US Congressional Iran Briefings Postponed After Ceasefire Agreement
'I don't know if this is good news or bad news but the briefing on Iran has been postponed so we'll all be able to stay here and work,' House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole said at a committee meeting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
25 minutes ago
- The Hill
Greene talks about her ‘genocide' comment and being an ‘early indicator' of GOP discontent
The Movement is a weekly newsletter tracking the influence and debates steering politics on the right. Sign up here or in the box below. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) says that Republicans should take her vocal criticisms of the GOP — which she insists are not criticisms of President Trump — as a warning about coming troubles with their base. 'I'm an early indicator, and my complaints are felt and being said far and wide among your average American people who voted for the President and Republicans in 2024,' Greene told me in a phone interview on Monday. 'The Republican Party is the one drifting away from what we campaigned on.' Greene also expanded to me on being the only Republican in Congress to call Israel's actions in Gaza a 'genocide.' Far from backing away from the term, Greene said: 'It's easy to call it a genocide.' More on that in a moment. I had reached out to the firebrand Georgia congresswoman in wake of her comments to the Daily Mail that the GOP had 'turned its back on America First' and that she was unsure of whether 'the Republican Party is leaving me, or if I'm kind of not relating to Republican Party as much anymore.' The comments surprised some, given Greene's ardent support of Trump, who is the leader of the GOP. She told me it is 'ridiculous' to suggest she does not support the president. But they are part of a pattern of Greene breaking with leaders in the GOP, including Trump. In recent weeks, she called the crisis in Gaza a genocide; raised the alarm about U.S. strikes in Iran; critiqued the U.S. continuing to sell weapons to help Ukraine; and pushed for more Jeffrey Epstein disclosures despite resistance from Trump, among other gripes. Just on Monday, Greene in a post lamented that there have been zero arrests in a number of MAGA-amplified scandals like the 'Russian Collusion Hoax,' 'COVID,' 'Mar-A-Lago Raid,' and 'Epstein Pedophile Arrest,' among others. She posted: 'Don't talk about it if you aren't going to do it.' Who was she talking about in that post, and who needs to change? Greene declined to name specific names. 'That criticism is to everyone, literally everyone, and no one's left out of that,' Greene said. 'If you're going to go on television — and this is for everybody — and point their fingers at all these people and call them criminals, say they committed treason, then do something about it,' Greene said. 'If they make these accusations, but yet hold no one accountable, they're going to lose everybody. They're going to lose a vast majority of people who really were told they had to care about this, and they cared about it, but yet nothing got done.' After Greene and I spoke on Monday, CNN reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi was directing federal prosecutors to start a grand jury probe into Obama administration officials over their role in the 2016 Russia election interference investigation. The question is whether Greene is a canary in the MAGA coal mine, or whether her criticisms just put her on an island. She is a giant figure in terms of followers and attention, but some could dismiss her concerns as representing only a minor faction on the right. Greene said she is reflecting what she is hearing in her deep-red Georgia district. But there is clearly some annoyance with the criticism from Greene. Asked about Greene's comments in the Daily Mail and on X, a White House official told me: 'President Trump campaigned on securing the border, signing tax cuts, and ending the genital mutilation of minors. He's accomplished all three within the first 200 days. Those are all promises MTG campaigned for and should be happy about.' Greene in response told me that she had posted over the weekend praising zero crossings in the past three months, and noted that she voted for Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' that locked in tax cuts. But she pushed back by saying Trump has not had the opportunity to sign her bill, the Protect Children's Innocence Act, to codify Trump's executive order to ban gender-affirming care for minors because it hasn't yet gotten a vote in the House or Senate. 'I'm not criticizing the President on this. I'm criticizing everyone around him. They're actually working against the president by making his executive orders, his accomplishments only temporary,' Greene said. Greene's 'America First' critique of U.S. foreign policy — going as far as to call the crisis and conflict in Gaza a 'genocide' — is perhaps the most notable break. Greene said she dubbed the situation a 'genocide' by 'simply looking at the truth and being willing to speak,' saying that there are 'many others' who agree but 'they're afraid to say it.' 'I support Israel, and we want to see every single hostage released …. It was horrific what happened on October 7,' Greene said. 'But it's also horrific what's happening in Gaza and many innocent people are being killed, have been killed. Christians have been killed, and children have been killed and are being starved.' 