The U.S.’s top general said Thursday that Washington has not sent all requested military arms to Israel as the brutal fight in Gaza continues, a conflict that has drawn condemnation from both sides of the political aisle.

‘Although we’ve been supporting them with capability, they’ve not received everything they’ve asked for,’ chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown said Thursday, speaking from an event hosted by the Defense Writer’s Group.

‘Some of that is because they’ve asked for stuff that we either don’t have the capacity to provide or not willing to provide, not right now,’ he added.

Brown did not go into detail regarding which type of military equipment the U.S. has denied Israel, and the Pentagon did not answer Fox News Digital’s questions regarding which arms have been withheld.

Instead, the Pentagon pointed to a statement issued by spokesman for the general, Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey, who said Brown’s comments ‘were solely in reference to a standard practice before providing military aid to any of our allies and partners.’

‘We assess U.S. stockpiles and any possible impact on our own readiness to determine our ability to provide the requested aid,’ he said. ‘There is no change in U.S. policy. 

‘The United States continues to provide security assistance to our ally Israel as they defend themselves from Hamas.’

It is unclear how the U.S.’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia has affected U.S. weapon stockpiles and whether that has impacted Washington’s ability to aid Israel. Though the U.S. backing of Jerusalem in its fight against Hamas has become a controversial issue, not for financial reasons but because of a growing humanitarian crisis there.  

The U.S. position on Israel has become a hot-button issue at home and abroad as questions circulate over whether U.S. military aid is contributing to higher civilian death tolls in Gaza. 

Human rights advocates, Democrats and Western allies have pointed to the high death toll in Gaza and what some have argued is a disproportionate response to the October Hamas terrorist attack, which saw the indiscriminate killing of 1,200 Israeli civilians and the abduction of 253 hostages, according to Israeli figures. 

The Hamas run ministry of Health claims that more than 32,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza during Israel’s military offensive, and on Monday the U.N. Security Council voted in favor of passing a resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire – a move that was made possible only after the U.S. abstained from voting. 

The Biden administration has begun shifting its stance when it comes to Israel’s war in Gaza, and on Tuesday U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, that the death toll was ‘far too high’ in the Gaza Strip while humanitarian assistance was ‘far too low’ given the Israeli blocks on aid. 

Biden saw the effects of his support for Israel from the campaign trail when thousands of voters cast their ballots on Super Tuesday under the ‘uncommitted’ option in the Democratic primary, as a show of frustration. 

Simultaneously, Republicans on the Hill have moved to exemplify the fissures in the Democratic Party and Biden’s increasing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., shared a brief post on social media Thursday evening, criticizing Republicans who are pushing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

‘Extreme MAGA Republicans are demanding a full impeachment trial in the Senate,’ Jeffries wrote in a post on X. ‘They want to continue the phony political stunt targeting the Homeland Security Secretary.’

He added: ‘My response? Get lost.’

The post comes as the U.S. Senate is going to receive House-passed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas next month.

On Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., notified Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that the House of Representatives would formally send over the impeachment articles to his chamber on April 10.

In his letter to Schumer, Johnson urged him to hold an impeachment trial ‘expeditiously.’

‘As Speaker and impeachment managers of the U.S. House of Representatives, we write to inform you that we will present to you upon the Senate’s return, on April 10, 2024, the duly passed articles of impeachment regarding Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. We urge you to schedule a trial of the matter expeditiously,’ Johnson wrote.

In February, all but three House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas over his handling, or mishandling as Republican content, of the U.S. southern border. It was the first time since 1876 that a cabinet secretary had been impeached.

Schumer‘s office told Fox News Digital that the Senate would initiate the impeachment trial once it receives the impeachment articles.

‘As we have said previously, after the House impeachment managers present the articles of impeachment to the Senate, senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day. Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray will preside.’

The trial is highly unlikely to result in a conviction.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, in an unprecedented move, invited President Biden to testify as part of the impeachment inquiry against him, stressing that it is ‘in the best interest of the American people’ for him to answer questions from members of Congress. 

Comer urged Biden to accept his invitation in a letter sent Thursday, obtained by Fox News Digital. 

‘During the 118th Congress, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has been investigating influence peddling conducted by you and your family,’ Comer wrote, noting that the committee has ‘accounted for over $24 million that has flowed from foreign sources to you, your family, and their business associates.’ 

Comer said the committee has identified ‘no legitimate services to merit such lucrative payments.’ 

‘You have repeatedly denied playing any role in your family’s business activities, but the Committee has amassed evidence—including bank records and witness testimony—that wholly contradicts your position on these matters,’ Comer wrote. 

Comer went on to say that the White House ‘has taken a position hostile to the Committee’s investigation and refuses to release certain information or make available witnesses to testify regarding issues relevant to the ongoing impeachment inquiry currently authorized by the full House of Representatives.’ 

‘In light of the yawning gap between your public statements and evidence assembled by the Committee, as well as the White House’s obstruction, it is in the best interest of the American people for you to answer questions from Members of Congress directly, and I hereby invite you to do so,’ Comer wrote. 

Comer said that the committee is ‘open to accommodating your schedule but proposes April 16, 2024, for the hearing to occur.’

Comer said that the impeachment investigation has moved ‘in phases, beginning with a review of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) held by the Treasury Department. Comer said those SARs gave the committee ‘sufficient information to determine which bank accounts to narrowly target in issuing subpoenas.’

Next, Comer said the committee issued subpoenas for bank accounts belonging to Biden family members and their entities that received foreign funds. 

‘This phase highlighted the over $15 million received by members of your family, and the Committee has traced tens of thousands of dollars from China to your bank account as well,’ he wrote. 

