Federal Government Watch Archives
   - from the Sharia TipSheet

Federal Government Watch -
Trump Administration Not Vetting Appointments Properly - Jihadis Slipping Through
by Clare M. Lopez
June 2025

The Trump administration is off to a great start on so many fronts, it’s hard to keep up. But one area that increasingly gives pause and some reasons for concern is the personnel appointments process. Understandably, President Trump himself cannot possibly manage or even oversee personally the appointments of every possible candidate for the myriad U.S. government agencies, boards, commissions, and departments. But we hope that pointing to some of these problematic appointments might focus a bit more attention on the actual nominating and vetting process.
 
Here for this month’s newsletter are a few of the nominations that caught our attention:
 
How did the appointments of two well-known jihadis make it into the President’s Religious Liberty Commission?
 
“President Donald Trump Names Advisory Board Members to the Religious Liberty Commission” at The White House, May 16, 2025
 
“Vetting Failure or Policy Shift? The White House’s Dangerous Jihadi Appointments: Ismail Royer and Hamza Yusuf” by Amy Mek at The Rair Foundation, May 18, 2025
 
“Trump Puts Terrorist on Commission for Religious Liberty” by John Guandolo at Jihad Watch, May 17, 2025
 
“Convicted Islamic Terrorists Appointed to White House Advisory Board for ‘Religious Liberty’” by Pamela Geller at The Geller Report, May 18, 2025
 
Tom Trento video program on the appointment of Jihadis to the White House Advisory Board for Religious Liberty at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM-ivU9dLtc, May 22, 2025
 
“Ex-Jihadist linked to LeT camps in Pakistan appointed to Donald Trump’s White House advisory board” by Bharti Jain at The Times of India, May 17, 2025
 
“Trump Administration’s Latest Vetting Catastrophe: Islamic Operative Rabiul Chowdhury Infiltrates the White House” at The Rair Foundation, May 24, 2025 
  • This is the case of Rabiul Chowdhury, introduced to President Trump by Richard Grenell in September 2024 as part of a delegation of “Muslim Arab Leaders” organized by Massad Boulos, the Lebanese American businessman who is also Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law. Chowdhury’s background includes a stint as President of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Penn State University. MSA is the oldest Muslim Brotherhood front group in America, now on hundreds of university campuses all over the country. Then he served on the board of EMERGE PA, which is a CAIR-affiliated organization that works on election issues. He also served in a leadership role with CAIR-PA. [Editor’s Note - CAIR is HAMAS in America.]
 
One more below, but the question has to be, ‘Who with expertise in Islam, jihad, and sharia is advising President Trump on the Muslim Brotherhood in America as well as Middle East policy?”
 
“Pentagon taps spokesperson despite her antisemitic lies” by Or Shaked at Israel Hayom, May 25, 2025
 
On the positive side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wasting no time going after non-U.S. citizen visa holders – including many on F-1 student visas – who all-too-often are the ringleaders of horrific antisemitic, pro-HAMAS chaos on our campuses. As their violent rhetoric now spirals into murderous violence against Jews in America, though, it is clear the Biden-era immigration-refugee-and-visa process needs a wholesale overhaul. 
 
“United States confirms revocation of Visas for 300 Pro-Hamas activists” by Joana Campos at Gateway Hispanic, March 31, 2025
 
“Boulder, Colorado terror attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman faces hate crime, attempted murder charges” by Greg Norman, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten at Fox News, updated June 2, 2025
 
In its all-too-short official tenure, DOGE also did commendable work uncovering some incredible misuses of U.S. taxpayer money
 
“BOMBSHELL: DOGE Staffer Reveals U.S. Institute of “Peace” Paid $130K to Ex-Taliban Fighter — Blew Millions on Private Jets and Lavish Parties, Then Deleted 1 Terabyte of Records as Trump Team Arrived” by Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit, May 2, 2025
 
But then there’s Qatar…
 
“Press Reports: Qatar Spends Billions to Influence Trump Admin, including Funds linked to Tucker Carlson – But Tucker Vehemently Denies Accepting Money from Qatar” by Collin McMahon at Gateway Pundit, May 21, 2025
 
“How Qatar Bought America” by Frannie Block and Jay Solomon at The Free Press, May 13, 2025 
Federal Government Watch -
Trump Administration Needs to Wise Up About Islam
by Clare M. Lopez
May 2025

This month, we include a number of reports dating to the waning days of the Biden administration, along with some early policy decisions by the incoming Trump administration regarding an ambassadorial pick, Qatar, the Taliban, and HAMAS/UNRWA that appear questionable.
 
From Biden days:
 
“DOGE Shocker: Biden Gave Terrorists Social Security Numbers and Welfare Benefits” by Bethany Blankley at Daily Signal, April 14, 2025
  • Not only were millions of illegal aliens allowed into the U.S. by the Biden admin, but thousands of them were also given work authorization and Social Security numbers.
 