'It's easy to call it a genocide. And I think Israel has made clear what they want to do. They really want to, basically, move all the Palestinians out of Gaza, and that's what they're in the process of systematically doing,' Greene said. I noted that even many progressive Democrats critical of Israel have not used the term 'genocide' to describe what's happening in Gaza, since the term implies targeted destruction of an ethnic group based on their identity. American Jewish groups, not to mention Israel itself, strongly reject accusations of 'genocide.' 'I think it's pretty easy to understand. It's targeted at who they are, so that's their identity,' Greene said. 'I mean, they've bombed it to the point where it's unlivable … They are in talks of trying to get other countries to take Palestinian refugees. So I don't think it can be any more clear.' Welcome to The Movement, a weekly newsletter looking at the influences and debates on the right in Washington. I'm Emily Brooks, House leadership reporter at The Hill. Tell me what's on your radar: ebrooks@ STRANGE BEDFELLOWS FOR 'ORGASMIC MEDITATION' CONVICTS Can the right-wing outrage over 'weaponized' prosecution give a boost to those involved with a salacious case? Those defending the sexual wellness company OneTaste are finding strange bedfellows on the right as they fight convictions of the group's founder and former CEO Nicole Daedone and its former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz. Daedone and Cherwitz were convicted in June for 'forced labor conspiracy in connection with their coercive scheme to obtain the labor and services of certain OneTaste employees.' The company, which taught 'orgasmic meditation,' turned from a start-up celebrated for its focus on female sexuality to being criticized for alleged abuse of employees. It was the subject of a controversial 2022 Lena Dunham -produced Netflix documentary, 'Orgasm Inc.' It's not the type of case that immediately invites a conservative defense, but defenders of Daedone and Cherwitz see an opening with those skeptical of overzealous prosecutors — like those in the MAGA movement supportive of Trump and outraged about his prosecutions, as well as those of Jan. 6 rioters. 'The bulk of the support has come from the conservative movement,' said Juda Engelmayer, the crisis publicist for Daedone and Cherwitz. Getting others to take a deep look at the underlying legal issues, he said, requires 'getting your head around that concept is an ick factor.' The libertarian magazine Reason's senior editor Elizabeth Nolan Brown in February outlined a key argument of those defending OneTaste heads: 'The two face a single count of conspiracy to commit forced labor … Neither woman is charged with actually forcing labor or engaging in other criminal acts.' Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who was once investigated by the DOJ for alleged sex trafficking but never charged, has criticized the case on his One America News show. Trump adviser Roger Stone has critiqued the FBI over the case, as well. And it doesn't end in the conservative media space. There are people privately pressing the DOJ to look into the case. One member of Congress wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel with concerns about the case earlier this year, the Daily Mail reported. The Daily Mail censored the name of the member of Congress who wrote to Patel about the case — identified only as being a House Judiciary Committee member who has a law enforcement background. But Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), who fits that bill, confirmed to me that he was the one who sent the OneTaste letter to the FBI. The 'ick factor' could be a limiting factor for the defendants as they hope for more support on the right — given social conservative values opposed to the sex-positive OneTaste ethos. Daedone and Cherwitz are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, and plan to appeal the conviction. GAMBLING TAX DIVIDE EMERGING ON THE RIGHT A divide is emerging on the right over whether gamblers should be able to deduct their losses on their taxes, pitting social conservatives against top Republicans who hope to reverse the recent change. At issue is a last-minute provision in the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' that lowered the gambling loss deduction from 100 percent to 90 percent, set to kick in in 2026. That means if a gambler broke even one year, winning $1 million and losing $1 million, the gambler would still be taxed on $100,000 worth of income on winnings. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) said in a 'field hearing' in Las Vegas, Nev. last month that he was open to nixing that change. 'I know that many members on both sides of the aisle are open to working to address it before it goes into effect on January 1st,' Smith said. But social conservatives are starting to pipe up encouraging the opposite direction. Advancing American Freedom, the group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, is circulating a memo opposing that reversal and encouraging to lower the deduction even more: 'Gambling losses should not be deductible at all.' 