The trial for the man accused of plotting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course has been delayed.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Monday that the trial for 58-year-old Ryan Routh would begin on September 8, 2025, instead of the originally scheduled February 10. Routh is facing multiple charges including the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate.
Cannon said that Routh’s defense team “had not meaningfully responded” to prosecutors’ requests for evidence, the Washington Examiner reported. Cannon also noted that Routh’s lawyers maintained that “mental health evaluations are ongoing” but hadn’t yet decided if they would be pursuing an insanity defense.
Routh’s team has until February 3 to officially announce “an insanity defense” or “note of expert evidence of a mental condition.”
Routh is accused of hiding in the bushes with a rifle near Trump’s golf course on September 15 allegedly with the intent of killing the then-presidential candidate. Law enforcement said Routh fled after being confronted by a Secret Service agent who shot at him after he saw a rifle barrel poking out of the bushes.
He also faces charges of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
In a separate case, Florida has charged Routh with attempted murder over a car crash that occurred as he was apprehended by law enforcement.
Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons
Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) is coming to the defense of disgraced former Congressman George Santos, who is currently serving out his prison sentence.
On Monday, Greene called on President Trump to issue a pardon to Santos, who began his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey last month after being sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft. (RELATED:Disgraced Former Rep. George Santos Gets Over 7 Years In Prison)
In a letter to President Trump’s U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Greene wrote:
I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.
As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.
While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.
Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.
🚨 BREAKING: I just sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging President Trump to commute the sentence of former Congressman @MrSantosNY.
A 7-year prison sentence for campaign-related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse… pic.twitter.com/Isj2mxlhsd
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 4, 2025
In May, Santos teared up on Piers Morgan Uncensored and pleaded with Trump for a pardon, “commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,” after being sentenced.
The former congressman also requested protective custody after expressing fear of being “brutalized” in prison.
“I’m not fearful of dying in there, I’m more fearful of being severely brutalized and harmed, if you get my drift,” he said.
Watch:
Last month, during an interview with Tucker Carlson, Santos also expressed concern that his time in prison could be a “death sentence.”
“Tucker, can I be honest with you?” Santos asked Carlson, who called Santos’s prison sentence unfair compared to lesser sentences handed to violent criminals.
“I hope you will,” Carlson responded.
“I don’t know that I survive it. They’re putting me in a violent prison. It’s a medium facility. I’m not a street-wise guy. I don’t know how to fight. I’m a gay man. We– statistics tell you what happens to gay men in prison. I didn’t know I survived this. I, I’m being honest. I mean, I can’t change that,” Santos said, later saying his only hope is prayer and a longshot pardon from President Donald Trump.
When Carlson pressed Santos on whether he was being serious, Santos insisted he is not “exaggerating” his fear, saying he’s lived a “sheltered” life that in no way prepared him for prison.
I’m heading to prison, folks and I need you to hear this loud and clear:
I’m not suicidal. I’m not depressed. I have no intentions of harming myself, and I will not willingly engage in any sexual activity while I’m in there.
If anything comes out suggesting otherwise, consider…
First Lady Melania Trump participates in the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 21,2025. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
Things are about to get ugly…
First Lady Melania Trump is threatening to sue former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, for $1 billion over “defamatory” claims linking her to late financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Melania’s attorney Alejandro Brito demanded that Biden “immediately retract the false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements made about Mrs. Trump,” which were contained in a video interview with Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan and posted to Youtube in early August.
Read the full letter:
“Failure to comply will leave Mrs. Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to her to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer,” Brito wrote.
In the video interview, titled “Hunter Biden Returns” video earlier in August, the former first son claimed “Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are, like, so wide and deep.”
Biden also claimed that “Jeffrey Epstein introduced Melania, and that’s how Melania and the first lady and the President met.”
“If you do not comply with the above by August 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST, Mrs. Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce her legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for over $1 Billion Dollars in damages,” Brito wrote. “You are on notice.”
A source close to the matter told Fox News that Biden did not comply with the requests by the set deadline.
After Fox News published the piece, however, Melania Trump got Biden’s reply addressing the attorney’s letter when Callaghan posted a further interview with him to YouTube on Thursday.
Callaghan, holding up a copy at the interview’s opening, declared: “The day of presidential litigation has arrived!”
“We’re here, maybe, to give you the platform to apologize to the first lady for your statements that you made about her possible connection to Jeffrey Epstein,” the host said to Biden.
“F*ck that! That’s not going to happen,” Biden laughed.
Defending his comments as citation, Biden continued:
First of all is that, what I said was what I have heard and seen reported and written, primarily from Michael Wolff but also dating back all the way to 2019 when the New York Times – I think Annie Carney and and Maggie Haberman – reported that sources said that Jeffrey Epstein claimed to be the person to introduce Donald Trump to Melania at that time.
