critics “label an antisemite … but to others he is a fearless journalist that speaks on what some perceive as an extremely strong Zionist pressure on our government.”
He also suggests that it is inherently suspicious that many lawmakers have traveled to Israel.
And he concludes the documentary by stating, “A lot of us feel deep in our gut something is off here, something is wrong here and I will not be intimidated into not asking questions.”
Carroll himself suggests in the documentary a connection between the pro-Israel cause and the John F. Kennedy assassination, that Israel had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attack and that Israel dispatched Jeffrey Epstein to cultivate relationships with U.S. leaders and blackmail them.
Another anti-Israel voice in the documentary is Anthony Aguilar, a former Gaza Humanitarian Foundation contractor whose key claim of Israeli and GHF abuses has been disproven.
Aguilar states in the documentary that American politicians aren’t allowed to talk about Israel and that shows “who controls you.”
Other featured guests include Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Hank Johnson (R-GA), as well as Code Pink leader Medea Benjamin, an IDF reservist and a U.S. doctor who volunteered in Gaza.
Mace, Johnson and the IDF reservist all spoke in defense of Israel.
The video includes a clip of Norman Finkelstein, an antisemitic scholar who has voiced support for Hezbollah and accused Jews of exploiting the Holocaust.
In the documentary, Paul suggests, falsely, that the U.S. has created “easier” rules around lobbying disclosures for countries the U.S. considers to be allies and that many pro-Israel activists are dual-citizens, part of a segment of the documentary that attempts to interrogate why AIPAC is not registered as a foreign lobbying group.
The group’s members and leaders are American citizens who act on their own recognizance, rather than at the instruction of the Israeli government.
Khanna, pushing back on the narrative framing AIPAC supporters as foreign agents, states in the documentary, “They’re American citizens. If you’re an American citizen and you’re articulating a point of view, that’s your right. … They’re American citizens. They’re lobbying for their interests. They’re lobbying for the Netanyahu government’s interests because they think that’s what benefits America. And they’re paying millions of dollars, which under Citizens United is legal.”
Khanna argues in the documentary that spending from outside super PACs on behalf of favored candidates should be outlawed.
The California congressman, rumored as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has also recently faced scrutiny for his appearance at ArabCon, where other speakers defended Hamas and laughed off the idea of condemning its Oct. 7 attacks.
Plus, today's summit in Sardinia
Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks during a press conference outside of the Governor's Mansion after an arsonist sets fire to the Governor's Residence in a targeted attack in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States on April 13, 2025.
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we interview Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in Lewistown, Pa., and hear his thoughts on New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s defense of calls to “globalize the intifada,” and report on White House official Seb Gorka’s comments yesterday that the U.S. isn’t pursuing regime change in Iran. We report on an Israeli initiative to provide medical assistance to Druze women who were sexually assaulted during sectarian clashes in Syria last week, and cover Sen. Rand Paul’s efforts to delay former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Kemi Badenoch, Seth Klarman and Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Don Bacon.
What We’re Watching
- White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting in Sardinia, Italy, today with Israeli and Qatari officials, including Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to discuss a potential ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani will reportedly attend the Sardinia sit-down, a week after quietly meeting for dinner with President Donald Trump at the White House.
- We reached out to the White House this week about that dinner meeting, for which, notably, no readout or photos were issued. A White House spokesperson told us that “[i]t was a great and productive meeting with one of our country’s greatest allies in the region,” but did not respond to further requests for details.
- To that end, we’re keeping an eye on the ceasefire talks also happening in Doha, where earlier this morning Hamas submitted a new response to the latest proposal, after its prior response was rejected by mediators.
- Dermer is also reportedly slated to meet today in Paris with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, the Trump administration’s Syria envoy, to discuss security issues.
- On Capitol Hill, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) will introduce legislation today requiring the National Education Association to expand its federal charter to prohibit the nation’s largest teachers’ union from “engaging in electoral politics or lobbying” in response to the group’s proposal to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League. Read more here.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding its confirmation hearing today for Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
- Also this morning, the Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Paul Ingrassia, the Trump administration’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel who has trafficked in conspiracy theories, including describing Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks and ensuing war as a “psyop” and defended prominent antisemites including Kanye West, Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes. Senate Republicans told JI last month that they planned to scrutinize Ingrassia’s record ahead of his hearing. Read more here.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S gabby Deutch
Inside a coffee shop in rural Pennsylvania, hundreds of miles from the bustle of Manhattan, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro made his first public comments about Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday following the democratic socialist’s victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary a month earlier.
Mamdani “seemed to run a campaign that excited New Yorkers. He also seemed to run a campaign where he left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things,” Shapiro told Jewish Insider.
Shapiro’s comments come as Mamdani continues to face backlash for declining to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” and as national Democratic figures struggle to figure out how to respond to his come-from-behind victory and to assess what his nomination means for the future of the party.
“I’ll say this about Mamdani or any other leader,” Shapiro told JI. “If you want to lead New York, you want to lead Pennsylvania, you want to lead the United States of America, you’re a leader. I don’t care if you’re a Republican or Democratic leader or a democratic socialist leader. You have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you can’t leave room for that to just sit there. You’ve got to condemn that.”
Widely viewed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, Shapiro has steered clear of weighing in on a number of divisive national issues, preferring instead to focus on Pennsylvania, where he maintains a 61% approval rating. But national conversations, including about Israel and antisemitism, have found their way to the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg — in more ways than one.