'Nearly all gamblers lose money, leading to further financial, health, and family problems. Congress should encourage a pro-growth tax code by declining to reinstate full expensing for gambling losses,' the memo said. ON MY CALENDAR It's a quiet August here in Washington. Send me your interesting upcoming seminars, Capitol Hill forums, and galas to be featured in this section: ebrooks@ Monday, August 25 to Thursday, August 28: State Policy Network annual meeting in New Orleans, La. THREE MORE THINGS The Trump administration is not planning to mandate coverage for in vitro fertilization, contrary to the president's campaign pledge, the Washington Post reported. The Young Republicans honored four leaders at its national convention in Nashville, Tenn., over the weekend, inducting them into the 1856 Society: Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Political Affairs Matt Brasseaux; former National Director of Election Integrity for the Trump Campaign and RNC Christina Norton; The Washington Reporter Editor-in-Chief Matthew Foldi; and Trump 2024 National Delegate Selection Director John Findlay. Douglass Mackey, whose conviction over posting memes about the 2016 race was overturned by an appeals court this year, was celebrated at a bash at MAGA Capitol Hill hangout Butterworth's on Friday. Napkins at the event featured the meme telling voters to text to vote that Mackey posted under an anonymous Twitter account that was the center of the conviction of conspiracy to suppress voters. WHAT I'M READING
News24
27 minutes ago
- News24
Under pressure, Israel cabinet poised to order complete takeover of Gaza
Israel's cabinet is poised to authorise a military takeover of Gaza. Israel and Hamas have failed to agreement on a ceasefire. Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 13 Palestinians. Israel's cabinet could authorise on Tuesday a complete military takeover of Gaza for the first time in two decades, media reported, despite international pressure for a ceasefire to ease appalling conditions in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leaning toward an expanded offensive and taking control of the entire enclave after 22 months of war against militant group Hamas, Israeli Channel 12 reported. A senior Israeli source told Reuters on Monday that more force was an option following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas. Seizing the entire territory would reverse a 2005 decision by Israel to pull settlers and military out of Gaza while retaining control over its borders - a move right-wing parties blame for Hamas gaining power there. It was unclear, however, whether a potential full takeover of Gaza would entail a prolonged occupation or a short-term operation aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages. Israel's coalition government is regarded as one of the most right-wing in its history, with the cabinet including parties that seek to annex both Gaza and the West Bank and encourage Palestinians to leave their homeland. Eyad Baba/AFP The country's military has throughout the war pushed back against the idea of Israel trying to fully occupy Gaza and establish military rule there, which would require it to take over long-term governance. The military has also struggled with manpower issues as the war has dragged on, with reservists being repeatedly called up and putting a strain on capabilities. The conflict was triggered by a Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 when gunmen stormed the border from Gaza, killing more than 1 200 people and seizing around 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Israel's military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 60 000 people according to Palestinian health authorities. READ | Hamas no 'threat to Israel', ex-security chiefs ask Trump to pressure Netanyahu into Gaza truce It has forced nearly all of Gaza's over two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. Menahem Kahana/AFP That has caused widespread international anger and prompted several European countries to say they would recognise a Palestinian state next month if there was no ceasefire. Inside Gaza on Tuesday, Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 13 Palestinians, local health authorities said, including five people in a tent in Khan Younis and three aid seekers near Rafah in the south. Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza earlier on Tuesday but it was not clear if the move was part of a larger ground offensive. Palestinians living in the last fifth of the territory where Israel has not yet taken military control via ground incursions or orders for civilians to leave said any new move to occupy the area would be catastrophic. 'If the tanks pushed through, where would we go, into the sea? This will be like a death sentence to the entire population,' said Abu Jehad, a Gaza wood merchant, who asked not to be named in full. A Palestinian official close to the talks and mediation said Israeli threats could be a way to pressure Hamas to make concessions at the negotiation table. It will only complicate the negotiation further, at the end, the resistance factions will not accept less than an end to the war, and a full withdrawal from Gaza. Palestinian official Israel said it would allow merchants to import goods. A source in Gaza told Reuters some trucks had already entered carrying chocolates and biscuits for a merchant. It is hoped that essential items such as children's milk, fresh meat and fruits, sugar, and rice could be allowed in, which would alleviate scarcity and drive down prices of what is available in the markets. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said last week he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. But Israeli officials have also floated ideas including expanding the offensive and annexing parts of Gaza. The failed ceasefire talks in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. The Israeli military was expected on Tuesday to present alternatives that include extending into areas of Gaza where it has not yet operated, according to two defence officials.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Netanyahu to urge ‘full conquest' of Gaza as ceasefire talks reach an impasse
Negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza appear to be at an impasse, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaning towards expanded military operations and Hamas demanding the humanitarian situation be addressed before it returns to talks. Netanyahu will urge a meeting of the security cabinet on Tuesday to support the full 'conquest of the Strip' according to reports in Israeli media that were described as accurate by a source familiar with the matter. Israel's Ynet cited senior officials close to Netanyahu as saying: 'The die is cast – we're going for full conquest. If the Chief of Staff doesn't agree – he should resign.' The source told CNN that the defense establishment opposes an expansion of ground operations in areas where the hostages are believed to be held, as it would risk putting them in harm's way. The report was criticized by a group of mothers of Israeli soldiers, saying it would be fatal for both hostages and soldiers. The Palestinian Authority called on the international community to intervene. Asked about plans to widen the military campaign, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Monday it reflected 'a wish to see all the hostages come back, and the wish to see the end of this war after the talks for a partial deal were not successful.' It's unclear whether the Israeli government's approach is in line with that of US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff spent three hours with the families of Israeli hostages on Saturday, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum quoted him as saying that the plan 'is not to expand the war but to end it. We think the negotiations should be changed to all or nothing. End the war and bring all 50 hostages home at the same time – that's the only way.' 'We have a plan to end the war and bring everyone home,' Witkoff reportedly added. 'Someone will be to blame' if the remaining living hostages do not return to Israel still alive, he said, according to the forum. When asked, Witkoff's team did not offer any further information on the special envoy's comments. Trump said Sunday that Witkoff would likely be traveling to Moscow later in the week. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. There was widespread shock in Israel at the release of images by Hamas at the weekend of two of the hostages – Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski – looking weak and emaciated. Netanyahu said the images demonstrated that Hamas 'don't want a deal. They want to break us with these horrifying videos, with the false horror propaganda they're spreading around the world.' However, the families forum warned the government against expanding the military campaign in Gaza. 'Netanyahu is preparing the greatest deception of all. The repeated claims of freeing hostages through military victory are a lie and a public fraud,' the forum said Sunday. The forum called on Israel and Hamas to commit to bringing 'the 50 hostages home, ending the war, and then rebuilding and reviving Israel,' the statement said. Hamas has insisted it is committed to negotiations but only when 'the catastrophic humanitarian situation' is addressed, according to Basem Naim, a senior Hamas political official. Another Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, told CNN last week there was 'no point' in continuing talks as long as Gaza's starvation crisis persists. Hunger-related deaths in Gaza spiked in July, the World Health Organization said last week. Malnutrition rates reached 'alarming levels,' with more than 5,000 children under five admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition in just the first two weeks of July, WHO said. The Hamas-controlled Government Media Office in Gaza said Monday that 600 truckloads of aid were needed every day to alleviate the hunger crisis and claimed that in the past week an average of 84 trucks a day had entered the territory. COGAT, the Israeli agency supervising the delivery of aid into Gaza, said Monday that more than 200 trucks were collected and distributed by the UN and international organizations on Sunday. But many of the trucks that do get in are looted, either by desperate civilians or organized gangs. The United Nations said on Friday that nearly 1,400 people have been killed since the end of May while seeking food; 859 in the vicinity of sites run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and 514 along the routes of food convoys. The UN said that 'most of the killings were committed by the Israeli military.' Thirty people were killed on Sunday while trying to get food, 19 of them in the north and 11 in the vicinity of an aid site run by the GHF in Rafah, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment. Opinion polls in Israel have consistently shown a large majority in favor of ending the conflict in Gaza and securing the release of the hostages. A new survey by the Institute for National Security Studies found that 38% of Israeli Jews thought it was not possible to disarm Hamas; 57% thought it was possible. On Monday, hundreds of retired Israeli security officials urged Trump to pressure Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza. 'It is our professional judgement that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel,' the former officials wrote in an open letter shared with the media on Monday. 'At first this war was a just war, a defensive war, but when we achieved all military objectives, this war ceased to be a just war,' said Ami Ayalon, former director of the Shin Bet security service. But far-right members of the government are pushing for the occupation of much of Gaza and measures to encourage its population to leave the territory altogether.