“US Peace Institute paid $132,000 to former Taliban official, says Musk” by Fidel Rahmati at Khaama Press, May 3, 2025
  • This was some of the financial data recovered by the DOGE team at the U.S. Institute of Peace…reportedly, along with weapons.
 
“Over $7.2 Million in Taxpayer Money Sent to Hamas-Linked CAIR” at israfan.com, March 17, 2025
  • Not only was over $7 million sent to CAIR’s greater Los Angeles chapter between 2022-2024 – supposedly to assist immigrants – but that chapter is not a registered non-profit organization and thus not eligible to receive the money. That is in addition to the fact that CAIR was an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation HAMAS terror funding trial.
 
“Documents Show How Biden’s State Dept Ignored Warnings About Funding Hamas-Linked UN Organization” by Michael Chamberlain at the Daily Signal, February 19, 2025
  • Documents received under a FOIA request reveal that the Biden admin insisted on channeling funds to UNRWA despite evidence it is closely connected to HAMAS.
 
After Trump took over: 
 
“Disaster Averted: Daniel Davis Won’t Be Joining the DNI” by Hugh Fitzgerald at Jihad Watch, March 15, 2025
  • For some reason, DNI Gabbard seemed unaware of Davis’ antipathy to Israel and misplaced sympathy for the Iranian regime.
 
“Air Force Academy's Muslim cadets denied accommodation during Ramadan: Allegation” by Mary Shinn at The Gazette, April 11, 2025
  • Perhaps there’s hope after all?  Cadets at the Air Force Academy simply cannot be excused from physical training for an entire month because they choose not to eat all day.
 
Trump said in a 2016 interview “I think Islam hates us,” but does he really understand the ramifications?  Apparently not: 

“The Trump Administration's Jihadi Problem” by John Guandolo at Truth Blog, March 10, 2025
  • As John Guandolo points out, there seems not to be much understanding of Islamic doctrine, law, or scripture among Trump administration senior figures or advisors.
 
“In policy shift, State Department ends some bounties on Taliban’s Haqqani network leaders” by Jerry Dunleavy at Just the News, April 6, 2025
  • Bounties of millions of dollars on Sirajuddin Haqqani, a top Taliban leader and close ally of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and other Haqqani Network commanders, were dropped in March 2025, perhaps as part of a deal to release George Glezmann, an American citizen held hostage since 2022. What is more concerning is the appearance of warming ties between the Trump administration and the Taliban.
 
“Watchdog: Rubio Covers for USAID, Won’t Disclose Gaza Aid Recipients” by Veronika Kyrylenko at New American, March 10, 2025
  • Despite demands for transparency, notably from Judicial Watch, USAID has refused to disclose who exactly received $27 million in taxpayer-funded grants sent to Gaza (ruled by HAMAS, an Islamic terror organization on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations list). As of mid-March 2025, the date of this article, both the Departments of State and Justice were fighting disclosure in court.
 
“Trump picks anti-Israel Muslim mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan as ambassador to Kuwait” by Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch, March 10, 2025
  • Appreciation, perhaps, for Muslim votes that helped swing Michigan to the Trump column in the November 2024 election?
 
“Huckabee vs. Witkoff Divide in Trump Mideast Policy: ‘Stop Being Duped’ by Hamas and Qatar” by Collin McMahon at Gateway Pundit, March 31, 2025
  • Now-confirmed Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee takes a very different approach to Qatar than U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Huckabee’s understanding of Islam and the Middle East would appear to go well beyond that of real estate businessman Witkoff.
 
In other news:
 
“FAA Contractor Pleads Guilty To Spying For Iran” by Nancy Butler at The American Standard, April 17, 2025
  • Good that he was caught, but what about the employee screening at the FAA?
 
“Qatar’s Growing Influence in the United States” at EMET, April 2, 2025
  • In this early April 2025 Webinar, hosted by Sarah Stern at EMET, Clare M. Lopez discussed the outsized influence Qatar exerts on U.S. academia, lobbyists, media, and think tanks even while funding, supporting, and training HAMAS jihadis in Gaza and harboring HAMAS leadership figures in Doha. Full transcript available at the site.
Federal Government Watch -
The Grown-Ups Are Back In Charge of Anti-Jihad Policy
by Clare M. Lopez
April 2025

The flurry of good news and long-awaited good policies keeps flowing from the Trump administration!  There’s literally too much to cover in its entirety, but here are a few of the high points, beginning with a return to a serious, no-nonsense policy approach to the Islamic Republic of Iran, its nuclear weapons program, and its regional jihadi proxies, especially Ansar Allah (the Houthis) in Yemen.
 