In April, the residence was set ablaze in an arson attack just hours after Shapiro and his family had hosted a Passover Seder. Police said the alleged perpetrator was motivated by anti-Israel animus, but Shapiro has repeatedly declined to characterize the incident as antisemitic in nature, saying that doing so would be “unhelpful” to prosecutors who have not brought hate crime charges.
Shapiro told JI the arson attack left a profound impact on him, both personally and religiously. It brought him closer, he said, to “my faith and my spirituality.” The attack, Shapiro said, has “given me a deeper, spiritual connection of my faith and a deeper connection to people of other faiths.”
SEB SAYS
White House’s Sebastian Gorka: U.S. not pursuing regime change in Iran
Sebastian Gorka, the White House senior director for counterterrorism and a deputy assistant to the president, said Wednesday at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies that the U.S. is not seeking regime change in Iran, but will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign on Tehran, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Covering the waterfront: Gorka also said that he supports efforts to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, suggested that he’s pursuing efforts to convince Qatar and Turkey to cut ties with Hamas and said the U.S. wants to see Syrian minority groups come to the table and join with the new Syrian government. He additionally discussed efforts to implement non-Hamas police and security in Gaza, praised Israel’s efforts to undermine Iran and its proxies and spoke about potential Iranian attacks in the U.S.
Shot down: Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) attempted to call up and pass by unanimous consent a resolution urging the United Kingdom, France and Germany to trigger the snapback of United Nations sanctions on Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action “as soon as possible,” but was blocked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
DONE DEAL
Columbia reaches $200 million settlement with Trump administration
Columbia University announced on Wednesday that it reached a deal with the Trump administration to restore some $400 million in federal funding that was cut by the government in March due to the university’s record dealing with antisemitism since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks in Israel, Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports.
Details: Under the terms of the settlement, Columbia agreed to pay $200 million over three years to the federal government. In addition, the university has agreed to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $21 million. A number of open civil rights investigations into the university alleging harassment of Jewish students will also be settled under the terms of the agreement, according to which the university will also abide by laws banning the consideration of race in admissions and hiring. Columbia said it will continue to have “autonomy and authority over faculty hiring, admissions, and academic decision-making.”
University statement: “While Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing with this resolution agreement, the institution’s leaders have recognized, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents, and that reform was and is needed,” the university said.
SMUGGLING TO SUWEIDA
Israeli Druze women working to aid victims of rape in Syria
Amid clashes between Druze residents of Syria, Bedouins, militias supporting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian government forces in recent weeks, videos and eyewitness testimony has emerged of brutal executions, torture and rape in Sweida, a Druze town in southern Syria. A group of Israelis has been working together to provide medical aid to Syrian Druze women who were allegedly sexually assaulted, Laila Khalife, an Israeli Druze woman who is part of the initiative, told Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov on Wednesday. There have been reports of rape of Druze girls and women, including the rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl, though the number of victims is still unknown.
Aid efforts: Israel began transferring NIS 2 million (over $600,000) in humanitarian aid to the Sweida area in recent days, including food, first aid kits and other medical equipment. Hundreds of Israelis donated blood to be sent to Syria. On Sunday, four Israeli Air Force helicopters reportedly reached the hospital in Sweida, which was attacked in last week’s clashes. In addition to the official aid packages, Druze Israeli women attempted to smuggle emergency contraception delaying or preventing ovulation, to minimize the likelihood of pregnancy among women reportedly raped in the clashes. However, those packages were intercepted.
UNRWA ISSUE
Appropriations Committee Democrats criticize anti-UNRWA provisions in House funding bill
Democratic members of the House Appropriations Committee criticized Republican-led efforts to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the House’s draft 2026 budget bill for the State Department and other foreign programs, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Back-and-forth: The exchanges underscore the continued support among some prominent Democrats for restoring the U.S. relationship with the scandal-plagued UNRWA, more than a year after U.S. aid to the group was first halted following allegations that some UNRWA staff participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. The budget bill includes a continued ban on aid to the agency and calls on the State Department to put together a plan to replace it. During an Appropriations Committee meeting yesterday, Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) particularly questioned the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, describing it as a “‘death trap for starving Palestinians.”
Mideast matters: A bipartisan group of experts urged members of the Senate Foreign Relations Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism subcommittee on Wednesday to support efforts to keep the U.S. engaged with Israel and other allies in the Middle East. The experts, including former Trump and Biden administration officials, warned that a U.S. retreat from the region would create a vacuum quickly filled by American adversaries, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports.
ONLINE ACTION
Gottheimer, Bacon reup effort to combat antisemitism on social media
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Don Bacon (R-NE) on Wednesday announced the reintroduction of the STOP HATE Act, which aims to crack down on antisemitism on social media. The legislators announced the bill’s reintroduction at a press conference alongside Anti-Defamation CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Countering terrorism: The bill, which was first introduced in November 2023 but failed to progress in the previous Congress, would require social media companies to publicize specific policies on their standards and restrictions for their platforms by designated terrorists, report to the federal government on content flagged and/or removed under these policies and publicly report on incidents incidents in which violate these policies.
STALLING TACTICS
Sen. Rand Paul delays Mike Waltz confirmation over ‘anti-Trump’ concerns
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is delaying efforts to confirm former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations over Waltz’s previous support for a continued U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. Paul told Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod on Wednesday he would not vote to support moving Waltz out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a favorable recommendation, as is generally a standard part of the confirmation process.
