I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
Senate Democrats Block ICC Sanctions Vote. On January 28, H.R.23, legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, stalled in the Senate as Democrats tanked a procedural motion on the bill. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Ranking Member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) expressed her opposition to the bill, saying that the legislation would not prompt the ICC to withdraw its arrest warrants and could harm subsidiaries of major US companies and key US allies. Echoing Shaheen, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) called the legislation “overly broad.” However, the senators noted that they are “eager to support a bill that would swiftly sanction those at the ICC responsible for its anti-Israel actions.”
Senate Resolution Targets Iran Nuclear Capabilities. On January 29, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced S.Res.43, which he states affirms the threats posed by a nuclear weapons-capable Iran to global stability.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
SFRC Chairman, USAID Official Meet with Prime Minister of Yemen. On January 24, SFRC Chairman Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) met with Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak in Washington to discuss the situation in Yemen and the Trump administration’s January 22 re-designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Bin Mubarak also met with USAID Acting Administrator Jason Gray to discuss Houthi threats in the Red Sea, Yemen’s banking sector, and the Houthis’ unjust detention of humanitarian, international non-governmental organizations, and diplomatic staff, including current and former staff of US Embassy Sanaa.
HFAC, SFRC Democrats Call for Reversal of Foreign Assistance Changes. On January 27, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and other HFAC Democrats urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lift the Trump administration’s freeze on US foreign assistance, restore refugee admissions, and reverse other executive actions targeting Department of State programs. On January 28, Senator Shaheen and Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) jointly criticized the Trump Administration’s decision to put senior USAID officials on leave.
3) Hearings and Briefings
SFRC Advances Stefanik UN Nomination. On January 30, SFRC held a business meeting on the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) to be ambassador to the United Nations, voting to advance Stefanik’s nomination.
Senate Intelligence Committee Holds Hearing for Tulsi Gabbard for DNI. On January 30, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a hearing on Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence. In her opening statement, Gabbard stated that “I have no love for Assad or any dictator. I just hate al-Qaeda. I hate that our leaders cozy up to Islamist extremists…Syria is now controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot HTS, led by an Islamist Jihadist who danced in the streets on 9/11, and who was responsible for the killing of many American soldiers.” Gabbard also addressed concerns about her record on other Middle East policy issues. On her questioning of the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons in Syria, Gabbard claimed that “calling for more evidence and further investigation was the prudent thing to do” at the time; on Iran, Gabbard said that US priorities should be to prevent nuclear weapons development and deter Iranian influence; and on Saudi Arabia, Gabbard walked back her previous criticism of Saudi leadership, saying that her view has changed because Saudi Arabia is now “an important partner in counterterrorism.”
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Witkoff Calls Gaza “Uninhabitable” After Visit. On January 28, White House Middle East Envoy Steven Witkoff traveled to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh. On January 29, Witkoff visited Gaza, becoming the first senior US official to do so since 2007, and then met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. Speaking to Axios, Witkoff assessed that Gaza is “uninhabitable” and that “there is almost nothing left.” He also stated that rebuilding Gaza could take 10 to 15 years.
White House Invites Netanyahu for First Foreign Leader Visit. On January 28, the White House invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on February 4, 2024, with the meeting making him the first foreign leader to visit Trump in his second term.
Trump Issues Sweeping Executive Order on Antisemitism and Pro-Palestine Activism. On January 29, President Trump issued an executive order (EO) that the White House says will involve “forceful and unprecedented steps to marshal all Federal resources to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023.” The new order expands on Trump’s December 2019 order (E.O.13899), which adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism that includes “targeting” of the state of Israel or describing the state as “racist” as examples of possible antisemitism.
Trump’s new EO directs every federal executive department and agency leader to report within 60 days on “all criminal and civil authorities and actions available for fighting” antisemitism. The order also calls on the Department of Justice to “protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.” The White House also threatened to “deport Hamas sympathizers and revoke student visas of resident aliens who joined in pro-jihadist protests,” stating that “we will find you, and we will deport you.”
Trump Insists that Jordan and Egypt Take Refugees from Gaza. On January 30, President Trump reiterated his intention to have Jordan and Egypt resettle Palestinians from Gaza, saying “They will do it. They’re gonna do it, okay? We do a lot for them, and they’re gonna do it.”
Trump Speaks with Egypt’s Sisi. On February 1, Trump spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi about regional security matters and the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The White House readout did not mention Trump’s call for Egypt and Jordan to resettle Gazans.
White House, Elon Musk Ramp Up Pressure on USAID. The White House last week continued its efforts to dismantle the US foreign aid system. After administration officials placed several USAID officials on leave and terminated scores of contractors, President Trump said on February 2 that the agency is run “by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision on its future.” Trump’s comments followed the February 1 placing on leave of senior USAID security officials who reportedly attempted to prevent Elon Musk—who on February 2 wrote on X that USAID is a “criminal organization”—and his team from accessing computer systems and classified information at the agency. The incident drew strong criticism from SFRC Democrats, who on February 2 demanded that Secretary Rubio explain the events and stressed that “any effort to merge or fold USAID into the Department of State should be, and by law must be, previewed, discussed, and approved by Congress.”
2) Department of State
Secretary Rubio Speaks with Regional Leaders. On January 27-28, Secretary Rubio spoke with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The discussions focused on regional security, strengthening bilateral partnerships, the situation in Gaza (including ceasefire talks, post-conflict planning, humanitarian aid), building on the Abraham Accords, and Syria.
Secretary Rubio Issues Temporary Humanitarian Waiver to Foreign Assistance Pause. On January 28, Secretary Rubio announced that he has issued a waiver for certain categories of US humanitarian aid during the current 90-day review period of all US foreign aid. The waiver, for which aid implementers will have to apply, is intended exclusively for “life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.”
Rubio Discusses Region in Interview. On January 30, Secretary Rubio spoke on the Megyn Kelly Show, mentioning some Middle East issues. Rubio called the Gaza ceasefire “important, because it brought an end to some of the destruction, and certainly it allowed hostages to be freed,” but described the prisoner exchange as “unfair.” Rubio reiterated that the Trump administration does not want Hamas to play any role in Gaza’s governance. On Syria, Rubio said that there is an opportunity to “create a more stable place than what we’ve had historically, especially under Assad, where Iran and Russia dominated and where ISIS operated with impunity.” Rubio also expressed hope that the Trump administration will broker a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
3) Department of Defense
AFRICOM Commander Signs MOU with Algeria. On January 22, Gen. Michael Langley, Commander of AFRICOM, visited Algeria and signed a Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with military officials there focusing on protecting regional and international stability.
Secretary Hegseth Speaks with Israeli Defense Minister. On January 29, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held an introductory call with Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz to reaffirm US support for Israel.
CENTCOM Conducts Strike in Northwest Syria. On January 30, CENTCOM forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria, targeting a senior operative of Hurras al-Din (also known as Al Qaeda in Syria).
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. On February 1, AFRICOM conducted strikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia in coordination with the Somali government.