“U.S. Relists Yemen’s Iran-Backed Houthis as Foreign Terrorist Organization” at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, March 6, 2025
 
“Sanctioning Houthi Leaders for Weapons Procurement and Destabilizing Violence”, U.S. Department of State, March 5, 2025
 
“Trump announces 'decisive and powerful' airstrikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen” by Andrea Margolis at Fox News, March 15, 2025
 
“U.S. Air Force Masses Large B-2 Stealth Bomber Fleet on Diego Garcia: Yemen in the Crosshairs” at Military Watch Magazine, March 26, 2025
 
Possibly reflecting updated information about the accelerating status of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, President Trump sent a letter offering negotiations to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but also threatened military action in very explicit terms should the Iranian regime not agree to verifiable dismantling of its nuclear weapons facilities.
 
“NCRI-US Reveals Intelligence on Iran’s Nuclear Warhead Development” by Farid Mahoutchi at National Council of Resistance of Iran, 31 January 2025
 
“Trump threatens bombing if Iran does not make nuclear deal” by Doina Chiacu and David Ljunggren at Reuters, March 30, 2025
 
“Trump says 'something's going to happen very soon' with Iran as he pushes to negotiate nuclear deal” by Diana Stancy at Fox News, March 7, 2025
 
“Iran rejects offer of direct US negotiations over rapidly growing nuclear program” by Ronny Reyes at New York Post, March 30, 2025
Federal Government Watch -
USAID Funded Islamic Terrorists with Taxpayer Dollars
by Clare M. Lopez
March 2025

The big story this month is the information being uncovered by Elon Musk’s team at the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) about the millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that have been routed by USAID to terrorism. Money sent to the Taliban may be just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately for all of us, President Trump and the D.O.G.E. team are identifying these funds and putting a stop to them.
 
“Biden Admin Filled Terrorist Coffers With Over $1,300,000,000 Before Trump Took Wrecking Ball To Foreign Aid”, by Hudson Crozier at the Daily Caller, February 4, 2025
 
“USAID Sent Over $18 Billion to Islamic Terror States”, by Daniel Greenfield at Front Page Magazine, February 7, 2025
  • Somalia is a case in point. During the Biden admin’s last two years in office, USAID funneled $2.3 billion for Somalia, presented as “humanitarian assistance.” A final tranche of $29 million went to Somalia in December 2024. Additional funds went to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Houthis in Yemen, and over $2 billion to Gaza (aka HAMAS).
 
“USAID Gave At Least $2.33 Billion to Gaza Terrorists” by Pamela Geller at the Geller Report, February 26, 2025
  • No, this largesse did not go to the poor, starving Gazan people…mostly because there never was a famine in the Gazan Strip. But, as USAID knew or should have known, the vast majority of humanitarian aid sent to Gaza, especially since the October 7, 2023 HAMAS massacre, was stolen outright by HAMAS, then used by its own fighters or put out on the black market in Gaza, to be sold for exorbitant prices to the Gazan people.
 
“Musk accuses Treasury 'approval officers' of allowing fraudulent payments to terrorist groups” by Nicholas Ballasy at Just the News, February 2, 2025
  • According to the D.O.G.E. team, Treasury Department payment approval officers were actually instructed to always approve all payments, even those going to terrorist groups.
 
“Judge Amir Ali, One of Biden's Final Appointments, Thwarts Donald Trump” by Sean O’Driscoll at Newsweek, February 14, 2025
  • This judge at least temporarily blocked State Department Secretary Marco Rubio and other Trump administration officials from carrying out President Trump’s order to defund USAID.
 
Department of Justice establishes Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7)
  • On February 5, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a Memorandum, establishing a Task Force to seek justice for the victims of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel and also to address “the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates in the homeland.” Importantly, the Memo specifically identifies one of DOJ’s priorities as “investigating and prosecuting those responsible for funding Hamas.”
 
“Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism Announces Visits to 10 College Campuses that Experienced Incidents of Antisemitism”, Office of Public Affairs, Department of Justice, February 28, 2025
  • Civil rights attorney Leo Terrell has been named to lead a partner organization to the JTF 10-7 at the DOJ. It is a Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, particularly “those supporting Hamas and trying to intimidate Jews” on U.S. college campuses.
Federal Government Watch -
Trump Reverses Some Biden Actions Favoring Terrorists
by Clare M. Lopez
February 2025

This month’s newsletter will be something of a transition list, to include some of the last actions of the outgoing Biden administration as well as a first collection of Trump administration initiatives. Many of those final Biden admin orders and policies were intended to hamstring the incoming Trump admin, while the blitzkrieg flurry of new Trump Executive Orders & Memoranda overturned or superseded Biden policies. Lots more of the latter to come in our 2025 Federal Government Watch newsletters!
 
We’ll begin with
End of Term Biden Actions
 
“On Election Day, Biden-Harris Admin Quietly Waived Terrorism Sanctions on Palestinian Government, Docs Show” by Adam Kredo at The Washington Free Beacon, November 7, 2024
  • Even though the State Department “determined that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization were not complying with agreements to curb terrorism against Israel and end the “pay-to-slay” program”, the Biden admin just waived the mandatory sanctions that remain in effect, but simply have not been enforced.
 