What this means: Paul’s concerns forced the committee to delay a vote, scheduled for Wednesday, to advance Waltz’s nomination. Paul said he would vote to advance the nomination with a neutral recommendation, which would allow Waltz to move forward for consideration from the full Senate but would be an unusual black mark on Waltz’s nomination. Unless Waltz picks up Democratic support, the committee vote would be tied — preventing the nomination from moving forward — without Paul’s backing.
Worthy Reads
Next-Gen Hard-liners: In The Wall Street Journal, Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh caution that the next generation of Iranian leaders could pose significant threats to both the U.S. and Israel. “They are drawn from militant groups such as the Paydari Front and the second tier of the Revolutionary Guards. They look to guidance from the likes of the religiously obsessional Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator who abjures compromise. They are found in the security organs, occupy seats in parliament and run their own education centers. They have created their own underground shadow government and ideological ecosystem. … Indeed, the rising generation of the Revolutionary Guards have defined themselves by their willingness to brutalize their countrymen repeatedly. And these guardsmen have had two other core commitments: the A-bomb program and the proxy war strategy devised by their fallen hero, Qassem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guard dark lord whom an American missile felled in Baghdad in 2020.” [WSJ]
Where’s Marco?: The Financial Times’ Guy Chazan looks at Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s ideological evolution as he has moved to embrace broad swaths of President Donald Trump’s worldview. “As a senator, Rubio was a fervent advocate of American overseas assistance, of Washington’s long-standing alliances and the power of US diplomacy as a force for good in the world. He would stress the need to stand up to dictators and support dissidents campaigning against authoritarian regimes. Yet he has since embraced Trump’s Maga ideology, with its isolationism, impatience with foreign aid and determination to drastically shrink the federal workforce. … But allies dismiss the idea Rubio has changed, insisting that on key issues he has been remarkably consistent. Far from abandoning his values, they say, he has championed them, influencing Trump to adopt a more hawkish posture towards countries such as China, Iran, Russia and Venezuela.” [FT]
If Dems Gain Power: In The Atlantic, Paul Rosenzweig considers how a future Democratic presidential administration could employ the same tactics as the Trump administration vis-a-vis sweeping policy shifts, department reorganizations and mass firings. “What lies ahead, then, is a new era of pendulum swings, replacing the stability of the postwar governing consensus. Ahead is a cycle of retributive prosecutions and whipsaw funding decisions. America may see entire Cabinet departments alternatively created and closed every four years while the presidency goes from policy to anti-policy — enforcing DEI in one administration, perhaps, and prohibiting it in the next. The country would, in effect, return to the time before the Pendleton Act, when the entire federal workforce turned over with each successive administration, rewarding cronyism at the expense of expertise.” [TheAtlantic]
Word on the Street
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration is opening an investigation into Harvard’s eligibility in the U.S.’ Exchange Visitor Program after a previous effort to revoke the school’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program status was blocked by a federal judge…
The Pentagon’s internal watchdog reportedly received evidence that information about strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen that were shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a Signal group chat originated from a classified email sent by CENTCOM head Gen. Erik Kurilla; Hegseth had previously testified under oath that he had not shared classified information in the group chat…
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) said he plans to run for reelection to his House seat, and will forgo a gubernatorial bid, clearing a path for Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY); Stefanik, who has been mulling a challenge to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, said after Lawler’s announcement that she will decide in November whether to make a bid for the state’s top job…
And in Michigan, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) announced he will not run for the state’s open Senate seat in 2026, following a recent meeting with President Donald Trump in which Huizenga was asked to forgo a bid; Huizenga’s decision leaves former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), who made his first Senate bid in 2024 and has Trump’s backing, as the early GOP front-runner…
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to announce his entry into the state’s Senate race next week; Cooper, a Democrat, had been a top party recruit for the seat being vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC); on the GOP side, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley is planning to launch his bid for the seat in the next week and a half, after Lara Trump opted not to mount a Senate bid…
Speaking at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), accused Israel of carrying out a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza being paid for by the United States, and called for the U.S. to impose “consequences” against the Israeli government for “the horrors that they’ve committed”; he also urged an independent investigation of alleged settler attacks in the West Bank on a Palestinian church and a Palestinian-American man…
Greg LoGerfo, the acting coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department, described antisemitism as a key motivator for current terrorist threats globally at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing; he also committed to reviewing the Popular Resistance Committees, a Gaza-based Palestinian terrorist group, for a potential terrorist designation…
The most recently filed campaign finance disclosures indicate significant fundraising gains by left-wing Democrats, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) pulling in $15.4 million so far this year; Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral candidate in New York City, raised over $850,000 in the two weeks prior and two weeks after his primary win last month…
Stanford suspended the co-op status of a campus residence after a Title VI investigation conducted by the university found that students were asked to leave an event at the Kairos housing co-op based over “the presence of ‘Zionists’ in the group”…
For a “Talks at GS” conversation posted yesterday, philanthropist and Baupost Group CEO Seth Klarman spoke with Goldman Sachs President and COO John Waldron about his approach to shifting market environments…
Apple+ released the first images for the upcoming thriller series “The Savant,” based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan profile of an undercover Anti-Defamation League investigator who monitors extremists groups in an effort to stop terror attacks before they happen…
The Wall Street Journal reviews Jack Wertheimer’s Jewish Giving: Philanthropy and the Shaping of American Jewish Life…
