Federal Government Watch 
   - from the Sharia TipSheet

Federal Government Watch -
Trump’s Islam Policy Remains Incoherent
by Clare M. Lopez
February 2026

While some dubious policies linger from the Biden administration years, even some Trump administration policy steps in the Middle East – Gaza, Iran, and Syria especially – raise questions about this admin’s and its envoys’ understanding of realities of Islam, jihad, and sharia. [Editor’s Note – There are a lot of cross-currents and personalities, but no true North Star in Trump Islam’s policy.  Not good.]
 
“Biden regime secretly sent millions to Hamas-linked CAIR, which then brought in Muslim migrants (including jihadis)” by Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch, February 1, 2026 
  • Isn’t this material support to terrorism, for which CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation trial?
 
“Bill to Defund Taliban Faces Senate Vote” by Pedro Rodriguez, at the Daily Signal, January 30, 2026
  • Obvious question is “Why on earth have we been funding the Taliban at all?!”
 
“US deports three former members of Iran's IRGC who entered illegally, DHS says”, by Sam Halpern at the Jerusalem Post, January 28, 2026
 
“U.S. Designates Three Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Terrorist Organizations” by Megan Norris at Homeland Security Today, January 13, 2026
 
So far, so good for the Trump administration, but then:
 
“‘No Idea’ of Threat Posed by Afghan Parole Program, Senator Warns” by Virginia Allen at the Daily Signal, January 15, 2026
 
“The Trump Administration's Delusional Gaza 'Master Plan'” by Khaled Abu Toameh at the Gatestone Institute, February 3, 2026 
  • At the recent annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Jared Kushner presented a “New Gaza” master plan that skips straight away to a post-war vision, without ever explaining how luxury skyscrapers, a port, an airport, and more will get HAMAS to disarm and give up control in Gaza.
  • “Who’s Going to Pay $30 Billion to ‘Build’ 180 Skyscrapers in Gaza?” by Daniel Greenfield at Jihad Watch, February 1, 2026
    • Even aside from questions about HAMAS’ continuing rule over large parts of Gaza is the question of who’s going to be willing to sink billions of dollars into reconstruction there.
 
“Is Trump Being Bamboozled?: Islamic State Terrorists Threaten Comeback Thanks to His Support for Syria's Islamist Leader” by Con Coughlin at the Gatestone Institute, February 1, 2026 
  • Trump support for Syria’s jihadi ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, seems to forget all about his terrorist past, linked to both al-Qa’eda and the Islamic State. The ongoing slaughter of Syrian minorities – Alawites, Christians, Druze, Kurds – and the abandonment of U.S. former allies among the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – should be raising serious concerns about that policy – but are they?
 
“Why Are We Following Qatar's Foreign Policy on Iran?” by Daniel Greenfield at the Gatestone Institute, January 27, 2026
Federal Government Watch -
Did Somali Fraud Money Make Its Way to Al-Shabaab?
by Clare M. Lopez
January 2026


This is quite a list this time, but at the top (and as federal investigations continue), we must highlight the possibility that U.S. taxpayer funds found their way not just to Somali fraud schemes, but possibly the Al-Shabaab Somali terrorist organization, and even possibly as donations to Democrat politicians in Minnesota.
 
“Trump’s Treasury Secretary Says Somali Migrants ‘Gotta Learn Not to Defraud the American People,’ as Somali Fraud Scheme Being Probed for Terrorism Links (VIDEO)” by Cassandra MacDonald at Gateway Pundit, December 7, 2025
 
“Treasury Department Investigating Apparent Taxpayer Funding of Terror Organization Under Biden and Walz” by Jack Davis at Gateway Pundit, December 3, 2025
 
We have no idea who was either admitted to the U.S. without proper vetting during the Biden administration or who came in across the wide-open southern border. It is likely we will be learning more about them in coming months and years.
 
“U.S. Intelligence Warns: More Than 2,000 Afghan Residents May Have Terrorist Links” by Mariana Ramirez at Gateway Hispanic, December 14, 2025
 
“Miles from Nation's Capital, ICE Arrests ISIS-K Afghan Terrorist Who Was Released into the U.S. Under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome” at Department of Homeland Security, December 3, 2025
 
“FROM PRISON TO PENTAGON: Convicted Muslim Brothers Hired Back, Destroying Federal Systems, U.S. Databases Wiped at Multiple Fed Agencies” by Pam Geller at The Geller Report, December 7, 2025 
  • Alarming evidence that U.S. government vetting procedures still need a lot of work. Here, two brothers who were convicted of hacking into federal databases and sentenced to prison, somehow were hired back—into the Pentagon – before being rearrested on similar charges.
 
“Why President Trump’s Executive Order on the Muslim Brotherhood Grants the Group the Legitimacy It Seeks” by Khaled Hassan at The Grand Strategy, November 25, 2025 
  • While applauding President Trump’s recent Executive Order that launched the process to designate several specific Muslim Brotherhood groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and/or Global Terrorist Groups, Hassan here notes that the broader overall Brotherhood network has not been targeted.
 
“When the Deal Replaces the Fight: Trump 2.0’s Islamist Turn” by Aynaz Anni Cyrus at her ‘Live Up to Freedom’ Substack, December 20, 2025 
  • Anni Cyrus here points to a number of troubling policy decisions made since the second Trump administration took office in January 2025 that seem to point to a continuing lack of understanding Islam, jihad, or sharia.
 
““We Are Confused. Did You Win or Lose?”” by Avi Abelow at Front Page Magazine, December 1, 2025
  • Avi Abelow makes some good points here: while the Trump administration is to be commended for standing steadfastly with our friend and ally Israel, he’s right to note that Western leaders, including our own, too often fail to understand the Islamic jihad motivations that drive Middle East/Islamic behavior.
 