“Biden Admin Quietly Funneled $3 Mil to Palestinian Government 'Security Forces' for Weapons Training—After Its Members Carried Out Attacks on Israelis” by Adam Kredo at The Washington Free Beacon, February 3, 2025
  • Just weeks before the end of the Biden-Harris admin, it sent more than $3 million to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASC). The PASC is under the authority of the Palestinian Authority, over which sanctions for failing to end the “pay-to-slay” program had been waived in November 2024.
 
“Biden Admin Quietly Spent $15 Mil To Distribute 'Contraceptives and Condoms' in Afghanistan—and Said Doing So Would Take 'Some Coordination' With Taliban” by Adam Kredo at The Washington Free Beacon, January 27, 2025
 
“Biden Program Meant To 'Protect Jewish Institutions' Pays Out Six-Figure Grants to Mosques That Preach Anti-Semitic Hate” by Chuck Ross at The Washington Free Beacon, January 10, 2025
  • This largesse came from the Department of Homeland Security in late 2024 and was paid out to mosques where imams regularly preach antisemitic hate.
 
“President Biden extends order permitting sanctions on Judea and Samaria residents” at 7 Israel Arutz Sheva, January 15, 2025
  • See below for President Trump’s removal of these sanctions – what was done by Executive Order is now undone by Executive Order.
 
“Biden Admin Filled Terrorist Coffers With Over $1,300,000,000 Before Trump Took Wrecking Ball To Foreign Aid” by Hudson Croizier at Daily Caller, February 4, 2025
 
“Watchdogs Sue US Government over Qatar’s Billions in University Funding” by the Geller Report Staff, February 3, 2025
 
“Musk accuses Treasury 'approval officers' of allowing fraudulent payments to terrorist groups” by Nicholas Ballasy at Just the News, February 2, 2025
 
Now for the Trump Team 
 
Here is a list of Presidential Actions – Executive Orders, Executive Memoranda, More – at the White House website, inclusive up to February 5, 2025 – a few of the standouts are detailed below.
 
“Trump Removes Biden’s Sanctions against Judea and Samaria Jews” by David Israel at The Jewish Press, January 21, 2025
 
“Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Maximum Pressure on Iran”, February 4, 2025
  • This action restores enforcement of sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran with a key objective to prevent it from deploying a deliverable nuclear weapon and neutralize Iran’s terror network.
 
“Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Forceful and Unprecedented Steps to Combat Anti-Semitism”, January 30, 2025
  • This Executive Order marshals federal resources across the U.S. Government to combat antisemitism, on college campuses and throughout American society.
 
“FACT SHEET: President Donald J. Trump Re-designates the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization”, January 22, 2025
  • This Executive Order Re-Designates the Ansar Allah (Houthi) Iran-sponsored Yemeni terror group to the State Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organization list from which it was removed by the Biden administration.
Federal Government Watch -
Biden Administration Indulges Unreasoning Islamophilia to the Very End
by Clare M. Lopez
January 2025
Looking forward to different national security policies across the board with the incoming Trump administration, this is our last round-up of Biden-Harris administration policies that did not put America First. We expect newsletters to contain a much different set of headlines as we head into 2025! 
 
“Plea deal for KSM & other 9/11 terrorists is a final Biden ‘Screw you!’ to America” by Post Editorial Board at New York Post, December 31, 2024
 
“Biden admin quietly renewed controversial $10B Iran sanctions waiver” by Victor Nava at New York Post, December 11, 2024
 
“Afghanistan Gets $122.5 Mil to Combat Gender-Based Violence under Taliban with no Follow Up” at Judicial Watch, December 17, 2024
  • A recent report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) revealed that the Biden administration has failed to monitor the effectiveness of this funding, supposedly intended to combat gender-based violence against women. Missing from the SIGAR report was any understanding that under the Taliban’s Islamic Law regime, gender-based violence against women is part of the program as explicitly sanctioned in the Qur’an (see Q 4:34).
 
“Making A Deal With The Devil – Biden Embraces Terrorists In Syria” by Sam Faddis at And Magazine Substack, December 22, 2024
  • The Biden administration has decided to drop the $10 million bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa (aka Abu Muhammad al-Golani), the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the jihadi terror group that just ousted the Bashar al-Assad regime in Damascus. HTS remains on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations list.  More here:
 
“Brother of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal unexpectedly released from US prison – report” by Jerusalem Post Staff at Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2024
 
“Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases First-Ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate”, White House, December 12, 2024
  • Administration announces this new U.S. Strategy after a year filled with hate-filled outpourings of antisemitism, Jew-hatred, and HAMAS terror support on the campuses and streets of America.
 