U.K. Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch, in an interview with the Financial Times,called Argentinian President Javier Milei “the template” for conservative leaders, and said she considered herself to be a British version of the Argentinian leader…
The Knesset overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution calling for Israeli annexation of the West Bank…
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Aaron David Miller considers the role President Donald Trump could play in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to remain in power, amid the threat of potential new elections…
Brazil said it is finalizing efforts to join South Africa’s International Court of Justice case accusing Israel of commiting genocide in Gaza…
A Norwegian man who had previously worked as a security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo was charged with spying on both the U.S. and Norway on behalf of Iran and Russia; Mohamed Orahhou, who was arrested in November, is believed to have taken and shared intelligence regarding the embassy and employees of Norway’s intelligence services…
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi suggested that Tehran could withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty if European powers reimpose sanctions on the country; speaking to reporters in New York, Gharibabadi said that Iran will soon allow a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which had previously been banned from the country, to travel to Tehran for conversations aimed at resuming inspections…
Pic of the Day
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (left) and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (right) on Wednesday paid their respects at the memorial to the victims of the Babyn Yar massacre during Sa’ar’s visit to the country, which also included a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Birthdays
Actress, best known for her role as Nomi Segal on the Freeform comedy drama “Grown-ish,” Emily Taryn Arlook turns 35…
Philanthropist and former U.S. ambassador to Romania, now senior counsel at Covington and Burling, Alfred H. Moses turns 96… Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who worked for ABC News and CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Lowell Bergman turns 80… Israeli physician, author and playwright, he is the younger brother of PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Iddo Netanyahu turns 73… Political consultant known for his role in both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns, Joel Benenson turns 73… Retired Los Angeles-based business and real estate attorney, Michael Jeffrey Bordy… Radio anchor and reporter on both CBS nationally and NYC’s WCBS, Michael Sugerman… Member of Congress (D-FL) until 2022, he previously served as the governor of Florida, Charlie Crist turns 69… Russian businessman and Chairman of the Board of Patrons of The Conference of European Rabbis, Boris Mints turns 67… Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, Judge Patty Shwartz turns 64… Presidential historian, professor at McGill and senior fellow in Zionist thought at the Jewish People Policy Institute, Gil Troy turns 64… Director of donor development for AIPAC, he is a retired NFL player who played for the Packers and the Cowboys where he won in Super Bowl XXVII, Alan (Shlomo) Veingrad turns 62… Founder of the Migdal Oz seminary for women in Gush Etzion, she is a granddaughter of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Esti Rosenberg… Film director and producer, Douglas Eric Liman turns 60… Partner in Frost Brown Todd and author of The Liberal Case for Israel, he was the first-ever Jewish statewide elected official in Kentucky (state treasurer), Jonathan Miller turns 58… Author, he writes the “My Ride” column for The Wall Street Journal on exotic cars, A.J. Baime turns 54… Mayor of Asheville, N.C., she was elected in 2013, 2017 and 2022, Esther E. Manheimer turns 54… Actress, writer, podcaster and comedian, Jamie Denbo turns 52… President of Access Computer Technology in West Bloomfield, Mich., he is a rabbi, entrepreneur and social media expert, Jason Miller turns 49… President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Rabbi Noah Zvi Farkas… EVP and CFO of Morgan Stanley, Sharon Yeshaya turns 46… Actress, screenwriter and director, Lauren Miller Rogen turns 43… Member of the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester (N.Y.), Aviva M. Futerman Schochat… Co-founder and partner at Orfin Ventures, Adam Finkel… Media director at Access Brand Communications, Sarah Citrenbaum… CEO and founder of Learned Hand, building AI tools for judges, Shlomo Klapper…
Sens. Adam Schiff, Andy Kim and Tim Kaine announced plans to introduce an amendment to ensure that the U.S. can continue to share intelligence with Israel and to assist Israel’s defense
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks to reporters on his way to a classified all-Senate briefing
A Senate war powers resolution aiming to block further U.S. military action against Iran appears to be building and solidifying support among Democrats ahead of an anticipated vote later this week.
Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) announced on Tuesday they planned to introduce an amendment to Kaine’s resolution to specifically ensure that the U.S. can continue to share intelligence with Israel and to assist Israel’s defense and provide it with defensive equipment to counter attacks by Iran and its proxies.
A House resolution on the issue had prompted private divisions among Democrats earlier this week over a similar issue, with many lawmakers concerned that the resolution would prevent the U.S. from continuing to support Israeli missile defense, a Democratic staffer not authorized to speak publicly told JI.
The senators said in a statement they expect the full Senate will vote on the amendment prior to a final vote on Kaine’s resolution. They argued that the amendment makes clear to Iran that the U.S. will continue to defend Israel.
Kaine said that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran announced Monday night doesn’t change the necessity of the vote, and “actually gives you the space to actually have a decision about, prospectively, should we be at war with Iran without a vote of Congress.”
Asked by Jewish Insider whether he still anticipates that most or all other Democrats will still support the resolution, Kaine said, “They believe we should not be at war without a vote of Congress. They may have different points where a war would be the right thing to do, but that should not happen without a vote of Congress.”
He said he still expects to have multiple Republicans supporting the resolution, but the number is unknown. Only Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has publicly voiced support.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), asked about the resolution, said that there was not a “clear and imminent threat to the United States, to our citizens” and the administration “should have come to us and talked about this,” as it did prior to Operation Desert Storm, in which he served.
“You’ve got a goal, you talk to Congress about it. You get the force ready to do this. You talk to the adversary and you say, ‘Here are our options: Get out of Kuwait or we’re going to kick you out,’” Kelly said. “That occurred with a full, transparent discussion with the United States Congress, per the Constitution.”
