I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
New Bills Continue Pressure on Pro-Palestine Protests. On March 21, Rep. Austin Pfluger (R-TX) introduced H.R.2272, which would revoke the visa of any individual convicted of assaulting a police officer or of participating in “riots.” Rep. Pfluger also introduced H.R.2273, which would remove federal student aid benefits from individuals convicted of assaulting police officers or rioting. On March 27, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced legislation (S.1182 and H.R.2446) to prohibit federal funding for universities that enable events that supposedly promote anti-Semitism as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which includes criticism of Israel.
House Resolutions Support Iranian American Heritage Month and Recognizing Nowruz. On March 24, Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) introduced H.Res.243, expressing support for designating an Iranian American heritage month. On the same day, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced H.Res.244, which would recognize the celebration of Nowruz.
House Resolution Looks to Strengthen US-Morocco Relationship. On March 25, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced H.Res.251, which would affirm the importance of relations between the United States and Morocco.
Bicameral Legislation Pursue Sanctions on Popular Resistance Committees. On March 25, Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) introduced legislation (S.1126 and H.R.2346) to sanction the Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza and to categorize them a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization.
Senate Bill Would Block Funding to Gaza. On March 25, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced S.1128, which would prohibit US funding to Gaza until it can be certified that no funding is used to benefit Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or any other US-designated foreign terrorist groups, and until all hostages are released. The bill would also require that funds to the United Nations “do not benefit entities that promote anti-Israel or anti-Semitic ideologies.”
New Legislation Targets Iran Finances. On March 26, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced S.1153, the “No Dollars for Dictators Act,” which would prevent “state sponsors of terrorism and perpetrators of genocide,” namely China, Iran, Russia, and Syria, from receiving funding via special drawing rights from the International Monetary Fund without congressional approval. On March 27, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) introduced H.R.2468, which would prohibit the issuance of licenses or other waivers from sanctions relating to Iran.
Senate Bill Would Make PA Passport Holders Ineligible to Enter the United States. On March 26, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced S.1159, which would make holders of passports issued by the Palestinian Authority ineligible for visas to or admission or parole into the United States.
House Passes Bill to Push for Transparency in Higher Education Funding. On March 27, the House passed H.R.1048, also known as “the DETERRENT Act,” which seeks additional disclosures by American higher education institutions of their foreign funding relationships, particularly in the context of activities deemed to be threats to national security. Notably, lawmakers rejected two amendments (H.Amdt.14 and H.Amdt.15) offered by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) that would have required disclosures relating to countries defending war crimes or genocide cases at the International Court of Justice or countries whose leaders have arrest warrants at the Court.
House Bill Seeks to Restore UNRWA Funding. On March 27, Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) introduced H.R.2411, which would restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
House Resolution Recognizes Month of Ramadan. On March 27, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced H.Res.263, which would recognize the observance of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Senate Resolution Pushes for Protections for Iranian Refugees. On March 27, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced S.Res.145, which calls for protection of Iranian refugees in Camp Ashraf-3 in Albania.
Sanders Introduces Additional Resolutions to Block Arms to Israel. On March 27, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced three joint resolutions of disapproval (S.J.Res.40, S.J.Res.41, S.J.Res.42) to provide for disapproval of the proposed export of certain defense articles to Israel. Senator Sanders also announced that he would soon force a vote to block $8.8 billion in new arms sales to Israel.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
HFAC Chairman Launches Task Force on Foreign Arms Sales. On March 24, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) announced the formation of a task force to reform the foreign military sales process.
House Committees Launch Investigation into US-Funded Groups Allegedly Supporting Protests in Israel. On March 27, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and HFAC Chairman Mast announced a joint investigation into “certain Israeli entities” that allegedly received federal grant funding during the Biden administration to support Israel’s 2023 protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reform agenda.
3) Hearings and Briefings
Senate Holds Hearing for Ambassador to Israel. On March 25, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.
HFAC MENA Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Consolidating Department of State Tasks. On March 25, HFAC held a MENA subcommittee hearing on consolidating Department of State administrative services.
Senate Holds Annual Threat Assessment Hearing. On March 25, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held a public hearing on worldwide threats. The hearing coincided with the administration’s release of the annual threat assessment of the US intelligence community, which described threats posed by Iran and Hamas and by the situations in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria.
