Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is calling on the FBI to launch an immediate investigation into the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), citing what he describes as “dangerous” and “almost certainly illegal” activities by the organization and its leadership. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel dated September 3, Cotton warned that the PYM poses a direct threat to U.S. national security.
The senator’s concerns stem from remarks made by PYM leader Aisha Nizar at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Michigan, where she reportedly encouraged attendees to “disrupt the U.S. F-35 supply chain.” According to Cotton, Nizar described this sabotage as a strategy to “damage U.S. military support to Israel” in its war against Hamas. He quoted her saying, “If one specific node of the F-35 supply chain is intervened in, it has a huge impact,” and urged followers to “be surgical” and “strategic” in targeting what she described as “supply chains of death.”
Cotton argued that these statements amount to incitement against U.S. military personnel and infrastructure, calling it a “direct incitement of violence against U.S. national security interests.” He emphasized the seriousness of the threat, noting the strategic importance of the F-35 program to America’s defense posture.
The letter also referenced Nizar’s past arrest and charges stemming from her participation in disruptive 2024 Gaza war protests that shut down the Golden Gate Bridge. Cotton warned that her latest statements mark an escalation in her anti-American rhetoric and actions.
This is not the first time Cotton has raised the alarm about the PYM. He has previously cited the group’s “antisemitic activities” and questioned the legality of its tax-exempt donations. Cotton urged the FBI to investigate the group thoroughly and take appropriate steps to safeguard national defense assets.
Adding to the controversy, the PYM has maintained ties with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has met with members of the group despite its inflammatory rhetoric and connections to anti-Israel activism. Cotton’s letter implicitly highlights the political divide over how extremist activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is addressed domestically.
