Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  The U.S. Senate as a whole and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee specifically, have lost millions of dollars wealth for themselves and their families as a result of Rubio eliminating USAID. As a consequence, while they cannot publicly showcase that specific motive for opposition, the committee as a whole is not happy about losing a substantial portion of their stakeholder interests.

The families of all the senate committee members exist inside the think tanks, NGOs, political orgs, PACs and lobbyist companies for various foreign governments.  Just like Q-Anon advocate ¹Mike Flynn recently taking a job that pays him $100,000/month to lobby for the Republic of Srpska (aka ‘Serb Republic’, for advice, counsel and introductions), so too all the family members of the senate leverage their DC connections to foreign governments for personal gain.

Thus, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now being questioned by the very Senators he has defunded.  WATCH (prompted):

¹Yes, Michael Flynn signed an agreement within the Trump administration not to lobby for foreign governments; but that was only a paper promise. That’s one of the reasons why it is more than a little silly for people to mention Flynn’s name as a potential DNI nomination.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu representing Israel, and President Donald Trump representing the United States, apparently had a testy telephone call about ongoing Israeli strikes against Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon.

Iran, essentially IRGC control officers who now control the government, had previously said their terms for negotiation required Israel to stop strikes into Lebanon against their allies in Hezbollah.  However, under the cover of that term, Hezbollah restarted rocket attacks from Lebanon against Israel.  Yesterday, Israel began counter-attack operations against Hezbollah, which led to Iran saying the terms of the negotiation were now violated, and they would stop discussions with the USA.

[NOTE – This overall dynamic is very similar to Saudi Arabia coming under fire about a month ago, and their anger toward the USA for essentially saying Saudi had to accept the attacks so that diplomatic talks could continue.   Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmon rejected the expectation and challenged President Trump with Saudi allied base cooperation.]

Apparently, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu had a strong discussion, some have leaked a very angered and open exchange, about Netanyahu launching strikes into Lebanon again.

On social media, it looks like this. Netanyahu put’s the Israel position via X:

[source]

President Trump responds to Netanyahu’s intentions with a phone call and then a follow-up on his Truth Social Account:

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The Gulf Arab allies had been negotiating through Pakistan with Iran.

Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are now joined by Turkey in the construction of the agreement, which is important because Turkey now represents the figurative center of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The GCC and President Trump are not going to end Iranian Islamic extremism without the umbrella political organization of the Brotherhood accepting terms.

[VIA TRUTH SOCIAL] – “I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE. An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well. Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

~ President DONALD J. TRUMP

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According to the New York Post, President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was targeted for assassination in an act of revenge by Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, a reported IRGC terrorist trained by his mentor, Qasem Soleimani.

(VIA NEW YORK POST) – First Daughter Ivanka Trump was targeted for assassination by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) trained terrorist in a twisted plot to avenge the president taking out his mentor, The Post has learned.

Recently captured Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, made a “pledge” to kill Ivanka and even had a blueprint of her Florida home, sources claimed.

The Iraqi national was allegedly targeting President Donald Trump’s family in response to the killing of Iranian military chief Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad six years ago.

“After Qasem was killed, he [Al-Saadi] went around telling people, ‘we need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house,’” Entifadh Qanbar, a former deputy military attaché in the Iraqi embassy in Washington told The Post.

“We heard that he had a plan of Ivanka’s house in Florida,” Qanbar added. A second source also confirmed Al-Saadi’s plot to kill Ivanka.

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President Donald Trump joins Maria Bartiromo on ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ to detail the Strait of Hormuz blockade, warn Iran on nuclear weapons, outline next U.S. military and economic steps after failed peace talks.

President Trump expands on the details of Operation Epic Fury as well as the ceasefire negotiations which have hit the impasse created by Iran’s demand to continue developing a nuclear weapon.  WATCH:

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the termination of lawful permanent resident status for Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, identified as Qasem Soleimani’s niece, and her daughter. Both were subsequently detained and are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Marco Rubio – “Last night, the niece and grand niece of deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani were arrested by federal agents following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s termination of their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As identified by both press reporting and her own social media commentary, Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran.