Congressional Hearings Scrutinize Campus Protests. On March 26, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a public hearing on worldwide threats. Testifying before the committee, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleged that some student groups protesting the war in Gaza may be backed by foreign entities. On March 27, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on campus pro-Palestine protests. During the hearing, Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced that he would be leading a new probe into American Muslims for Palestine and its activities on college campuses.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Leak on Houthi Strikes Becomes National Controversy. On March 24, the Atlantic Magazine published an article by Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in which he described how senior Trump administration national security officials, including the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Advisor, had, earlier in March, added him to a group chat on the encrypted Signal commercial messaging app with other top US officials. Goldberg reported that on the chat, the Secretary of Defense shared detailed military information about the launching of the March 15, 2025, US airstrikes against Houthi infrastructure and leadership in Yemen and that the officials discussed sensitive national security matters related to Yemen. On March 25, President Donald Trump downplayed the use of a commercial communication tool for the discussion and the addition of a journalist to a national security principals conversation, saying, “It’s just something that can happen,” while National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took responsibility.
In the aftermath of the scandal, lawmakers announced their intention to investigate and launch inquiries, and some called for the resignation of cabinet members such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who denied that there was classified information divulged in the Signal conversation. On March 27, lawmakers introduced legislation (H.Res.265 and H.Res.268) to condemn the administration’s handling of the events and to seek additional information. On the same day, a federal judge ordered the administration to preserve the Signal messages reported by Goldberg.
Administration Welcomes Changes at Columbia University. On March 24, the secretaries of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education and the head of the General Services Administration released a statement in support of steps that Columbia University is taking in response to the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism’s conditions to restore canceled federal grants and contracts to the university.
Trump Speaks with UAE President. On March 25, President Trump spoke with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to discuss Gaza and regional issues.
Witkoff Meets with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs. On March 25, White House Special Envoy Steven Witkoff met with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, discussing US and Israeli plans for Gaza and Iran.
Administration Gives Syria List of Conditions for Sanctions Relief. On March 25, Reuters reported that the Trump administration delivered a list of demands to the new Syrian government in exchange for partial sanctions relief. The demands reportedly included refraining from installing foreign fighters in senior government roles, destroying any chemical weapons facilities or storage, cooperating on counter-terrorism, and assisting in the search for missing American Austin Tice.
Trump Pulls Stefanik Nomination. On March 27, President Trump withdrew Rep. Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) nomination for Ambassador to the United Nations.
Trump Celebrates Abraham Accords at White House Iftar. On March 27, the White House held an Iftar at which President Trump committed to “building on the historic Abraham Accords.”
Administration to Judge Lebanese Government on Handling of Hezbollah. On March 27, National Security Council Spokesman James Hewitt said that the United States will judge the new Lebanese government based on its ability to reduce the capabilities of Hezbollah and to implement economic and banking reforms.
Trump Threatens to Bomb Iran if No Nuclear Deal Reached. On March 29, President Trump said that “If [Iran] don’t make a deal, there will be bombing…it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.” Trump also threatened to deploy secondary sanctions.
2) Department of State
Department Concerned with Iranian Influence in Iraq. On March 24, Spokesperson Tammy Bruce expressed concern about Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, urging the Iraqi government to exert “command and control of all security forces within its borders,”
Secretary Rubio Meets with Turkish Foreign Minister. On March 25, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss Syria, regional issues, trade, and concerns about the recent arrests and protests in Turkey. Secretary Rubio expressed his concern for the domestic situation in Turkey again on March 28.
Department Approves Military Sale to Qatar. On March 25, the Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar of drones and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.96 billion.
Rubio Speaks with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister. On March 27, Secretary Rubio spoke with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali al-Yahya about economic cooperation and regional coordination.
Visa Revocations Continue. On March 27, Secretary Rubio told reporters that the United States has revoked “maybe more” than 300 visas from foreign students and others in the United States, most of which were revoked, he said, on account of their holders being “supportive of movements that run counter to the foreign policy of the United States,” as he clarified on March 28.
Department Notifies Congress of Intention to Reorganize USAID. On March 28, Secretary Rubio released a statement that detailed the Trump administration’s intention to realign certain USAID functions to the Department of State by July 1, 2025, and discontinue remaining USAID functions “that do not align with Administration priorities.”
3) Department of Defense
US Strikes in Somalia Continue. On March 25 and 29, AFRICOM conducted strikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Iranian Intelligence Officials. On March 25, the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three officials from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security for their role in the abduction, detention, and probable death of former FBI agent Robert Levinson. The Department of State announced concurrent sanctions.
Treasury Sanctions Hezbollah Evasion Network. On March 28, OFAC announced sanctions on five individuals and three associated companies involved in a sanctions evasion network supporting Hezbollah.
III. Judicial Branch
DOJ Announces Disruption of Hamas Financing Scheme. On March 27, the Department of Justice announced that it had disrupted a financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts allegedly intended to benefit Hamas.