“Texas Republicans launch 'Sharia Free America Caucus' aimed at defending 'Western civilization'” by Elizabeth Elkind at FOX News, December 18, 2025
  • Given that Article VI of the U.S. Constitution makes the Constitution the Supreme Law of the land, any other law – whether alien law like sharia or even state/local level law – is already superseded. But it is nevertheless good to see awareness spreading about the threat that Islamic Law poses to Western Civilization and our own Republic.
Federal Government Watch -
Biden Funded Jihadi Terrorist Groups; Trump Still Wobbly
by Clare M. Lopez
December 2025

Only now are some of these reports about how the Biden administration provided millions of dollars to jihadi and terror-linked groups around the world coming to light. The good news is that with exposure, such funding can now be ended under the second Trump administration.
 
Concern remains, though, about the new White House team’s belief that jihadis can somehow be wooed with friendly outreach and financial incentives.
 
“U.S. Government Provides Millions to Malaysia’s Muslim Brotherhood” by Sam Westrop at Focus on Western Islamism, November 12, 2025 
  • More U.S. taxpayer funds given to a Malaysian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood—that actually pledged support for the 7 October 2023 HAMAS massacre in Israel
 
“Waste of the Day: Hate-Filled Mamdani Allies Get Public Funding” by Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit, November 19, 2025
  • How does this happen?  The Arab American Association of New York (previously led by antisemite Linda Sarsour), received over $4 million between 2017-2024.
  • [Editor’s Note – the article also lists $332,000 in federal taxpayer money sent to the Islamic Society of North America.]
 
“From jailed jihadist to the Oval Office: Syria's president caps unlikely rise with Trump meeting” by  Chantal Da Silva, Ammar Cheikh Omar, Abigail Williams and Monica Alba at NBC News, November 10, 2025   
[Editor’s Note – ICYMI: President Trump ordered a Treasury Department review that could result in the designation of certain Muslim Brotherhood groups in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations.  More here.  The order has been criticized for not including troublesome branches in Qatar and Turkey.  Unlike the domestic terror designations in Texas and Florida, the White House apparently does not plan to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group in the U.S.]
Federal Government Watch -
Mostly Clueless In Washington
by Clare M. Lopez
November 2025
 
“FBI thwarts planned Halloween jihad massacre in Michigan” by Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch, October 31, 2025
  • Averting this planned jihad massacre in Michigan is to the credit of the FBI, certainly. But the point that Robert Spencer makes here is that while the Justice Department said the plot was “tied to international terrorism”, neither the DOJ nor the FBI clearly stated that the plot was an Islamic terror (jihad) operation.
 
“Witkoff’s ‘Palestinian’ adviser claims Hamas only has to give up ‘heavy weapons’” by Daniel Greenfield at Front Page Magazine, October 24, 2025
  • No, President Trump’s 20-point plan states clearly that HAMAS must disarm or be disarmed completely; there is no provision for HAMAS to keep any weapons at all. Of serious concern here is that US envoy Steve Witkoff’s ‘Palestinian’ advisor, Bishara A. Bahbah, who issued this statement, formerly was an advisor to Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
  • UPDATE: "Steve Witkoff: Hamas Promised Me It Would Disarm", by Hugh Fitzgerald at Jihad Watch, November 9, 2025
    • Amazing how naive some of our senior administration people are about HAMAS & Islam!
 
“Bipartisan senators criticize Trump’s nominee for Kuwait over accusations of antisemitism” by Laura Kelly at The Hill, 10/23/25
  • At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on 23 October 2025, both Republican and Democrat members opposed Amer Ghalib, President Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to Kuwait, because of his history of antisemitic comments and positions. How President Trump was advised to even nominate such an individual for this important post is not clear but would seem to demonstrate problems within the administration with regard to vetting for personnel nominations.
 
“DHS Revokes Visa for British Journalist Accused of Supporting Terrorism” by Peter Aitken at Newsweek, October 26, 2025
  • Although this case ended appropriately with the revocation of this British journalist’s visa and himself taken into ICE custody for deportation, the fact that he obtained an entry visa in the first place is troublesome.
  • More here: “Sami Hamdi, British Muslim journalist, detained by ICE at SFO after visa revoked” by Cynthia Dizikes at The San Francisco Chronicle, October 26, 2025
    • It’s interesting that it took Laura Loomer, an investigative reporter and podcast host, to alert authorities to Hamdi’s problematic profile
 
“Dozens of Muslim groups blocked from receiving federal security grants: Report” by  Syma Mohammed at the Middle East Eye, 10 October 2025
  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seems finally to be on the right track in identifying Muslim Brotherhood front groups such as the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and others and cutting them off from receiving USG grants.
  • More here: “FEMA Funding Controversy: Security Concerns and Discrimination Claims Against Islamic Organizations” at Mezha.net on 11 October 2025
 
“Republicans Launch New Front in Immigration Fight: Banning Immigrants Who Follow Sharia Law” by Dmitri Bolt at Townhall, October 13, 2025
  • The intentions here may be good ones, but the fact is that Rep. Chip Roy’s proposed ‘Preserving A Sharia-Free America Act’ is already unnecessary, given that Article VI of the US Constitution states that the ‘Supreme Law of the Land shall be the Constitution of the U.S. and the laws derived from it’. It is also unclear how an intending immigrant’s adherence to Islamic Law (sharia) would be determined, especially given that under sharia, faithful Muslims are obligated to lie to infidels when the issue at hand itself is obligatory (like jihad).