Biden added that he would not bow down to pressure or lawsuit threats: “I also think they’re bullies and they think that a billion dollars is going to scare me.”
I have this to say to them: If they want to sit down for a deposition and clarify the the nature of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein, if the president and the First Lady want to do that and all of the known associates around them at the time of whatever time that they met, I’m more than happy to provide them the platform to be able to do it.
The letter comes after the Daily Beast pulled the article detailing allegations by journalist Wolff that Melania Trump was introduced to her husband Donald Trump via a modeling agent connected to Epstein, after a challenge from the first lady’s lawyers.
“Editor’s Note. After this story was published, The Beast received a letter from First Lady Melania Trump’s attorney challenging the headline and framing of the article. After reviewing the matter, the Beast has taken down the article and apologizes for any confusion or misunderstanding,” The Daily Beast posted in place of the article. The url for the article appears to have been amended to remove the original headline and now reads: thedailybeast.com/epstein-this-story-has-been-removed.
It also comes after famed Democrat strategist James Carville apologized to the first lady after repeating the same claim.
“In last week’s podcast episode, we spoke with Judd Legum,” he said. “After the episode, we received a letter from Melania Trump’s lawyer. He took issue with our title of one of those YouTube videos from that episode and a couple of comments I made about the first lady. We took a look at what they complained about, and we took down the video and edited out those comments from the episode. I also take back these statements and apologize.”
An aide to the first lady, Nick Clemens, told Fox News in a statement, “First Lady Melania Trump’s attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The true account of how the First Lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, ‘Melania.’”
Rep. Ilhan Omar may again face scrutiny from the Justice Department after Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that federal authorities are examining allegations tied to the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration history.
Speaking during a White House press briefing while filling in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Vance was asked by Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese whether Omar could ultimately face an indictment.
“I don’t want to prejudge an investigation,” Vance said. “You read the things about Ilhan Omar, and about who she married, and whether she didn’t marry this person or that person. It certainly seems like something fishy is there. But everyone is entitled to equal justice under the laws.”
Vance added that the administration intends to review the matter and pursue legal action only if investigators determine a crime occurred.
“We’re going to investigate it, we’re going to take a look at it. If we think there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime, and that’s something that the Department of Justice is looking at right now,” he said.
The comments revive longstanding controversy surrounding Omar and allegations that she participated in an immigration-related scheme involving a former marriage. Omar has repeatedly denied those claims, and no public evidence has proven them.
According to reports cited by Fox News and The New York Times, the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden opened an investigation into Omar in 2024 that examined campaign expenditures, personal finances and alleged contacts with a non-U.S. citizen. However, individuals familiar with internal discussions reportedly said investigators did not uncover evidence warranting additional action, and the probe eventually stalled.
Vance had previously raised the issue publicly. During a March podcast appearance with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, he claimed he had discussed potential legal action involving Omar with White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller. (RELATED: Vance Says Administration Reviewing Action Against Rep. Ilhan Omar)
“We think Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America,” Vance said at the time.
Omar, who was born in Somalia, came to the United States with her family after they were granted asylum in 1995 and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.
The allegations center on Omar’s past relationships and claims from critics that she legally married a man named Ahmed Elmi in 2009 as part of an immigration arrangement. Omar has denied allegations that Elmi was her brother and has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as false and politically motivated.
In December, Omar pushed back against renewed criticism on social media, calling the allegations “bigoted lies” and accusing former President Donald Trump of repeatedly targeting her.
“He needs serious help,” Omar wrote at the time. “Since he has no economic policies to tout, he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies instead.”
Vance reiterated Tuesday that investigators would ultimately follow the evidence.
“If we think that there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime,” he said.
This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.
On Thursday, President Trump’s Justice Department sued the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and local officials over laws creating a so-called “sanctuary city.”
The lawsuit filed in Illinois, against Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and others, claimed that several state and local laws are “designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.”
🚨 JUST IN: The Trump DOJ has just SUED the the state of Illinois and City of Chicago for interfering in ICE’s deportation operations, per NYP
Pam Bondi’s laying down the law, and this is the “first of MANY” lawsuits to be filed, per DOJ officials.
“The challenged provisions of Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County law reflect their intentional effort to obstruct the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law and to impede consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe,” the lawsuit states.
The complaint cites Pritzker’s comments on CNN late last month, when he said he’s eager to cooperate with federal immigration officials to “get rid” of criminals but questioned the basis for targeting undocumented migrants that are “law-abiding” and have integrated into communities.