While living in the United States, she promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the “Great Satan,” and voiced her unflinching support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organization.

Afshar Soleimani pushed this propaganda for Iran’s terrorist regime while enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles, as attested to by her frequent posting on her recently deleted Instagram account.

In addition to the termination of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter’s LPR status, Afshar’s husband has also been barred from entering the United States.

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The United States together with the State of Israel have begun major military combat operations against Iran.  Early reports indicate several top Iranian military leaders have been killed.  President Trump made the announcement moments ago (video below):

According to the Associated Press (AP) “The U.S. strikes took place from both air and sea, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations.”

Associated Press – Live Reports:

The United States and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.

President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the U.S. had begun “major combat operations in Iran.” He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach U.S. (Live Reports)

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A lesser-known member of Ansar al Sharia, the Islamic group who conducted the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi Libya, Zubayar Al-Bakoush, was captured and indicted by federal law enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi made the announcement earlier today.

Bakoush is labeled as a leading ‘facilitator’, essentially a ground planner of Ansar al Sharia during the attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glenn Doherty. He was charged in an eight-count indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts. AG Pam Bondi made the announcement.

CTH followed the events closely, conducted a two-year research effort and then subsequently published the full story Benghazi Brief [SEE HERE]. Domestically, Barack Obama, Leon Panetta, Hillary Clinton, Mike Morrell and James Comey participated in the coverup.

DOJ PRESS RELEASE – The indictment charges Zubayar Al-Bakoush with:

•Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
•Providing Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
•Murder of an Internationally Protected Person
•Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States (Two Counts)
•Attempted Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States
•Arson and Placing Lives in Jeopardy Within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same
•Maliciously Destroying and Injuring Property and Placing Lives in Jeopardy within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same

The charges stem from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and nearby CIA Annex that killed Ambassador Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty.

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Earlier today the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina held a press conference to announce the interception of an ISIS inspired terrorist attack in Mint Hill, North Carolina that was planned to be carried out on New Year’s Eve.  Video and Press Release below:

PRESS RELEASE – CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Mint Hill man that allegedly planned to use knives and hammers to execute a deadly New Year’s Eve attack at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The criminal complaint was filed on December 31, 2025, and was unsealed today after Christian Sturdivant, 18, appeared in federal court in Charlotte.

James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

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Many of us who have watched U.S.-Mideast policy unfold for decades, accepted there was just no way for the U.S. government to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist group.

As noted historically in Kuwait, Jordan, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and most recently Qatar, the U.S. government works collaboratively with chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the political arm of authentic Islam, and can be considered much like the umbrella organization for a host of different factions of Islamic fundamentalism.

The Brotherhood is the unified political voice of many regional chapters, each with a varying degree of authentic Islam behind it.

Qatar is the central bank for the Muslim Brotherhood; Turkey represents the Brotherhood’s biggest national support network, and Egypt is the intellectual or scholastic battleground where the values of political Islam are debated.

For many years several people, ourselves included, have called for the Muslim Brotherhood to be designated as a foreign terrorist organization.  However, the duality of purpose of the Brotherhood was always given as a reason not to designate them.

Today, President Trump is trying to navigate this dynamic within his executive order [SEE HERE].

The executive order instructs the State Dept to officially begin the process to look at each chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood as a separate entity, and then see if the designation of a terrorist organization can apply to that chapter.

As noted in the Executive Order, “relevant here, its chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilization campaigns.”  It looks like Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt chapters of the Brotherhood will get the first review.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi already dealt with the extremist Muslim Brotherhood once, kicking their leadership out of Egypt.  The leaders fled to Qatar, and then ultimately ended up in Turkey, where Recep Erdogan absolutely loves the usefulness of the Brotherhood.

Jordanian King Abdullah has been balancing the Muslim Brotherhood influence for years, and Lebanon is a hot mess with the Hezbollah faction of the Brotherhood.  The Muslim Brotherhood, as a political structure, holds all kinds of extremist factions under its umbrella (al-Qaeda, al-Nusra etc.).

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