Trump-MBS meeting poised to advance defense pact and F-35 deal as Israel normalization stalls

U.S., Israel, Lebanon sign framework to begin IDF withdrawal from Lebanon

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday aimed at scaling back Israel’s military presence in Lebanon, where the IDF has established a presence for the last three months as part of its campaign against Hezbollah.   Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter... <a href="">Read More</a>

Washington moves to lift Syria’s state sponsor of terrorism label

As the Trump administration moves to dismantle much of the decades-old U.S. sanctions regime imposed on Syria, one major obstacle remains: Damascus is still designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. The White House and lawmakers have signaled that could be about to change, in another move to attempt to pull Syria... <a href="">Read More</a>

California faculty union leads backdoor maneuver to repeal campus protest restrictions

The 29,000-member California Faculty Association, California State University’s teachers’ union, is spearheading a backdoor legislative push to repeal the time, place and manner restrictions implemented across the state’s university system following its 2024 anti-Israel encampments.&nbsp; The California Faculty Association, which represents faculty across the 23 campuses of the California State University system, announced it would... <a href="">Read More</a>

Will Colorado’s primaries be the far-left insurgency’s next big wins?

The wave of victories for Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates in New York City on Tuesday is buoying the hopes of progressives that the far left can pull off upsets against two Democratic incumbents in Colorado’s Tuesday primary elections. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) is facing a challenge from Melat Kiros, whose campaign has attracted substantial... <a href="">Read More</a>

Real Hostiles of Doha

Today's Daily Kickoff covers antisemitism in Brooklyn, controversial F-35 jet sales to Turkey, and JD Vance's comments on U.S. military-IRGC coordination via Qatar amid shifting Middle East dynamics.