I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
House Passes Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act. On March 16, the House passed H.R.1422, the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act, which “aims to strengthen the US sanctions regime on foreign entities enabling Iran’s illicit oil trade.”
House Bill Would Strip Citizenship for Alleged Support of Terrorism. On March 17, Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) introduced H.R.7958, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to strip US citizenship from individuals for alleged support of terrorism.
House Bill Would Restrict Entry from Iran, Libya, Syria, and Yemen. On March 17, Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-TN) introduced H.R.7964, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict entry from certain countries “where the United States cannot reliably verify the identities or backgrounds” of individuals seeking entry into the country. According to Fox News, the bill targets Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The bill also states that the restrictions would apply to individuals who have lived in those countries within the five years prior to seeking entry into the United States.
House Bill Calls for Report on Somaliland’s Access to US Financial System. On March 19, Rep. John Rose (R-TN) introduced H.R.7993, which would require the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a report to Congress on barriers to Somaliland’s access to the US financial system.
Sanders Introduces Resolutions to Block Arms Sales to Israel. On March 19, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced three joint resolutions of disapproval (S.J.Res.136, S.J.Res.137, S.J.Res.138) that would block nearly $658.8 million in arms sales to Israel. In a statement, Sanders said that “given the horrific destruction that Israel’s extremist government has wrought on Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, the last thing in the world that American taxpayers need to do right now is to provide 22,000 new bombs to the Netanyahu government.”
2) Personnel and Correspondence
HFAC Democrats Call for Testimony on Iran War. On March 16, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY) led committee Democrats in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, calling on them to testify before the committee on the administration’s “decisions, diplomacy, and planning related to the Iran war.”
HFAC Democrats Press Rubio on Americans Stranded Amid Iran War. On March 17, HFAC Ranking Member Meeks (D-NY) and committee Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Rubio calling for answers on the administration’s failure to protect Americans in the Middle East before the start of the Iran war.
Top Counterterrorism Official Resigns; Says Iran Did Not Pose an Immediate Threat. On March 17, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent announced his resignation, saying that he “cannot in good conscience” support the Trump administration’s war on Iran and that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States.
Democratic Lawmakers Urge Rubio to Deny Saudi Access to Nuclear Weapons Capabilities. On March 18, Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA), along with 11 other Democratic lawmakers, sent a letter to Secretary Rubio urging the administration to meet the “gold standard” of nuclear nonproliferation by denying Saudi Arabia the ability to produce weapons-grade uranium and plutonium. The Senate and House lawmakers called out what they described as the hypocrisy of waging war on Iran over its uranium enrichment program while potentially enabling Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear capabilities, warning that doing so could trigger a regional arms race.
3) Hearings and Briefings
HFAC Holds Hearing on US Defense Sales. On March 17, HFAC held a hearing on reforming US defense sales, with officials from the Department of State, Department of War, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Senate Intelligence Committee Holds Hearing on Worldwide Threats. On March 18, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a hearing on worldwide threats, with testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe; Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel; Acting Commander of US Cyber Command and Acting Director of the National Security Agency William Hartman; and Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency James Adams.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Was Warned Iran Could Retaliate Across the Gulf. On March 16, President Donald Trump said that Iran’s strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were unexpected. Reuters reported, however, citing a US official, that Trump had been briefed before the strikes that Iran could retaliate against US allies in the Gulf.
Trump Says NATO, Allies Reject Calls to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz. On March 16, President Trump called on US allies to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, while criticizing those that refused to commit, saying that “we don’t need anybody.”
On March 17, Trump said on Truth Social that NATO and most other allies had rejected his request “despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon.” He added that “we will protect [NATO], but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need.”
On March 18, Trump said that he “wonder[s] what would happen” if what he called the “Iranian Terror State” were “finished off,” and suggested that countries that rely on the waterway should be responsible for it, adding that such a move would prompt “non-responsive” allies to act quickly.
