I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
Senate Bill Targets CAIR’s Tax-Exempt Status Over Alleged Terrorism Ties. On December 15, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced S.3479, which would eliminate the tax-exempt status of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) based on alleged support for terrorism.
House Bill Seeks to Promote Health Equity and Inclusion for MENA Communities. On December 16, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced H.R.6767, which amends the Public Health Service Act of 1944 to include individuals from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the definition of racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill would make MENA communities eligible for federal resources targeted at historically marginalized populations and direct the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study of health patterns and outcomes in MENA populations.
Senate Bill Targets Tax-Exempt Status of Nonprofits Accused of Supporting Terrorist Organizations. On December 17, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced S.3554, which would revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit organization that provides material support to “terrorist organizations,” citing CAIR and any organization supporting “Hamas, Hezbollah, and al-Qaeda” as examples. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) introduced companion legislation (H.R.6800) in the House.
House Bill Calls Out Administration’s Weaponization of Anti-Semitism. On December 17, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced H.R.6806, which seeks to combat rising anti-Semitism in the United States. The legislation states that the Trump administration weaponized anti-Semitism to “pursue ideological and partisan political objectives unrelated to protecting Jewish communities,” including attacks on educational institutions, the suppression of pro-Palestinian advocacy, actions against nonprofit organizations, and the enforcement of “ideological conformity.”
Trump Signs FY26 NDAA. On December 18, President Donald Trump signed into law S.1071, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes a $901 billion defense budget and includes $600 million in security assistance for Israel. The NDAA also repeals the 2019 Caesar Act sanctions on Syria and the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force against Iraq.
House Resolution Calls for Greater US Role in Sudan Peace Efforts. On December 19, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) introduced H.Res.970, which calls on the United States to increase its efforts to bring peace to Sudan.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
House Republicans Urge Treasury Review of Spain’s Israel Boycott Laws. On December 18, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) led 17 other House Republicans in a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent calling on the Department to conduct a formal review of Spain’s anti-Israel “boycott laws” under Section 999 of the Internal Revenue Code, which governs foreign participation in unsanctioned international boycotts.
Senate Confirms Anti-Semitism Envoy. On December 18, the Senate confirmed Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as the special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Says Gaza Stabilization Force Is Running. On December 15, President Trump said that the International Stabilization Force for Gaza is “already running” and that additional countries would join and provide troops. Trump also said that his administration was reviewing whether Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire by killing a Hamas leader on December 13.
Trump Expands US Travel Ban to Include Syria, Palestine. On December 16, President Trump signed a proclamation expanding his administration’s travel ban to include Syria and individuals holding “[Palestinian Authority]-issued” travel documents. The White House said that the expanded ban will take effect on January 1.
Trump Acknowledges Declining Israeli Influence in the United States. On December 16, during a Hanukkah celebration at the White House, President Trump said that Israel and the “Jewish lobby” have lost influence in the United States. He stated, “If you go back 10, 12, 15 years ago at the most, the strongest lobby in Washington was the Jewish lobby. It was Israel. That’s no longer true. You have to be very careful.” Trump said that “there’s been a big change” in Congress, adding that a lot of members “don’t like Israel,” and singled out Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as examples.
White House Pitches $112 Billion Plan to Rebuild Gaza. On December 19, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States pitched a proposal, dubbed “Project Sunrise,” to rebuild Gaza into a “high-tech, luxurious coastal destination” over the next two decades to potential donor countries, including Gulf states, Turkey, and Egypt. According to the report, the project was developed by a team led by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and would cost $112.1 billion over the first 10 years, with the United States committing to cover approximately 20 percent of the total cost during that period. The report also noted that the 20-year roadmap entails four phases of reconstruction after Hamas disarms, with construction beginning in southern Gaza.
2) Department of State
Syria Envoy Meets with Netanyahu, Discusses Regional Issues. On December 15, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Saar in Israel to discuss Syria, Lebanon, and other regional issues. Media reports said that Barrack and Netanyahu reached several understandings on Syria, including Israel’s “freedom of operation” and continued efforts toward a potential security arrangement between Syria and Israel. The two also reportedly discussed Turkey and Saudi Arabia, with Netanyahu reiterating his opposition to the deployment of Turkish forces in Gaza and expressing disappointment that talks on a possible normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia have not advanced.
