The Dossier: Justice Department says ‘ISIS bride’ not a citizen

Justice Dept. bolsters Trump admin claim: ‘ISIS bride’ not a citizen

Hoda Muthana, the once very committed and violent ISIS devotee and widow of multiple ISIS terrorists, wants to come back to the United States following the destruction of the Islamic State’s territorial caliphate. There remains a giant hurdle to her continuing efforts: the Trump administration insists that she is not a U.S. citizen. Although the daughter of a Yemeni diplomat was born in the United States, she is not a citizen, according to U.S. law pertaining to the children of foreign diplomats.

In response to a lawsuit brought against the administration, the Justice Department lawyers wrote:

"Muthana is not and has never been a U.S. citizen, and her son likewise is not a U.S. citizen. Settled law applied to the relevant events clearly demonstrates that Plaintiff enjoyed diplomatic-agent-level-immunity until February 6, 1995—after Muthana's birth."

Muthana’s father, who is the plaintiff in the case, served the Yemeni government in the United States as diplomat.

US and China in ‘final stages’ of trade deal

A planned high-level summit at Mar-a-Lago will result in a U.S.-China trade pact that will see the lifting of restrictions and tariffs on trade between the two superpowers, if all goes according to plan during talks this month. 

CNBC reports that the deal would include the U.S. rolling back tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. China would cut back tariffs on American automobiles and U.S. products from other industries, according to reports.

U.N. nuclear chief refuses to account for Iran’s violations of nuclear deal

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano appears to be going soft on the terrorist regime that rules Iran.

During a press conference in Vienna on Monday, he outright refused to “address allegations that Iran has allegedly pursued a secret nuclear weapons program in the past without fully owning up to its violations,” the Jerusalem Post reports.

“Asked about ‘PMD,’ or past military dimensions, of Iran's nuclear program which it may have hidden from the IAEA, Amano said, ‘for the PMD issues, I do not speak of it,’” the Israeli paper reported.

Russia leaves arms treaty following U.S. withdrawal

Russia has decided to withdraw from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the treaty last month, citing Russia’s noncompliance.

"The President signed an executive order suspending Russia's compliance with the INF Treaty," read a tweet from the Kremlin's account Monday. 

In leaving the accord, the Trump administration said Russia committed several violations of the treaty, which bans the addition of new intermediate-range nuclear and conventional ballistic missiles to the respective nations’ arsenals.

White House to announce new sanctions on Cuba over support for Venezuela’s Maduro regime

The White House is readying a new package of sanctions against the regime in Cuba, following its decision to continue to back the Maduro regime in Venezuela, Fox News reports.

It’s hard to justify the implementation of sanctions against countries that do not threaten or harm U.S. national security interests. And it seems out of step with the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy. However, the incoming sanctions make more sense when it becomes clear that senators such as Marco Rubio are reportedly playing a major role in Venezuela policymaking.

Author’s note: This post originally appeared in Blaze Media’s The Dossier newsletter. For foreign policy news and views delivered to your inbox twice a week, subscribe here or use the form below!

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