Hegseth Calls Israeli Strike on Iranian Gas Field a “Warning”; Trump Says He Told Netanyahu: “Don’t Do That.” On March 18, President Trump threatened on Truth Social that the United States, “with or without the help or consent of Israel,” would bomb Iran’s South Pars gas field, part of the field it shares with Qatar, if Iran continues attacking Qatar. He said that the United States was not aware of Israel’s strike on the facility and added that “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.”
Responding to Trump’s remarks, former US ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro said that there was “zero, I mean zero, chance the IDF would conduct a strike in that location without giving CENTCOM full visibility.” The Times of Israel also reported, citing US sources, that Washington had approved the strike, that it was coordinated, and that the president knew about it in advance.
On March 19, Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike additional gas fields in Iran. He added that he and Netanyahu “get along great” and that “it’s coordinated, but on occasion, he’ll do something” that the United States opposes. Trump also suggested that he was not considering deploying additional US troops to the region.
The same day, Secretary of War Hegseth said that the United States would again launch “the largest strike package yet” and described Israel’s strike on the Iranian gas field as a “warning.” Responding to concerns that the conflict could become a “forever war,” Hegseth said that “nothing could be further from the truth,” adding that “we’re winning decisively and on our terms.” He said that the objectives remain to destroy Iran’s missiles and launchers, its defense industrial base and navy, and to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. He also criticized what he described as “fake reports” and “fake images” that Iran was putting out to “make it look like something’s happening when the exact opposite is.”
Trump Threatens Iran with Strikes on Power Plants if Strait of Hormuz Not Reopened. On March 20, President Trump continued to send contradictory signals about the direction of the war in Iran, raising questions about the administration’s strategy. He said that he was considering winding down the war, stating that the United States is “very close to meeting our objectives,” while adding that “the Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” He added that the United States would assist if asked, “but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.” The day before, the administration confirmed that it was sending additional troops to the Middle East.
On March 21, Trump warned that the United States could target Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours. On March 22, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said that US allies are beginning to “come around” on providing support to reopen the Strait.
Trump Threatens to have ICE Arrest Somalis at US Airports. On March 21, President Trump threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to US airports as early as March 23, stating that the agents would carry out “the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia.”
2) Department of State
Rubio Speaks with UAE Foreign Minister. On March 17, Secretary Rubio spoke with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressing condolences for those killed in Iranian attacks in the UAE and reaffirming US commitment to the country’s security.
Department Approves Over $23 Billion in Possible Military Sales to UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan. On March 19, the Department of State approved a series of possible Foreign Military Sales to the UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan. The proposed sales include around $8.4 billion to the UAE for missiles, radar systems, drone defense systems, and F-16 munitions and upgrades; $8 billion to Kuwait for air and missile defense radar systems; and $70.5 million to Jordan for aircraft and munitions support. The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration also approved an additional $7 billion in weapons for the UAE.
On the same day, HFAC Ranking Member Meeks criticized the administration for “abruptly declaring an emergency and bypassing Congressional review” to expedite the sales.
3) Department of War
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. On March 16, US forces conducted an airstrike against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia. On March 19, US forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabab.
Pentagon Considers $200 Billion Supplemental for Iran War. On March 19, the Associated Press reported that the Pentagon is seeking roughly $200 billion in additional funding for the war in Iran and has sent a request to the White House, citing a senior administration official.
Asked about the request during an Oval Office meeting, President Trump suggested that the funding would extend beyond immediate operations in Iran, stating that “we’re asking for a lot of reasons, beyond even what we’re talking about in Iran.”
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Lifts Iranian Oil Sanctions Amid Price Spike. On March 21, the Department of the Treasury waived sanctions on Iranian oil purchases at sea for 30 days, in an effort to bring down surging energy prices amid the Iran war.
Treasury Sanctions Hezbollah Financial Network. On March 20, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 16 individuals and entities accused of laundering and raising funds for Hezbollah through a network led by financier and former public investment official Alaa Hamieh.