“In rejecting congressionally authorized means of enforcing federal immigration law, including detainers and administrative warrants, these provisions constitute unlawful direct regulation of the Federal Government,” the lawsuit states.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for update
By Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Director Provides Update on Orlando Shootings Investigation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49440123
Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to turn himself in today in the Eastern District of Virginia, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to ABC News.
The arrest warrant was issued by a grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina, though it remains unclear whether the Justice Department sought the warrant as part of the initial indictment.
The new charges stem from a controversial social media post Comey shared last year—one that President Donald Trump and members of his administration have claimed amounted to a threat against the president.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to display the numbers “86 47,” alongside the caption: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
The post quickly drew backlash from Trump allies, who pointed to the slang meaning of “86” as “to nix” or “get rid of,” arguing it could be interpreted as a veiled threat against Trump, the 47th president.
According to the three-page indictment, Comey faces one count of making threats against the president and successors, and one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
Prosecutors argue the post rises to the level of a criminal threat, writing that it constitutes a message that any “reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.”
Legal experts note prosecutors may face a significant hurdle in court. The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that proving a “true threat” requires demonstrating that the individual understood their statement would be perceived as threatening. The widespread use of the phrase “86 47” among critics of the Trump administration could complicate that argument and raise broader First Amendment questions.
The latest case comes after a separate indictment last year in which Comey was accused of lying to Congress and obstruction related to his 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That case was ultimately dismissed after a judge found issues with the legitimacy of the prosecutor who brought the charges.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on suggestions that the case was politically driven.
“Of course not, absolutely, positively not,” Blanche said on “CBS Mornings” when asked whether President Trump directed him to pursue charges against Comey. “This is something that has been investigated for nearly a year now, and the results of that investigation is that a grand jury returned an indictment.”
Comey is expected to appear in federal court following his surrender.
FBI agents arrested a Georgia man after making numerous death threats against Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.
Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, of Lilburn, Ga., was charged on Friday with “transmitting interstate threats to injure” Gabbard and her family, according to the DOJ press release.
“Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” acting U.S. Attorney Richard Moultrie, Jr. said in a statement. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Prosecutors allege Amin sent text messages between March 29 and April 1 that contained threats against Gabbard and her husband, including, “You and your family are going to die soon,” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”
“The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing,” Amin wrote in another text, according to the DOJ.
Other texts allegedly included, “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,” and “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.”
Federal agents later found a firearm at Amin’s house while executing a search warrant, the DOJ said.
“The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement.
“Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison,” Brown added.
Gabbard thanked the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and local law enforcement on Friday after the FBI announced the arrest.
“Thank you @FBI, @USMarshalsHQ, and local law enforcement for your service and dedication in apprehending this radicalized, dangerous criminal who repeatedly threatened the lives of me, my family, and @realDonaldTrump. Thank you for your tireless work every day keeping the American people safe,” she wrote in a post on X.
Thank you @FBI, @USMarshalsHQ, and local law enforcement for your service and dedication in apprehending this radicalized, dangerous criminal who repeatedly threatened the lives of me, my family, and @realDonaldTrump. Thank you for your tireless work every day keeping the… https://t.co/BGAZni9BAN
Threats against political officials have been on the rise, during the 2024 campaign cycle Donald Trump survived multiple assassination attempts.
A recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has revealed a concerning trend: a significant portion of left-leaning Americans believe that political violence, including assassination, is justifiable against figures such as President Donald Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk. The study surveyed over 1,200 U.S. adults and found that 38% of respondents felt that assassinating Trump would be at least “somewhat justified,” with this figure rising to 55% among those identifying as left-leaning. Similarly, 31% of overall participants, and 48% of left-leaning individuals, expressed some level of justification for assassinating Musk.
This data suggests a troubling normalization of violent political rhetoric within certain segments of the population. The NCRI report highlights that this shift has been particularly pronounced following the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione. Mangione’s actions have been glamorized in various online communities, leading to a proliferation of memes and discussions that endorse political violence.
By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,
Disgraced crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried has officially thrown himself on President Trump’s mercy, filing a formal application for a presidential pardon while serving a 25-year prison sentence for one of the largest financial frauds in modern American history.
According to records maintained by the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, the fallen FTX founder recently submitted a request for a “pardon after completion of sentence,” with the application now listed as pending review.
The move marks the latest twist in the spectacular downfall of the former cryptocurrency billionaire, who went from being Washington’s favorite crypto wunderkind to a convicted fraudster accused of stealing billions from customers.
A federal jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on multiple fraud and conspiracy charges after prosecutors proved he illegally diverted customer funds from FTX to prop up his hedge fund Alameda Research, finance lavish spending, make venture investments, and shower politicians with campaign donations. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024.
From Democrat Megadonor to Trump Pardon Seeker
Bankman-Fried’s pardon request carries an extra layer of political irony.