Kelly reviewed a classified Defense Intelligence Agency assessment indicating the U.S. strikes had a limited effect on Iran’s nuclear program, and said that the situation shows the “recklessness of just rushing forward when you don’t have the follow-on plan, and you don’t really consider the consequence.”
He said the strikes were risky because Iran may now take its program completely covert and race to a nuclear weapon. “This has been my concern since the second this happened. Does this push them forward?” Kelly said.
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) said he hadn’t looked at the resolution but said “it seems like we had lots of time to be consulted.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said she’s still examining the resolution but emphasized that she led legislation in 2020 to block military action against Iran following the killing of Quds Force head Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday proposed another amendment to Kaine’s resolution, commending President Donald Trump for a “successful mission” in damaging the regime’s nuclear program.
Plus, U.S. pours cold water on Macron’s Palestinian summit
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
State Department Sikorsky HH-60L Black Hawk helicopters as they fly over Baghdad towards the U.S. embassy headquarters on December 13, 2024.
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we talk to analysts about the significance of the evacuation of some State Department personnel and military families from the Middle East and the likelihood of a military strike on Iran’s nuclear sites. We report on the defeat of two resolutions in the Senate yesterday to stop weapon sales to Qatar and the UAE, and cover comments by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the status of the Qatari luxury jet gift. We talk to GOP senators about French President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign for international recognition of a Palestinian state, examine the findings of a new Quinnipiac poll that illustrates deepening partisanship over Israel, and have the scoop on a push by the Orthodox Union calling on the Senate to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Van Jones, Rev. Johnnie Moore and Rabbi Abraham Cooper.
What We’re Watching
- The House Appropriations Committee will conduct its full committee markup of the 2026 defense and homeland security funding bills.
- The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the Department of Defense’s 2026 budget request with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
- The Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing on the nomination of Sean Plankey to be director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
- The Zionist Organization of America is holding its annual legislative lobbying day at the Capitol.
- Argentine President Javier Milei is being presented with the Genesis Prize today at Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH JI’S LAHAV HARKOV
Since the Israeli strike on Iran’s air defenses in October, Jerusalem has sought a green light, or something close to it, from Washington to strike the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites. President Donald Trump, however, repeatedly told Israel to hold off as he pursued a diplomatic agreement with Tehran to stop its enrichment program.
Now, after the Iranian nuclear program has continued apace and Trump has voiced frustration over Tehran’s intransigence, it seems that Jerusalem’s patience for diplomacy is running out.
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad chief David Barnea will be meeting Trump’s top negotiator Steve Witkoff on Friday ahead of the sixth round of talks with Iran in Oman on Sunday “in an additional attempt to clarify Israel’s stance,” an official in Jerusalem said, amid persistent reports and strong indications that Israel is prepared to strike Iran.
After a call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu last week, Trump said that if Tehran does not agree to give up uranium enrichment, the situation will get “very, very dire.” On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that “there have been plenty of indications” that Iran is moving towards weaponization of its nuclear program, and Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the chief of CENTCOM, said that he presented Trump and Hegseth with numerous options to attack Iran if nuclear talks break down.
Hours later, the State Department began to move some personnel out of Iraq and the military suggested that servicemembers’ families depart the Middle East, while the U.K. warned about a potential “escalation of military activity” in the region. Such evacuations are often the first step to reduce risk ahead of a large-scale military operation.
Trump told reporters that the evacuations are happening because the Middle East “could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.” More on this from Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod here.
Kurilla postponed his testimony before the Senate planned for Thursday. Staff at U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East were told to take safety precautions, and those stationed in Israel were told not to leave the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Jerusalem or Beersheva.
Multiple news outlets published reports citing anonymous American officials that Israel is ready to strike Iran without help from the U.S. One possible reason for the timing — moving forward even as Washington and Tehran are set to enter a sixth round of talks on Sunday — is that Iran has reportedly begun to rebuild the air defenses that Israel destroyed last year. Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri reportedly said last month: “We are witnessing a remarkable improvement in the capability and readiness of the country’s air defense.”
PARIS PUSHBACK
GOP senators criticize France’s Macron for defying U.S. with Palestinian statehood push
French President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign for international recognition of a Palestinian state and championing of an upcoming United Nations conference on the subject despite U.S. opposition has received a frosty reception from Senate Republicans, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports. France is set to co-chair “The High Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” with Saudi Arabia at the U.N. headquarters in New York next week. Several senators described it as a distraction from U.S. efforts to secure peace in the region while praising the Trump administration’s decision to urge U.N. member states against participating.
Republican reactions: “It certainly sounds like they take us for granted and think that they can act without consequence. France has a long history of doing this in foreign policy. They’re consistently a problem and have been forever, but I’d say it’s very unhelpful of them at this present moment,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) told JI. “They’ve generally had a cozy relationship with Iran that is purely driven by economic ties, maybe some historic ties. It makes no sense to me. I don’t think it’s well received by our administration,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said.
Read the full story here with additional comments from Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).
ON THE HILL
Bipartisan Senate group votes down resolutions to stop Qatar, UAE arms sales
The Senate defeated two resolutions aimed at blocking certain weapons sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with five Democrats voting with nearly all Republicans against both resolutions, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What happened: The 56-39 votes came as a pressure tactic from some progressive Democrats on the two U.S. partners and the Trump administration over dealings between President Donald Trump and the two Gulf states — Qatar’s provision of a luxury jumbo jet to serve as Air Force One and the UAE’s investment of $2 billion in a Trump-linked cryptocurrency. Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) voted against the two resolutions. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted present.