Department Approves Military Sale to Lebanon. On December 16, the Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Lebanon of High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $34.5 million.
US Officials Meet with Qatari Counterparts. On December 17, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Washington to launch the seventh US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue. The officials reaffirmed the strategic partnership between the two countries and discussed shared economic and security goals. On the sidelines of the dialogue, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Qatari Minister of State Mohammed Al Khulaifi to discuss shared priorities.
On December 20, the Department of State released a joint statement outlining shared strategic priorities discussed during the dialogue, including Gaza, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Haiti. The statement also addressed economic, defense and security, and cultural and educational cooperation.
Rubio Speaks with UAE Foreign Minister. On December 17, Secretary Rubio spoke with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan and the importance of stability in Yemen.
US, Saudi, and French Officials Push Hezbollah Disarmament Plan. On December 18, US, French, and Saudi Arabian officials reportedly held talks in Paris with the head of the Lebanese Army to finalize a roadmap for establishing a mechanism to dismantle Hezbollah.
Trump Administration Sanctions ICC Judges. On December 18, Secretary Rubio announced sanctions on two International Criminal Court judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, due to the court’s investigation into Israel’s war on Gaza.
Rubio Discusses Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, and Sudan. On December 19, Secretary Rubio said at a news conference that the United States was moving toward establishing a new governance structure for Gaza, beginning with the announcement of the “Board of Peace” and a Palestinian technocratic committee. He said that progress had been made in identifying Palestinians to join the technocratic body and stated that Washington aimed to put the governance framework in place “very soon,” without offering a specific timeline. Rubio added that finalizing these bodies would allow the United States to move forward with the ISF, including clarifying its funding, mandate, and rules of engagement. He said that several nation-states acceptable to all sides were willing to participate, including Pakistan, and that establishing security and governance would be critical to attracting donors for Gaza’s reconstruction.
- On the occupied West Bank, Rubio saidthat the United States is pressing Israel to address ongoing settler violence.
- On Lebanon, Rubio said that Washington was hopeful that direct talksbetween Israeli and Lebanese authorities would “create outlines and a way forward that prevents further conflict,” while acknowledging that Israel has pledged to continue military action against Hezbollah if it feels threatened.
- On Sudan, Rubio saidthat the immediate US goal is a cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian assistance to reach civilians, adding that Washington is engaging all parties involved in an effort to advance peace.
- On the Muslim Brotherhood, Rubio said that announcements regarding the terrorism designation of certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters would come very soon, potentially “early this next week.” He also described UNRWA as a “corrupted organization that’s unsalvageable.”
United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey Discuss Gaza Peace Deal. On December 19, representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey met in Miami to review the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and to advance preparations for the second phase.
3) Department of War
United States Hosts Forum in Qatar on Gaza Stabilization Force. On December 16, CENTCOM hosted a conference in Doha with dozens of partner nations to plan the ISF for Gaza. The Trump administration asked participating countries to clarify what military, financial, or logistical support they could provide, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for January. According to the Times of Israel, attendees included Azerbaijan, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Reports also indicated that more than 45 countries attended the gathering, while Turkey was excluded, reportedly at Israel’s request.
AFRICOM Conducts More Strikes in Somalia. On December 15 and 18, US forces conducted airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia. On December 15, 16, and 19, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
CENTCOM Strikes So-Called Islamic State Targets in Syria. On December 19, CENTCOM announced that it conducted large-scale strikes against more than 70 so-called Islamic State targets in Syria in response to an attack on US personnel on December 13. President Trump said on Truth Social that the Syrian government supported the strikes and that the United States was inflicting “very serious retaliation.”
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Iranian Oil Shadow Fleet. On December 18, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 29 shadow fleet vessels involved in the delivery of Iranian oil and petroleum products. OFAC also sanctioned Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr, an Egyptian businessman whose companies are associated with seven of the designated vessels, along with multiple shipping companies.
