1. Legislative Branch

1) Personnel and Correspondence

Gottheimer Leads Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Gulf and Israel. A January 6 press release announced that Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) recently led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel to meet with senior officials, US military personnel, and diplomatic leadership. Discussions focused on regional security, countering Iranian activity, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, developments in Syria, US-Israel cooperation, and the situation in Lebanon, including efforts to disarm Hezbollah. In Israel, Gotth!eimer also visited the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center, where discussions focused on the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian aid delivery, and efforts to disarm Hamas.

Graham Calls to Accelerate End to US Aid After Netanyahu Says Israel Will Phase It Out Within a Decade. On January 9, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, said that he would push to accelerate the end of US military aid to Israel, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel aims to end its reliance on US assistance within a decade. Graham vowed to present a proposal “to dramatically expedite the timetable” and said that ending US aid to Israel would save US taxpayers billions that could be “plowed back into the US military.” His remarks followed President Donald Trump’s January 7 social media post, in which he said that the US military budget for 2027 should be increased from $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion.

Under the military aid package negotiated in 2016, Israel receives $3.8 billion annually from the United States. The agreement is set to expire in 2028.

II. Executive Branch

1) White House

Trump Orders US Withdrawal from 66 International Organizations. On January 7, the White House issued a presidential memorandum directing the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 35 non-UN bodies and 31 UN-affiliated entities that it characterized as “contrary to the interests of the United States.” Many of the organizations focus on climate, migration, gender equality, human rights, peacebuilding, democracy, and counterterrorism. On January 8, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) issued statements condemning the decision.

Trump Briefed on Military Options for Iran as Protests Continue. On January 10, President Trump said on Truth Social that the United States “stands ready to help” protesters in Iran amid a violent crackdown on demonstrations. The same day, Secretary Marco Rubio said that the United States supports the Iranian people. The New York Times reported that Trump had been presented with military options for a strike on Iran and that he is “seriously considering” authorizing a strike.

A day earlier, Trump said that any potential US strike would not “mean boots on the ground,” but would instead involve “hitting them very, very hard where it hurts,” adding, “I tell the Iranian leaders you better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too.”

2) Department of State

Israel and Syria Agree to Establish US-Supervised Coordination Mechanism. On January 6, the Department of State issued a joint US-Israeli-Syrian statement following US-mediated talks in Paris between senior Israeli and Syrian officials. According to the statement, Israel and Syria reaffirmed their commitment to pursue “lasting security and stability arrangements” and agreed to establish a US-supervised joint “fusion mechanism” to coordinate intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement, and commercial opportunities.

Rubio Meets with Saudi Foreign Minister. On January 7, Secretary of State Rubio met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to discuss regional security issues, including Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, and Syria.

Helberg Travels to the Middle East. From January 9 to 18, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg is traveling to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israel to hold bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening economic ties and advancing partnerships in emerging technologies. While in the UAE, Helberg will lead the US delegation to the 11th US-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue.

Rubio Speaks with Netanyahu. On January 10, Secretary Rubio reportedly spoke with Netanyahu to discuss Gaza, Syria, and the protests in Iran.

Barrack Urges Syrian Government and the SDF to “Return to Dialogue” After Aleppo Clashes. On January 10, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack met with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa following days of deadly clashes in Aleppo. After the meeting, Barrack urged all parties to cease hostilities and “return to dialogue” in line with the March 10 and April 1, 2025, agreements between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces.

3) Department of War

AFRICOM Conducts More Strikes in Somalia. On January 8 and 9, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia. On January 8, US forces conducted airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia.

CENTCOM Strikes IS targets in Syria. On January 10, US and partner forces conducted large-scale strikes against multiple so-called Islamic State targets across Syria in response to an attack on US personnel on December 13, 2025.