Up in the air: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding between the Trump administration and Qatar for the gift of a luxury jet worth $400 million to join the Air Force One fleet has not been completed and signed, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports.
PAC ATTACK
New pro-Israel super PAC launches ads against Zohran Mamdani
A new super PAC funded by donors involved in Jewish and pro-Israel causes is targeting Zohran Mamdani as he continues to surge in the final days of New York City’s mayoral primary, tying the far-left Queens state assemblyman to a range of recent antisemitic incidents. In a 30-second digital ad released by Sensible City, the super PAC takes aim at Mamdani, a democratic socialist polling in second place behind former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for supporting efforts to defund the police amid a rise in anti-Israel demonstrations and antisemitic violence fueled by Israel’s war in Gaza, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.
What it says: “It doesn’t stop,” the ad’s narrator intones over images of anti-Israel protests as well as antisemitic attacks, notably highlighting the alleged shooter of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington last month. “Day after day, streets blocked, demonstrations, some calling for killing, destruction — it’s not safe. Institution walls defaced with symbols to remind us of what can happen only because of who we are. The haters mean every word they utter. What can we do?”
POLL POSITION
New Quinnipiac poll illustrates deepening partisanship over Israel
A new Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday underscores the growing partisanship over Israel, and the declining sympathies among Democratic voters towards the Jewish state, Jewish Insider’s Editor-in-Chief Josh Kraushaar reports. The survey asked respondents whether their sympathies were more with Israelis or Palestinians. A 37% plurality said Israelis, 32% said Palestinians and 31% said they don’t know — the narrowest advantage Israel has had since Quinnipiac began asking the question in 2001.
Partisan divide: The slippage was driven mainly by Democrats, who now are overwhelmingly more sympathetic towards Palestinians. Among Democrats, just 12% said their sympathies were more with Israelis while a record 60% said they were with Palestinians. By comparison, in November 2023, shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, the Quinnipiac survey found 41% of Democrats saying they were more sympathetic to Palestinians, while 34% said they were more sympathetic to Israelis. By contrast, Republicans remain overwhelmingly supportive of Israel and independents are still more supportive of Israelis than Palestinians. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Republicans are more sympathetic to Israelis, while 7% are more sympathetic to Palestinians. The small share of Republicans more sympathetic to the Palestinians is unchanged since 2023.
EXCLUSIVE
OU launches major push for school choice legislation in reconciliation bill
The Orthodox Union on Thursday announced a national advocacy effort calling on the Senate to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act, which is part of the budget reconciliation bill recently passed by the House and under consideration in the Senate and could open up a new funding stream for Jewish families aiming to send their children to Jewish day schools, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
New goal: The campaign, run jointly by the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center and the Teach Coalition, OU’s state-level advocacy arm, will include digital, print and grassroots advertising, urging Orthodox Jews to contact their senators to support the ECCA and double the funding recommended in the House bill. The OU is aiming to mobilize 50,000 people to contact their senators on the issue.
SOLIDARITY PUSH
‘A double helix of hope’: CNN’s Van Jones calls for renewed Black-Jewish alliance
“It’s not the firebombs and hunting of Jewish people in the streets of America right now, it’s the appalling silence of people that know better and won’t say better,” CNN commentator Van Jones told some 600 attendees of the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation’s (AJCF) 25th anniversary gala dinner on Wednesday at Pier 60 in Manhattan. Jones was honored at the gala for his work promoting Black-Jewish relations, which includes launching the Exodus Leadership Forum, a group that aims to renew the Civil Rights Movement-era alliance between the Black and Jewish communities, Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports.
Looking to history: “It was a small number of Black folks who held on to the cultural DNA of ‘justice for all.’ It was a small number of Jews who held on to the cultural DNA of ‘repair the world,’” Jones said, reflecting on the Civil Rights Movement, in which American Jews played a meaningful role. “When you put those two bits of cultural DNA together, you get a double helix of hope for humanity.” Jones called on Black people and Jews to partner together again amid a different kind of crisis. “We have to do it again,” he said.