“The FBI’s ‘Palestinian’” by Daniel Greenfield at Front Page Magazine, December 15, 2024
  • Husham is a member of the Palestinian Authority’s forces, which are essentially terrorist operations that also conduct some policing. A member of a terrorist group’s forces getting training at the FBI raises serious questions.
 
“‘Astounding’ government failures, House GOP report on Jew-hatred says” by Andrew Bernard at Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), December 19, 2024
 
“CIA analyst accused of leaking Israeli plan to attack Iran ordered held pending trial” by Matthew Barakat at Times of Israel, 12 December 2024
Federal Government Watch -
Biden Showers Love on Our Jihadi Enemies on His Way Out the Door
by Clare M. Lopez
December 2024

Items this month focus on actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration in the waning weeks of their term that seem focused especially on supporting Israel’s – and our – enemies.
 
“Anti-Israel actions taken by the Biden administration in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre” by Eugene Kontorovich at Jewish News Syndicate, November 8, 2024
 
“Biden-Harris Send Another $230 Million In Unvetted Money to Pro Terrorist Elements” by Seth Segal at Gateway Pundit, November 17, 2024
 
“On Election Day, Biden-Harris Admin Quietly Waived Terrorism Sanctions on Palestinian Government, Docs Show” by Adam Kredo at Washington Free Beacon, November 7, 2024
 
“Now That the Election is Over, the Biden/Harris Plea Deal for 9/11 Jihadis Is Back” by Robert Spencer at PJ Media, November 7, 2024
 
“‘Solidarity Forever’: Biden-Harris EPA Weighs Awarding Taxpayer Dollars To Nonprofit That Wants To Defund The Police” by Adam Pack at Daily Caller, November 23, 2024
  • Tens of millions were awarded on paper to an anti-Israel ‘climate justice’ nonprofit that praised Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel.  Now the nonprofit wants the Biden administration to disburse the cash before leaving office.

“Biden spotted with book that accuses Israel of settler-colonialism, apartheid” at Jerusalem Post, November 30, 2024

“D9 bulldozer shipment stalled by US embargo, leaving Israeli soldiers exposed” by Yoav Zitun at Ynetnews, November 10, 2024
Federal Government Watch -
Washington’s Money and Actions Fuel Islamic Jihad
by Clare M. Lopez
November 2024

For a short time in October 2024, media attention swirled around a Top Secret intelligence leak from the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency about a possible Israeli retaliatory strike against Iran. The leak definitely happened but the leaker was never identified publicly, and by the time of the November 2024 election, this story had disappeared from the headlines. It’s worth noting here, however, because it is of a pattern in a series of behavior and statements emanating from the Biden-Harris administration that seek to control Israel’s defensive military operations against HAMAS, Hizballah, and Iran.
 
“US investigates leak on intelligence about Israel's Iran attack plans” by Reuters, October 20, 2024
 
“The US is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents on Israel’s Iran attack plan” by Zeke Miller, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, and Tara Copp at Associated Press, October 20, 2024
  • Classified documents marked Top Secret from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency were leaked to the online Telegram app to a channel located inside Iran. Documents purported to show satellite imagery of Israeli planes loading missiles that were assessed as intended for an Israeli strike against Iran. Speculation about the possible leaker swirled but that leaker was never identified publicly although Speaker Mike Johnson said that Congress would be investigating. With the 5 November 2024 election, this story disappeared from the headlines. 
 
“ONE BILLION DOLLARS: Terrorist Org UNRWA Has Misused More Than One Billion Dollars in U.S. Taxpayer Aid Sent to Gaza Since October 2023 by Biden-Harris” by Pam Geller, October 10, 2024
 
“US urges Israel to rethink anti-UNRWA laws, warning millions at risk of ‘catastrophe’” by Jacob Magid at Times of Israel, 29 October 2024
  • Despite knowing that UNRWA operates in close collaboration with HAMAS in Gaza, the Biden administration still criticizes Israel’s recently-passed laws that ban UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory and bar Israeli officials from contact with UNRWA.
 
“UH OH: Kamala Harris Caught Happily Mingling With Terror-Loving Iranian Regime Operative” by Cullen Linebarger at Gateway Pundit, October 13, 2024
  • This was in the final weeks of the November 2024 presidential election campaign, so it may be hoped that some good briefings for the incoming Trump team may help avoid similar stories in coming years.
 
“TSA Bestows Award on Islamist Group Blacklisted by Executive Branch” by Benjamin Baird at Middle East Forum’s ‘Focus on Western Islamism’, October 18, 2024
  • The Transportation Security Administration awarded the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) its annual “Disability and Multicultural Coalitions Award” in late September 2024. Unfortunately, neither TSA nor the MEF appears to understand the Islamic doctrinal obligation to wage jihad against non-Muslims. To wage jihad is not “Islamist”: it is mainstream, normative, orthodox Islamic doctrine.
 
“DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas refuses to answer questions about Afghan national accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired terror attack” by Victor Nava at New York Post, October 10, 2024
  • More here: “Mayorkas refuses to answer questions on Afghan accused of Election Day terror plot” by Adam Shaw & Jacqui Heinrich at Fox News, October 10, 2024  
  • DHS Secretary Mayorkas knows full well there has been a dangerous lack of serious background vetting on thousands of Afghans brought into the U.S. after our disastrous flight out of Afghanistan in August 2021. While it’s good to know this particular plot was disrupted, in light of repeated warnings about other terror plots and “lights blinking red” from other national security officials like FBI Director Christopher Wray, it should be obvious the threats are still out there and Mayorkas’ refusal to address this critical issue is reprehensible.
 
“Kash Patel: Weaponized Neglect – How Kamala Harris’ National Security Failures Empowered Iran’s Terror Machine” by Kash Patel at Gateway Pundit, October 5, 2024
  • Kash Patel is a very credible source. Here he condemns the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to take any serious steps to investigate thoroughly and transparently the open and repeated assassination threats from the Iranian regime – what can only be called a willful abrogation of duty. The period between Donald Trump’s election victory on 5 November 2024 and his inauguration on 20 January 2025 is a dangerous window of vulnerability, when the Biden-Harris administration is a lame duck and before a new Trump administration will be able to take office.
 
“A Year After 10/7: Radical Professors, Programs Were Funded by Federal Grants” at Open the Books, October 16, 2024
  • As we gird for possible chaos on U.S. streets and campuses post-November 5, but before Inauguration Day in January 2025, it’s important to investigate where funding for some of that chaos on the campuses of some of our top universities may be coming from. Much of it comes from abroad – Middle Eastern money that funds Middle East study programs – but millions more come from USG federal grants that go to programs and professors that openly promote anti-American, anti-Israel, and openly antisemitic views.
Federal Government Watch -
Kamala Plays for the HAMAS Team
by Clare M. Lopez
October 2024

“Biden-Harris admin backs UN bid to shield Oct 7th terrorists from prosecution – report” by World Israel News Staff, September 22, 2024
 
“Biden-Harris Admin Sued for Stonewalling Gazan Aid Probe” by Adam Kredo at Free Beacon, August 27, 2024
  • The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), a government watchdog group, sued the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in late August 2024 for failing to turn over documents detailing millions of dollars USAID has pumped into Gaza in full knowledge that as long as HAMAS still functions there, such aid goes straight to an Islamic terror organization.
 
“Hamas-Linked Individual Entered Executive Office Building, Met With National Security Council” by Robert Schmad at Daily Caller, September 20, 2024
  • The individual in question was head of Rahma Worldwide, a health nonprofit “that has collaborated with HAMAS on multiple occasions”. This meeting took place on 9/11!
 
“Kamala’s Islamists” by Daniel Greenfield at his Sultan Knish blog site:  Unfortunate choice of words for this piece’s headline, but a very useful catalog nevertheless of Kamala Harris’ “incredible Muslim team”. They are not “extremist”, but rather some of the more devout and faithful White House officials who are most obedient to the commandments of Islam – in other words, mainstream, normative, orthodox Islam. [Editor’s Note - more ties to HAMAS described in this article.]
 
“Meet the Islamic Terrorist Apologist Controlling Kamala’s Foreign Policy” by Daniel Greenfield at Jihad Watch, September 2, 2024
  • This is a profile of one Phil Gordon, who may be in line to be Kamala Harris’ National Security Advisor or Secretary of State were she to win the presidency. One small example of his thinking: “The idea that terrorists attack because they hate freedom…is misguided…Even most of the Muslims who support terrorism…favor elected government…and personal liberty”. Good summary piece that includes substantive sections cited from other publications.
 
“Biden/Harris Disgraced Iran Envoy Robert Malley Is Under FBI investigation” by Pam Geller at The Geller Report, September 24, 2024
  • A good update here from Pam Geller on the status of State Department’s Robert Malley, who’s “now teaching students at Princeton University and Yale University about U.S. foreign policy and human rights.”
 
“’We Will Fight the Taliban Again’” by John J. Waters at Gateway Pundit, September 8, 2024
  • There are Afghans still fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, but the U.S. offers them no recognition, no support. Instead, the USG is actually sending “humanitarian” aid to Afghanistan, i.e., to the Taliban.
Federal Government Watch -
Islamic Influence In the U.S. Government - Kamala Harris Would Pick Up Where Joe Biden Left Off
by Clare M. Lopez
September 2024

We’ll cover a few categories here this month: the Biden-Harris continuing appeasement of the Islamic regime in Iran, questionable USG decisions on national security matters, and also some questionable appointments and associations of the Harris-Walz campaign team.
 
This first set of reports highlights the lack of national security rigor at the top levels of the Biden-Harris administration. The pattern seems to favor passes for U.S. adversaries including Iran, Turkey, and the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood network.
 
