I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
Senate Bill Looks to Promote Regional Trade Agreement. On June 26, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced plans to introduce legislation to authorize the Trump administration to pursue a trade agreement with countries in the Middle East region, focusing on trade related to information communications technology supply chains.
Senate Bill Would Downsize ODNI. On June 27, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced S.2202, which would reduce the size, scope, and mission of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
Bipartisan House Bill Seeks to Give Israel “Bunker Buster” Bomb. On July 2, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced H.R.4281, which authorizes the US president to support Israel’s defense by providing it with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), or “bunker buster” bomb, and the aircraft required to deploy it, “to take out Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure.”
2) Personnel and Correspondence
House Lawmakers Oppose Downgrade of EU-Israel Agreement. On June 24, Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, expressing concern over proposals to suspend or downgrade the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel.
Letter Calls Attention to Starvation in Gaza. On June 30, Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and 18 other members of Congress urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to stop the Israeli government’s mass starvation of Gaza.
House Republicans Warn Columbia University of Violation of Title VI. On July 1, House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) accused Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman of failing to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitic harassment and warned Shipman of Columbia’s potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
President Trump Announces Revocation of Some Syria Sanctions. On June 30, President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) terminating many executive branch sanctions on Syria. (The Trump administration is maintaining sanctions on former President Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, the so-called Islamic State or its affiliates, and Iranian proxies.) The EO directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to evaluate the possible suspension of sanctions imposed by the congressional 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. It permits the relaxation of export controls on certain goods and waivers restrictions on certain foreign assistance to Syria. It also directs a review of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a review of HTS’s and Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s designations as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a review of Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and a review of avenues for sanctions relief at the United Nations.
On July 3, Secretary Rubio spoke with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani about the end of some US sanctions.
Trump Says that Israel Agrees to Gaza Ceasefire Conditions. On July 1, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that Israel had agreed to “the necessary conditions to finalize the 60-day ceasefire” in Gaza, and encouraged Hamas to accept the deal. On the same day, Trump told reporters that he will be “very firm” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting, “he wants to end it too… I think we’ll have a deal next week.”
President Trump Meets with Saudi Defense Minister. On July 3, President Trump met with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman at the White House. According to Axios, Bin Salman also met during his Washington visit with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Middle East Envoy Steven Witkoff.
2) Department of Education
Department Finds Harvard in Violation of Civil Rights Act. On June 30, the Trump administration’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism notified Harvard University of its determination that the university is in violation of the Civil Rights Act, finding that Harvard has “been a willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff.” The determination noted that Harvard’s failure to implement required changes will result in the loss of all federal funding.
Department Opens Title VI Probe into George Mason University Over Campus Protests. On July 1, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights alerted George Mason University that it is investigating it for potential non-compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
3) Department of State
Department Approves $510 Million Foreign Military Sale to Israel. On June 30, the Department of State approved a foreign military sale to Israel for Munitions Guidance Kits and Munitions Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $510 million.
USAID Closes Down, Folded into State. On July 1, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) officially closed, with its aid programs mostly terminated and its small number of remaining programs brought under the management of the Department of State.
United States Joins G7 Statement on Iran. On July 1, Secretary Rubio joined a statement by G7 foreign ministers after their June 25 meeting at The Hague. The statement reiterated support for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, expressed appreciation for Qatar’s role in facilitating the ceasefire and defending against Iranian strikes, affirmed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, called on Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and declared commitment to regional peace and security. On the issue of cooperation with the IAEA, Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on July 2 that Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the agency is “unacceptable.”
US Mission to UN Reiterates Call to Fire Francesca Albanese. On July 1, the US Mission to the United Nations urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres to remove Francesca Albanese as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
Secretary Rubio Speaks with Saudi Foreign Minister. On July 2, Secretary Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about Iran, Syria, Gaza, and Sudan, among other issues.
Department Blames Attack at GHF Site on Hamas. On July 5, Spokesperson Bruce said that Hamas had attacked a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution site, resulting in injuries to two Americans.
4) Department of Defense
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Meets with Jordanian Counterpart. On June 29, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine met with Jordanian Armed Forces Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Maj. Gen. Yousef al-Hnaity to discuss regional security issues.
AFRICOM Announces Strikes in Somalia. AFRICOM announced on July 1 that on June 28, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia, and on July 3 announced that from June 27 to 30 US forces conducted strikes against al-Shabab there.
Pentagon Says Iran’s Nuclear Program Set Back One to Two Years. On July 2, Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters that current intelligence assessments suggest that US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities degraded its nuclear program by “one to two years.” Parnell added that the Pentagon still assesses that Iran’s facilities have been “completed obliterated.”
5) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Iranian Oil Network. On July 3, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on entities involved in the transportation and purchase of billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, some of which allegedly benefitted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF). The Department of State announced concurrent sanctions.
Treasury Sanctions Hezbollah Financial Officials. On July 3, OFAC sanctioned seven senior officials and one entity associated with the Hezbollah-controlled financial institution Al-Qardh Al-Hassan.