Worthy Reads
A Socialist in Gracie Mansion?: The Free Press’ Olivia Reingold considers Zohran Mamdani’s chances of beating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to become mayor of New York City. “To a rising number of New Yorkers, particularly the young and college-educated, Mamdani is a welcome alternative to a 67-year-old member of the Democratic establishment. As canvassers broke off to start knocking on doors, 33-year-old bar owner Roberto Beltre told me he supported Mamdani because ‘the ideas that we hear at these protests are never said by any of these other politicians.’ His girlfriend, 31-year-old Mercy, chimed in: ‘He’s saying everything that I want to hear. It seems unlikely, but I hope that he can win.’ The thing is—he can. In only a few months, he’s managed to surge from polling at 1 percent, to second place in the race with the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A new poll commissioned by a pro-Mamdani PAC shows him just two points behind Cuomo in a head-to-head race. Other recent polls show Cuomo winning—but only in the eighth or 10th round under New York City’s ranked choice voting system.” [FP]
What’s Next in Gaza?: The Times of Israel’s founding editor, David Horovitz, writes about the continued lack of clarity over Israel’s next steps in Gaza, exacerbated by a growing disconnect between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump as well as the IDF. “Some military sources speculate that the IDF may eventually be asked to oversee a controlled return of the Gaza populace to their largely ruined home areas, under a process that would necessitate screening the returnees to ensure that Hamas forces do not simply come back with them. However nice in theory, the idea is impractical. The IDF is not capable of controlling, much less screening, large masses of civilians. … At the same time, domestic and global criticism of the war is growing — especially since the government chose in March not to move ahead with the second and third phases of the January deal it had unanimously endorsed, which was intended to secure the release of all hostages and end the war, and instead resumed the military campaign. Growing, too, is US presidential impatience, in part reflecting deepening dismay from within Republican ranks, and Trump has vast weapon-supply and diplomatic leverage to exert over Netanyahu should he so choose.” [TOI]
Word on the Street
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh threatened on Wednesday to attack U.S. bases in the region if conflict arises, saying, “Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us … all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries”…
Iran announced plans today to expand its uranium enrichment and install advanced centrifuges after a U.N. atomic energy agency resolution declared it in violation of nuclear obligations…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine declined to definitively say on Wednesday whether they believed Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it acquired one, as they testified before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports…
The Knesset on Thursday struck down a bill that would have called an election later this year, with Haredi parties agreeing to another week of negotiations on penalties for yeshiva students who avoid the IDF draft, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports…
Israeli Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, chairman of the United Torah Judaism party, resigned today and will join the opposition, but the rest of the Haredi bloc remains part of the coalition…
Ezzedin al-Haddad, known as the Ghost of al-Qassam, has been named as the new leader of Hamas in Gaza following Israel’s assassination of his predecessor Mohammed Sinwar, and before that Yahya Sinwar…
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S. and Israel-backed aid distribution mechanism, reported that a bus carrying more than two dozen members of its team were “brutally attacked” by Hamas on Wednesday night, resulting in at least five fatalities, multiple injuries and concerns of some team members taken hostage…
The IDF recovered the bodies of two deceased hostages from Gaza on Wednesday, that of Yair Yaakov and another whose name has not yet been approved for publication…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told U.S. envoy Tom Barrack that he is interested in the U.S. acting as a mediator in an updated security deal ultimately leading to a full peace agreement between Israel and Syria, Axios scooped…
Rev. Johnnie Moore, an evangelical Christian pastor and former Trump advisor, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa this week. On potential Israel-Syria normalization, Moore told Reuters, “I think peace is very possible, if not probable”…
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday stating that the Trump administration cannot detain nor deport Columbia University anti-Israel protest leader Mahmoud Khalil. The ruling does not take effect until Friday, leaving time for the government to appeal…
At a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on antisemitism, Democrats repeatedly highlighted Trump administration delays in disbursing already allocated Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), the subcommittee chair, argued that policy changes, aggressive prosecutions and condemnations of antisemitic ideology are equally or more important than funding…
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers wrote to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, again demanding that Francesca Albanese, U.N. special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, be dismissed from her position, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports…
The DETERRENCE Act, bipartisan legislation which increases penalties on individuals who commit crimes on behalf of the Iranian regime or other foreign adversaries, passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Tuesday…
Asif Rahman, a former CIA analyst, was sentenced to just over three years in prison on Wednesday for unlawfully retaining and sharing top secret records about Israeli plans for a strike on Iran on social media…
Ira Stoll writes in the Wall Street Journal about Harvard Memorial Church, owned and operated by Harvard University, where the minister has repeatedly bashed Israel from the pulpit, calling the war in Gaza “increasingly genocidal,” saying “We know what hell looks like … it looks like Gaza today” and arguing that the anti-Israel encampment on campus was “right to lament and decry the death of so many innocent people in Gaza”…
Nathan Diament, the executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, argued in an op-ed titled “Congress must act against the American intifada” that “Congress is failing to meet the urgent demands of the moment” and must open application for the National Security Grant Program, increase its funding to $500 million for 2026 and allocate $200 million of the Department of Justice’s existing grants to local police specifically for increased patrols and police presence at faith institutions…
Leland Lehrman was named as the executive director of the MAHA Institute, a policy center that previously operated as a super PAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign. Lehrman has repeatedly espoused his belief in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and, speaking on a far-right radio show, argued that Jews communicate with the devil and discussed “high-level Jewish Illuminists, or Lucifer worshipers”…
Columnist and writer Miranda Devine described her experience interviewing President Donald Trump for her new podcast “Pod Force One,” calling him “a bountiful host” who will “quite literally offer you the food off his plate”…
Apollo Global Management announced that it will not interview or extend offers to the class of 2027 this year, breaking with its tradition of extending future-dated offers. CEO Marc Rowan said he agreed with criticism of hiring young recruits too early…
The trial of three teenagers accused of raping a 12-year-old Jewish girl, calling her a “dirty Jewess,” began yesterday in Paris…
Pic of the Day
Some 100 LGBTQ+ leaders from North America met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem yesterday, as part of the Jewish Federations of North America’s LGBTQ+ mission to Israel.