“Biden-Harris admin waives sanctions on state-run Iranian media” at the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), August 21, 2024  
“Why Did Pentagon Allow Turkish Muslim Citizen Access to Highly Classified Docs?” by Daniel Greenfield at Jihad Watch, August 15, 2024
 
“Biden regime names Mohamed Elsanousi of Hamas-linked ISNA to US Commission on International Religious Freedom” by Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch, August 12, 2024
  • We’ll recall, of course, that the Biden administration appointed former ISNA president and longtime imam at the Muslim Brotherhood’s ADAMS Center, Imam Mohamed Magid, to the same Commission in August 2022. And unfortunately, it was during the Trump administration in July 2017 that Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas was named Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. His connections to prominent Muslim Brotherhood figures are well-documented.  
  • “Biden’s Muslim Brotherhood-connected Religious Freedom Commissioner” by Ben Poser at the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), August 6, 2024
 
Now, we include a few items here about some questionable associations and appointments by currently-serving Vice President Kamala Harris and her presidential campaign’s VP running mate, MN Governor Tim Walz.
 
“Kamala Harris’s Philip Gordon: Inconspicuous and influential” by Shahram Kholdi at Iran International, 08/09/2024
  • The questions here are about Gordon’s possible connections to the Iranian regime’s Iran Experts Initiative influence operations network. These are questions currently being investigated by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
 
“Kamala Harris Picks Terror Supporter as "Liaison" to American Jews” by Daniel Greenfield at Gatestone Institute, August 22, 2024
  • Ilan Goldenberg served as a member of Secretary of State John Kerry’s negotiating team during the 2013-2014 final status talks. He’s been outspoken in criticism of Israel and support for both a HAMAS role in Gaza and the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and even attended at least one event held by NIAC (National Iranian American Council).  
  • “Kamala Harris’ New ‘Jewish Liaison’ Led Biden’s Effort to Sanction Israelis” by Joel B. Pollak at Breitbart, August 12, 2024
 
“Tim Walz Cozied Up to Anti-Semitic Terror Defender at 2019 CAIR Event, Photos Show” by Chuck Ross at Free Beacon, August 7, 2024
  • Yes, this photo dates to 2019 when Democrat Party Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz spoke at a CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) event. But he’s posing in that photo with Hatem Bazian, the founder of both the Muslim Brotherhood’s American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and its campus branch, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). As US campuses return to SJP-led pro-HAMAS protests once again this fall semester, the question that must be asked is whether Walz has since renounced these troublesome associations.
Federal Government Watch -
Kamala Stomps Her Little Foot - ‘Don’t Call It Radical Islamic Terrorism’
by Clare M. Lopez
August 2024
 
As tensions mount across the Middle East and the world awaits what is expected to be a massive Iranian-regime-coordinated attack against Israel, we note in several of our links here the wavering Biden administration support for Israel as well as administration’s penetration by antisemitic, anti-Israel and pro-Iranian operatives.
 
“Are You Sitting Down? It Turns Out Kamala Has Ties to a Far-Left, Hamas-Linked Islamic Group” by Robert Spencer at PJ Media, July 27, 2024
 
“Kamala Harris Calls for ‘Courage to Object’ to Term ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’” by Robert Spencer at PJ Media, July 26, 2024
  • As Robert notes in this piece, the real issue here is terming mainstream, normative, orthodox Islamic jihad doctrine as something “radical” – a word, like “extreme”, that signifies a deviation from the norm. Jihad terror in fact is the norm within Islamic doctrine, law, and practice.
 
“Biden/Harris Regime Colluding With Iran U.S. to Oust Netanyahu — Report” by Pamela Geller, August 4, 2024
 
“GOP lawmakers probe Kamala Harris adviser for ‘connections’ to Iranian influence operation” by Josh Christenson at New York Post, August 1, 2024
 
“Federal probes of campus antisemitism have flopped” by Jonathan Tobin at the Jewish News Syndicate, June 24, 2024
 
“Two Jordanians Pose As Amazon Drivers, Try to Breach Gates at Marine Base; WH and ICE Response Is Unreal” by Nick Arama at Red State, May 17, 2024
  • The Quantico Marine gate guards acted swiftly to prevent these two from gaining access to the base. The problem is rather with the belated & very muted White House response to what could have been a serious terror incident. The broader issue, of course, is the wide-open southern border policy of the Biden administration.
 
“DHS Says ‘Privacy Interests’ Of Illegals On Terrorist Watchlist Outweigh Americans’ Right To Know” by Luke Rosiak at the Daily Wire, May 16, 2024
  • As U.S. reporters tried to learn the facts about the attempted breach of the Quantico, VA Marine Base, the Biden White House stalled in response to direct questions about whether the two Jordanians’ names were on the federal terror watchlist.
 
