Zohran Mamdani’s long-anticipated visit to the White House unfolded with little of the diplomatic caution usually expected from a mayor-elect meeting the president. The encounter, which capped several weeks of public back-and-forth, quickly shifted from pleasantries to sharp political declarations.
Standing alongside U.S. President Donald Trump after their discussion, Mamdani once again leveled his harshest charge at Israel, insisting that the country is carrying out “genocide in Gaza” and asserting that American taxpayers are underwriting those actions. He told reporters, “I shared with the president in our meeting about the concern that many New Yorkers have about wanting their tax dollars to go toward the benefit of New Yorkers and their ability to afford basic dignity. There’s a desperate need not only for the following of human rights but also the following through on the promises we’ve made New Yorkers. We’ve spoken about the Israeli government committing genocide and I’ve spoken about our government funding it.”
Trump allowed the comments to pass without a direct answer. When the mayor-elect was questioned about Trump’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Mamdani offered a restrained note of approval, saying, “I appreciate all efforts toward peace. We’re tired of seeing our tax dollars fund endless wars, and I also believe that we have to follow through on the international human rights, and I know that still today those are being violated, and that continues to be work that has to be done, no matter where we’re speaking of.”
The president was later pressed about Mamdani’s earlier warning that he would order the detention of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he were to visit New York. Trump brushed the matter aside with a short reply: “We did not discuss that.”
Mamdani’s team also attempted to clarify his stance on protests surrounding the recent Nefesh B’Nefesh gathering at a New York synagogue. His spokeswoman, Dora Pekec, said, “The Mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so. He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”
The exchange ended on an unexpectedly playful note when reporters lobbed a loaded question at Mamdani about whether Trump is a fascist. Trump interjected before Mamdani could reply, joking, “Just say yes, it’s easier.”
{Matzav.com}Marjorie Taylor Greene’s dramatic decision to leave Congress has sent shockwaves through Washington, punctuating a bitter split between the Georgia firebrand and President-elect Donald Trump. Her resignation, set for January 5, 2026, followed weeks of escalating clashes over the long-frozen Jeffrey Epstein files—an issue she had been publicly hammering as a test of political courage.
In her resignation letter, released online, Greene lamented the personal attacks she said she endured from the president-elect. “Standing up for American women who were [assaulted] at 14, trafficked and used by rich powerful men, should not result in me being called a traitor and threatened by the President of the United States, whom I fought for,” she wrote. Calling his criticism “hurtful,” she added that she would not remain in office as a “battered wife” trapped in a toxic dynamic.
Greene’s outrage over the Epstein documents had been growing for months. Although she once stood firmly in Trump’s corner—both on his America First messaging and his contested 2020 election claims—she turned sharply on him, accusing him of dragging his feet on releasing the files. Her comments intensified as she criticized his tariff approach, his handling of the cost-of-living crisis, and what she characterized as a reluctance to confront entrenched elite wrongdoing. She took her grievances to major broadcast outlets, casting her demands as a push for accountability long overdue.
Her record on Israel resurfaced as well amid the uproar, with critics revisiting her unsuccessful attempt to slash aid to Israel by arguing the funds should be steered toward paying down the national debt. She had also previously charged that Israel was using U.S. assistance for genocide—statements that repeatedly put her at odds with many in her own party.
Trump eventually answered forcefully. After campaigning beside her in Rome, Georgia, early in 2024, he turned to Truth Social to denounce her. He branded her a “traitor” and “wacky,” and wrote, “For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD.” He also hinted he would back a challenger to unseat her in the next primary.
That public rupture seemed to speed up Trump’s shift on the Epstein controversy. Under growing pressure from Republicans who saw the files as a key test of transparency, he suddenly moved to advance legislation compelling the Justice Department to make the documents public within 30 days. What had once been a unifying mission for many in the MAGA movement turned into a stark demonstration of fractures within its ranks.
Appearing on ABC News after Greene’s announcement, Trump celebrated her exit from Congress, calling it “great news for the country.” Yet on social media he tacked on a softer message, writing, “Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country!” He also referenced advice he had given her about her weak polling numbers for hypothetical statewide races, despite Greene’s insistence that she had no interest in those positions.
Her departure now leaves Republicans with an even thinner margin in the House, adding tension to an already fragile majority. The seat she is vacating—Georgia’s strongly conservative 14th district—was one she had consistently dominated, but her exit introduces fresh uncertainty for the GOP as the 2026 midterms approach. In her farewell video, she spotlighted what she saw as her congressional achievements, ranging from border security efforts to battles against “woke” initiatives, and insisted her resignation reflected a refusal to compromise her principles rather than a political retreat.
{Matzav.com}
Hamas delivered a sharp message to American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, telling them the cease-fire in Gaza is now “over” and that its fighters are “ready to fight,” according to Al Arabiya, as cited by the Jerusalem Post. The declaration marked a sudden shift by the terror group and signaled a return to hostilities.
The warning surfaced just hours after an Israeli strike in Gaza killed Alaa Hadidi, Hamas’ senior figure responsible for the group’s weapons pipeline. Hamas denounced the operation, claiming it violated the US-supported cease-fire arrangement.
Israel defended the action, saying its forces were responding to an attack that had already breached the terms of the truce. According to the IDF, a Hamas terrorist crossed into the designated humanitarian zone and opened fire at Israeli troops, prompting the retaliatory strike.
Footage released on X showed the armed assailant wearing black clothing and driving across the military withdrawal line while “exploiting” the humanitarian corridor, Israeli officials said. The video depicted the gunman exiting the vehicle and firing a long-range weapon before being shot by Israeli soldiers and collapsing moments later.
By day’s end, the IDF reported that five Hamas members were eliminated in three separate strikes targeting operatives in Rafah and Northern Gaza. Among those killed was Abu Abdullah Al-Hudaydi, identified by Al Arabiya as the operations staff commander of Hamas’ military wing.
American officials indicated to the Times of Israel that the White House supported Israel’s latest actions, citing assessments that Hamas leadership cannot control its fighters within Gaza despite the cease-fire framework.
Amid the escalating tension, Hamas issued another warning, insisting Gaza “will not become another Lebanon,” a reference to what the group views as a long-running cease-fire that leaves one side constrained while the other acts freely.
{Matzav.com}