Birthdays
Founder and managing partner of the investment firm Thrive Capital and the co-founder of Oscar Health, Joshua Kushner turns 40…
Senior of counsel at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, Martin Edelman turns 84… Retired sportscaster for NBA games on TNT, has also been the play-by-play announcer of multiple Super Bowls, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals and the World Series, Marv Albert (born Marvin Philip Aufrichtig) turns 84… Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit since 1991, now on senior status, Judge Andrew Jay Kleinfeld turns 80… Former solicitor of labor in the Nixon and Ford administrations, then a senior partner at Gibson Dunn, William J. Kilberg turns 79… Social psychologist, he is the director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University, Leonard Saxe turns 78… Israeli statesman and scholar who has served in multiple ministerial and leadership positions in the Israeli government including 20 years as a member of the Knesset, Yosef “Yossi” Beilin turns 77… Rabbi at Temple Beth El in Santa Cruz County, Calif., for 40 years, now emeritus, known as Rabbi Rick, Richard Litvak… British Conservative Party member of Parliament from 1992 until last year, his father was a rabbi, Sir Michael Fabricant turns 75… Professor at the University of Florida’s Hamilton Center, his 2022 book is The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People, Walter Russell Mead turns 73… Dental consultant and recruiter, Kenneth Nussen… Peruvian banker and politician, José Chlimper Ackerman turns 70… Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and professor at Georgetown’s Center for Jewish Civilization, Danielle Pletka turns 62… Television producer and executive, he was the CEO of Showtime Networks until 2022, David Nevins turns 59… EVP of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) in Washington, D.C., Rabbi Levi Shemtov… Film and television actor, known for his role as Louis Litt in the legal drama series “Suits,” Rick Hoffman turns 55… SVP for politics at NBC, Carrie Budoff Brown… Founder of Singularity Communications, Eliezer O. (“Eli”) Zupnick… Canadian tech entrepreneur, television personality and venture capitalist, Michele Romanow turns 40… Partner at Enso Collaborative, Hanna Siegel… Co-creator of the Mozilla Firefox internet browser, he was the director of product at Facebook and then worked at Uber, Blake Aaron Ross turns 40… Associate director of health policy and the law initiative at Georgetown Law School, Zachary Louis Baron… VP at MediaLink, Alexis Rose Levinson… Multimodal transportation coordinator in the planning department of Montgomery County (Md.), Eli Glazier… Photographer and Instagram influencer, Tessa Nesis… Israeli windsurfer, he won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tom Reuveny turns 25… Lead consultant at AutoNate, Joel Bond…
Rayburn, the nominee to be assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, faces opposition from Sen. Rand Paul
KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images
Joel Rayburn, then-deputy assistant secretary for Levant affairs and special envoy for Syria, speaks during a session on reconciliation and reconstruction at the 2019 World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in Jordan on April 6, 2019.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed an anticipated vote on Thursday on Joel Rayburn’s nomination to be assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs as he faces opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), which could imperil his nomination.
The news is another setback for Middle East hawks who saw Rayburn, who held a series of national security positions in the first Trump administration, as more aligned with their worldview, as compared to the isolationists populating many senior roles throughout the administration.
Thursday’s delay came because an unidentified member exercised a prerogative to delay the vote on Rayburn until the committee’s next business meeting, which would still allow the committee to vote on him in the near future. But Rayburn may face bigger problems: If no Democrats support Rayburn, the vote on his nomination would be tied, meaning it cannot advance out of committee.
It’s not clear whether any Democrats will support him. At that point, Rayburn’s nomination could still be advanced through a full Senate floor vote, assuming a sufficient number of other Republicans support the nominee.
Paul told Jewish Insider that he was primarily concerned that Rayburn was involved in a deliberate effort in the Trump administration to obscure the U.S. troop presence in Syria from Trump and disobey orders to withdraw U.S. forces.
“My concern is that James Jeffrey directly disobeyed direction from President Trump. Said he was hiding the numbers of troop levels over there, and Rayburn worked for him at the time, and still remains close to him,” Paul said, referring to the then-U.S. envoy to the global counter-ISIS coalition. “I don’t know how that could have happened without him knowing about it, and I think we need people at the State Department who will follow the direction of the president.”
Paul said he had not been the senator who requested a delay in the committee vote on Rayburn.
By Jacob Kornbluh & JI Staff
DRIVING THE DAY: For the first time in over a year, Israeli PM Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke together on the phone today: The call was initiated by Abbas who condemned both the kidnapping of three Israeli boys and the series of “Israeli violations” – a reference to Israeli military raids and arrests in the West Bank since the boys disappeared on Thursday. [Reuters] — Since Saturday, 150 people have been taken into custody as the search for the boys continues [JPost] — Kerry Points Finger at Hamas in Israelis’ kidnapping [JTA] — BuzzFeed: Who Was Behind The Kidnapping Of Three Israeli Teens, And Why Are They So Hard To Find? [BuzzFeed] — At 11:30am, PM Netanyahu will hold a meeting at the IDF central command in Jerusalem and give a statement to the press. (more…)
By Jacob Kornbluh & JI Staff
Heard On Michael Fragin’s ‘Spin Class’ Radio Show — BuzzFeed: Eric Cantor Blames Democrats For Defeat, Supporter Phil Rosen Says: “What we’ve discovered is that out of the 60,000 people who voted in the Republican primary, 15,000 of them were Democrats and all of those votes — 100% of those votes — went against Eric Cantor,” Rosen said. “That factor is giant.” “I’ve heard it not just from Eric, I’ve heard it from 2 other people involved in politics in Virginia,” Rosen said.[BuzzFeed] — Open Primary: With Virginia’s open primary system, Democrats could attempt to influence the outcome of the race—and it appears that they may have tried to some degree. Virginia has no party registration, so voters can easily vote in a Republican primary one year and a Democratic primary the next. [Politico] — Ben Smith gets back to writing inside Jewish politics baseball in his piece “Eric Cantor, Anomaly – Jewish Republicanism never amounted to much. But can anyone hold the Kock and Adelson wings of the party together now?” [BuzzFeed] (more…)
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