“The State Dept, CIA, FBI Are Colluding and Shielding Palestinian Reporter Who Cheered Oct. 7 Massacre – He Was Then Brought to US and Participated in Riots at Columbia University – And Now He Is Honored as Time 100 Most Influential People…UPDATE: MUST SEE VIDEO” by Jim Hoft at the Gateway Pundit, May 19, 2024
  • Gazan reporter moonlights as a HAMAS supporter—both in Gaza and here in the U.S.
 
“It’s By Design: Democrats Let Iranian Hostiles in Pentagon Conduct Spying Operations” by Roger Stone and Shane Trejo at Big League Politics, May 18, 2024
  • More on the Iranian Experts Initiative inside top levels of U.S. national security.
 
“Clare Lopez: IRANIAN THREAT INSIDE THE UNITED STATES: EX-CIA OFFICER SHARES ALARMING INSIGHTS” at American Truth Project, July 30, 2024
  • Is there an Iranian regime connection to the July 13, 2024 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at the Butler, PA rally? If so, what, if anything, are the Biden admin and its security agencies doing about it?
 
“The Trump Assassination Attempt: Iran Wants the Democrats to Remain in Office” by Jill Bellamy and Clare M. Lopez at American Greatness, July 30, 2024
  • We know that U.S. intelligence agencies are aware the Iranian regime has plotted since January 2020 to assassinate former President Donald Trump. But is it possible the Iranians somehow reached and perhaps influenced the shooter, Thomas Crooks, possibly via an online gaming app?
 
“Anti-Israel Congresswoman’s Extraordinary Ties To Palestinian Terrorist Exposed” by Shay Bottomley at Woke Spy, July 25, 2024
  • California Rep. Sara Jacobs is nominally Jewish but chose to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress in WDC on July 24, 2024. Turns out, she’s got multiple anti-Israel connections.
 
“US House Committee probes funding of National Students for Justice in Palestine” by the Jerusalem Post Staff at The Jerusalem Post, June 2, 2024
  • The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is probing the Muslim Brotherhood front group American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) for its funding sources. AMP, a founding member of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO, the Muslim Brotherhood’s U.S. political umbrella group) is the parent organization of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), its campus branch. AMP and SJP, both founded by AMP’s Hatem Bazian, are the target of multiple lawsuits as well. It may be hoped that both the Congressional and legal inquiries focus on AMP and overall USCMO connections to Turkey and its ruling AKP (Justice & Development Party), founded by stridently pro-HAMAS President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
Federal Government Watch -
Please Don’t Call Us the ‘Great Satan’ - We’ll Do Anything!
by Clare M. Lopez
July 2024

“Obama State Dept blocked FBI from arresting supporters of Iran nuclear program in US: Emails” by Brooke Singman at Fox News, May 22, 2024
  • Although this report dates back to the Obama administration, there should be no doubt that agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran remain in the U.S., continuing to support that regime’s nuclear weapons ambitions. That the FBI, whose responsibility it is to defend the U.S. domestically against threats from hostile actors, so egregiously failed to take any necessary steps to stop then-Secretary of State John Kerry from interfering in that duty, must raise questions about how the Biden administration even now is dealing with such threats from the Islamic Republic.
 
“Exclusive: US confirms Iran will run absentee ballot stations in US” by Michael Lipin at VOA, June 22, 2024
  • Even as the Iranian people both inside Iran and among the diaspora called for a boycott of the elections, the USG continues to facilitate that brutal and oppressive regime to perpetuate the sham that any Iranian regime elections actually are. 
  • More - “Biden Administration Allows Iran to Run Absentee Voter Stations on U.S. Soil” at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), June 25, 2024
    • Iranian presidential elections were held on June 28, 2024, but should more accurately be called “selections” because there is nothing free or fair about them. That the USG should allow the Islamic Republic’s regime to set up absentee voting sites on U.S. soil is both morally and strategically wrong.
 
“U.S. Conducts Secret, Indirect Talks With Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator” at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), May 22, 2024
  • The Biden administration continues to pander to, and seek to appease, the Islamic Republic of Iran with secret talks in Oman between White House Middle East advisor Brett McGurk and the Tehran regime’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani (also a candidate for president in recent regime “selections”).
 
“Report: US asks Hezbollah to convince Hamas to accept ceasefire” at naharnet.com, June 7, 2024
  • This one can only be categorized as from the theater of the absurd.
 
“Meet the Jihadi Inside the White House” by Stephen Green at PJ Media, May 13, 2024
  • Important exposé about Maher Bitar, the Biden administration’s Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the National Security Council. Bitar worked for UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) in Jerusalem before joining former President Obama’s National Security Council and before that was on the Executive Board of Georgetown University’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
 
“Federal probes of campus antisemitism have flopped” by Jonathan Tobin at Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), June 24, 2024
  • Despite the post-October 7 explosion of antisemitism and a widespread hostile environment for Jewish students on campus, the Biden administration’s Department of Education has barely taken notice and imposed nothing more than a slap on the wrist to universities that have allowed such behavior.