Before FTX imploded, he was one of the Democrat Party’s biggest donors, pouring millions into Democratic candidates and causes during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles.
But since landing behind bars, the former crypto executive has increasingly sought to align himself with Trump and the MAGA movement, publicly criticizing the Biden Justice Department and portraying himself as a victim of political persecution. Reports indicate Bankman-Fried and his family have spent months exploring avenues to secure presidential clemency.
The effort appears to be facing long odds.
In January, Trump told The New York Times he had no plans to pardon Bankman-Fried, a position that has since been reiterated by White House officials.
Trump’s Expanding Crypto Pardon Record
Still, Bankman-Fried may be encouraged by Trump’s increasingly aggressive use of presidential clemency during his second term.
Trump has already issued a series of controversial pardons involving high-profile figures from the cryptocurrency world. Most notably, he pardoned Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to anti-money laundering violations and served a four-month prison sentence.
Trump has also extended clemency to BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes and other crypto-linked figures, fueling speculation that additional industry players could seek similar treatment.
Critics argue the pattern reinforces the perception that wealthy and well-connected defendants have greater access to presidential mercy than ordinary Americans. Recent reporting has highlighted a growing ecosystem of lobbyists, attorneys, and political operatives attempting to secure pardons through connections to Trump’s orbit.
Progressives Blast Pardon Push
Bankman-Fried’s latest maneuver quickly drew condemnation from financial reform advocates.
Americans for Financial Reform, a progressive nonprofit watchdog, blasted the request as “one more striking indication of the level of impunity that crypto industry figures expect from the President.”
“This particular wish may or may not be granted, but the request — despite Bankman-Fried’s conviction on multiple counts of fraud — should come as little surprise,” the group said Monday.
Appeal Still Pending
The pardon application comes as Bankman-Fried continues to fight his conviction in court.
His appeal remains pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and he has also sought a new trial, arguing prosecutors falsely portrayed FTX’s finances and that additional witnesses could challenge the government’s case.
For now, however, the once-celebrated crypto king remains locked behind bars — waiting to see whether the president who says he won’t pardon him ultimately changes his mind.
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
Federal agents hauled in a Florida man accused of unleashing a string of violent online threats against President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pam Bondi — including chilling posts about bombing the White House and using a gun against the commander in chief.
Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, appeared in federal court Monday after prosecutors say he spent months posting alarming threats on social media targeting top officials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The feds say Sanders repeatedly threatened to kill Trump, Rubio and Bondi in posts shared between January and April.
One of the most disturbing messages allegedly posted to X read: “Imma bomb the (expletive) White House.”
In another alleged video posted to Instagram, Sanders invoked first lady Melania Trump while talking about owning a firearm.
“I don’t know what to do Melania, like, all I got is a gun. It’s the only thing I can use now is a gun,” Sanders allegedly said, according to the criminal complaint.
🚨NEW: Career criminal accused of threatening to kill President Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pam Bondi
Investigators began monitoring Nathaniel Sanders II in January after he posted online, “Imma bomb the f—ing White House you f—ing ped***ile.”
Rubio was also allegedly targeted in a separate video.
“Like when I get my hands on him, I’m gonna hurt him. Simple as that,” Sanders allegedly said.
Federal prosecutors didn’t mince words about the seriousness of the threats.
“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement.
“They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials,” he added.
“Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable.”
Sanders has been charged with threatening the president of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The investigation involved the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and the Miami Beach Police Department.
“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Michael Townsend, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami Field Office.
“It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate,” Townsend added. “We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”
A Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Sanders’ arrest stemmed from a “protective intelligence investigation” designed to identify dangerous threats before suspects can act on them.
The slogan, written in red paint, read “AOC funds genocide in Gaza.” The vandals had also spread the paint all over the entrance to the campaign office before police arrived at roughly 1 a.m. Monday.
NEW — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) campaign headquarters in the Bronx was vandalized overnight with “AOC Funds Genocide in Gaza” written in red paint on the front gate.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 21, 2025
The incident came just days after Ocasio-Cortez voted against legislation from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) that would have cut funding for the Israeli Defense Forces.
The lawmaker, who has been vocally critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, said she voted against the bill because it only cut funding for the defensive “Iron Dome” and did nothing to cut off the “actual bombs killing Palestinians.”
Greene’s legislation would have cut off roughly $500 million in funding for Israel. Her proposed amendment, which failed on Thursday, came after Israeli Defense Forces bombed the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza.
“Israel bombed the Catholic Church in Gaza, and that entire population is being wiped out as they continue their aggressive war in Gaza,” Greene said.
Voting alongside Greene on the amendment were Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) members of the progressive so-called “squad” to which Ocasio-Cortez also belongs.
