The outgoing Biden-Harris administration granted $10 billion in sanctions relief to Iran just days after Donald Trump secured victory in the 2024 presidential election. This decision, which allowed Iraq to transfer funds to Iran, has drawn criticism due to Tehran’s ongoing support for terrorist groups and attacks against Israel.
The Biden-Harris administration is reportedly considering removing the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group with ties to Al Qaeda. The move, first reported by Politico, aims to legitimize HTS to provide billions in U.S. humanitarian aid for post-civil war reconstruction in Syria. However, critics warn the decision could backfire, echoing past controversies over similar policy shifts.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken faces sharp criticism from Congress for attempting to incorporate an LGBTQ+ agenda into U.S. international diplomacy. In a strongly worded letter obtained by Breitbart News, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accuses Blinken of overstepping his authority and misrepresenting U.S. treaty obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., expressed skepticism about U.S. military strikes in Syria during an interview on CNN’s The Source. Responding to the Biden administration's 75 strikes against ISIS targets, Omar argued that U.S. military involvement is counterproductive to Syria’s progress in rebuilding and establishing democratic institutions.
The family of Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League graduate charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, expressed shock and devastation following his arrest. In a statement shared by Nino Mangione, a Republican delegate in Baltimore County, the family offered prayers for Thompson's family and urged public prayers for all involved. They emphasized that they were learning details through media reports and could not provide additional comments.
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., has been chosen by the House GOP Steering Committee to chair the Foreign Affairs Committee in the next Congress. Mast, a vocal supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, was selected over contenders including Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Ann Wagner, R-Mo., according to Axios.
A recent survey reveals that over 44% of Ukrainians trust President-elect Donald Trump, a figure that surpasses support in other European countries. This data, from a New Europe Center poll, signals expectations that Trump will take a more decisive approach to ending the ongoing conflict with Russia.
As President-elect Donald Trump signals renewed efforts to enforce mass deportations, recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program remain uncertain about their future.
A 20-year-old American woman faces charges in Germany for fatally stabbing a 64-year-old migrant man, who allegedly sexually assaulted her at Kaiserslautern Central Station on June 29.