I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
House Bill Would Repeal Section of Immigration Law Used to Seek Deportation of Pro-Palestine Foreign Nationals. On August 12, Reps. Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Becca Balint (D-VT) introduced H.R.4959, which would repeala section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that allows the secretary of state to deport visa holders and legal permanent residents whose presence in the United States the US government deems a foreign policy threat. The Trump administration has invoked this provision of the INA in its attempts to deport several foreign nationals for their pro-Palestine views.
House Bill Would Lift Restrictions on US Facility Construction in Israel and West Bank. On August 15, Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) introduced H.R.4983, which would repeal restrictions on the use of certain Diplomatic Security funds for the acquisition, development, or construction of US government facilities in Israel, Jerusalem, or the West Bank.
House Bill Would Tighten UN Travel Restrictions on Iran, Others. On August 8, Rep. Gregory Steube (R-FL) introduced H.R.4941, which would tighten travel restrictions and requirements for foreign officials affiliated with certain “hostile countries, terrorist organizations, and UN organizations,” including Iran, when attending official meetings at United Nations headquarters in New York.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
House Democrats Meet with Israeli and Palestinian Leaders. During the week of August 11, a delegation of 14 House Democrats, including 11 first-term lawmakers, visited Israel. The group met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and later traveled to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa and other PA officials. Discussions focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Abraham Accords, a two-state solution, Iran, and the situation in Syria.
House Democrats Urge Israel to Expand Humanitarian Aid to Gaza. On August 14, Reps. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Pat Ryan (D-NY), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), and Eugene Vindman (D-VA) sent a letter to Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter expressing concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and urging Israel to increase aid “to take away the leverage that scarce aid has provided to Hamas.”
House Democratic Whip Calls Israel’s Actions in Gaza a Genocide. On August 15, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) called Israel’s war on Gaza a genocide, making her the highest-ranking House Democrat to do so.
Shaheen Commends Lebanon’s Move to Establish Monopoly on Weapons. On August 15, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) praised the Lebanese government’s decision to ensure that only the state retains weapons. She said that the complete disarmament of Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory are important steps toward peace and warned that she would push for sanctions against individuals who seek to undermine these steps.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Nominates Tammy Bruce for US Deputy Representative to UN. On August 9, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social his nomination of Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce as the next US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations.
Trump Says Hamas Cannot Stay in Gaza. On August 11, President Trump told Axios that Hamas “can’t stay” in Gaza but stopped short of backing Israel’s plans to occupy Gaza City.
Trump Says Journalists Should Be Allowed into Gaza. On August 14, Trump said that foreign journalists should be able to enter Gaza to observe humanitarian aid efforts.
US, Syrian, and Jordanian Officials Discuss al-Suwayda Ceasefire. On August 12, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met in Amman with Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani and Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi and announced the formation of a trilateral working group to support the Syrian government’s efforts to maintain a ceasefire in al-Suwayda. Barrack said that the Syrian government pledged to hold perpetrators of violence accountable, to cooperate with the United Nations in investigating the attacks, and to increase humanitarian aid.
Syria Envoy Says Israel Should “Comply” with Lebanon Plan to Disarm Hezbollah. On August 18, Special Envoy Barrack said that Israel should “comply” with Lebanon’s plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year in exchange for an end to Israeli military attacks on Lebanese territory.
2) Department of State
Rubio Dismisses Western Recognition of Palestinian State as “Meaningless.” On August 12, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Australia’s and other countries’ recognition of a Palestinian state “symbolic” and “meaningless,” saying that the move was driven by anti-Israel sentiment and would make no difference on the ground.
Rubio Speaks with Saudi Foreign Minister. On August 12, Secretary Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about the situations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.
Department Issues Watered-Down Human Rights Reports. On August 12, the Department of State released the 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which are one-tenth the length of last year’s report and, among other omissions, fail to mention the severe humanitarian crisis or the death toll caused by Israel’s war in Gaza.
Department Comments on Killing of Journalists in Gaza. On August 12, when asked about Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza, including Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif, Spokesperson Bruce said, “Israel has released evidence al-Sharif was part of Hamas” and added that “Hamas historically has had members who are embedded in society, including posing as journalists.”
US Reviewing Possible Terrorist Designation for Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR. On August 12, Secretary Rubio said that the United States is reviewing the possible designation of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations.
Department Approves Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain. On August 14, the Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and related equipment for an estimated cost of $500 million.
State Halts Visitor Visas for Gazans. On August 16, the Department of State announced that it has paused approvals of visitor visas for people from Gaza, pending a “full and thorough review” of the process for issuing temporary medical visas. On August 17, Secretary Rubio defended the pause, saying “evidence [had] been presented to us by numerous congressional offices that some of the organizations bragging about and involved in acquiring these visas have strong links to terrorist groups like Hamas.”
3) Department of Defense
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. From August 1-8, US forces conducted strikes against al-Shabab in Somalia.
4) Department of Justice
DOJ Accuses GWU of Indifference to Antisemitism. On August 12, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it has found the George Washington University in violation of federal civil rights law by “acting deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty” and that it will seek “immediate remediation” from the school.
III. Judicial Branch
Federal Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Resume Foreign Aid Cuts. On August 13, in a 2-to-1 vote, a federal appeals court panel ruled to lift a March 2025 lower court order that required the Trump administration to resume payments of billions of dollars in foreign assistance funds.