Comer said the next phase was the ‘interview phase,’ explaining that the committee brought in multiple witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the president’s brother, James Biden, for depositions. Comer said those witnesses provided ‘inconsistent testimony regarding your role in your family’s businesses.’

Hunter Biden appeared for his highly anticipated closed-door deposition last month before both the House Oversight and Judiciary committees, where he maintained that his father was never involved in, nor ever benefited from his businesses. 

The committee also heard testimony from James Biden, the president’s younger brother, who testified the same. 

Hunter Biden did admit, however, that he put his father on speakerphone with his business associates and invited him to drop by his business lunches. 

But Comer said two of those witnesses, Tony Bobulinski and Jason Galanis, testified publicly that Biden ‘participated in schemes to provide access to your or others’ offices in exchange for payments to your family.’ 

Bobulinski worked on a joint-venture with Hunter Biden and a Chinese energy company. Galanis worked with Hunter Biden as well. Galanis is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence related to securities fraud. He has testified as part of the inquiry twice from prison. 

‘The public is left with two irreconcilable narratives. The first—asserted by you—is that you did not engage in influence peddling in exchange for payments to your family,’ Comer wrote, adding that the second is that Biden was ‘indeed involved in these pay-for-influence schemes and that you have been repeatedly untruthful regarding a matter relevant to national security and your own fitness to serve as President of the United States.’ 

Comer went on to detail the ‘body of evidence’ collected through testimony and records, including meetings Biden had with Hunter Biden’s Chinese business partners. 

‘You have asserted your family has not made money from China. However, the Committee has identified approximately $10 million originating from China connected to Biden influence peddling. Former business associates of your family have testified that you personally met with multiple individuals from China who have collectively sent millions of dollars to your family,’ Comer wrote. ‘Many of these meetings and business development occurred while you were Vice President or campaigning to be President.’ 

Comer, in the letter, asked Biden to confirm whether those meetings took place. 

Comer also questioned Biden on whether he has spoken to or interacted with executives of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings, including with the chairman, Mykola Zlochevsky. 

‘You have asserted that your pressuring Ukraine in 2015 to fire a government official investigating a company in which your son had a financial interest was wholly in line with U.S. policy. The Committee has received bank records showing that your son was paid $1 million per year for his position on the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma until you left public office and then his salary was inexplicably cut in half,’ Comer wrote. 

Comer also pressed further for information surrounding the decision to push for the firing of the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating Burisma while Hunter Biden sat on the board. 

As for Russia, Comer wrote that witnesses testified that Biden ‘regularly joined meetings by speakerphone, including with certain Russian individuals with whom your son did business.’ 

‘The Committee has identified several instances in which your involvement aligned with your family receiving money originating from Russia,’ Comer wrote. 

Meanwhile, Comer said the committee ‘identified and successfully traced money from foreign transactions—including from China—to your own bank accounts.’ Comer said those checks were described as ‘loan repayments’ from his brother, James Biden. 

Comer asked Biden to respond to whether he ever asked his brother about the source of the funds he used to repay him; and asked whether Hunter Biden’s business associate Eric Schwerin, who handled his finances, had insight into all of his bank accounts until December 2017. 

‘As the foregoing demonstrates, the Committee has compiled evidence—bank records, contemporaneous electronic communications, and witness testimony—showing your awareness, acquiescence, and participation in self-enrichment schemes of your family members,’ Comer wrote. ‘As Chairman of the Committee, in addition to requesting that you answer the questions posed in this letter, I invite you to participate in a public hearing at which you will be afforded the opportunity to explain, under oath, your involvement with your family’s sources of income and the means it has used to generate it.’ 

Comer added: ‘As you are aware, presidents before you have provided testimony to congressional committees, including President Ford’s testimony before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice of the House Judiciary Committee in 1974.’ 

White House spokesman Ian Sams blasted the impeachment inquiry earlier this month. 

‘Comer knows 20+ witnesses have testified that POTUS did nothing wrong. He knows that the hundreds of thousands of pages of records he’s received have refuted his false allegations. This is a sad stunt at the end of a dead impeachment,’ he said. 

Sams added: ‘Call it a day, pal.’

Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report. 

A transitional presidential council in Haiti on Wednesday moved one step closer to instating a new prime minister to help stabilize the gang-ridden nation as they wait for Kenyan police forces to arrive.

A months-long plan to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti was stalled in mid-March after Nairobi hit pause on the move following Haitian Prime Minster Ariel Henry’s abrupt resignation in an apparent attempt to end the immense gang violence that had swept the nation. 

Kenyan President William Ruto, who faced stiff backlash after he agreed to send forces to Port-au-Prince in a show of ‘strong commitment to Pan-Africanism,’ said the plan would only resume after a new government was reinstated in Haiti.

Many in Haiti are now concerned that additional forces may not be coming to help rein in the gangs. 

‘The Haitian police have the capacity to do it,’ one Haitian man told Fox News Digital from Port-au-Prince. ‘The only thing is they have to be more organized, they need more equipment. They need the human resources.’

The man also argued that a strong military force is what is needed to suppress the extreme gang violence directed at not only government agencies but civilian Haitians living in the capital. 

‘If they would send 1,000 military guys, I think that would be better because we don’t need police. We need guys that are military,’ he said. ‘Here we’re in a war zone.’

The transitional presidential council on Wednesday released its first statement pledging to restore ‘public and democratic order,’ though it was signed by only eight members of what was originally supposed to be a nine-member council. 

‘We are determined to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, trapped for too long between bad governance, multifaceted violence and disregard for their perspectives and needs,’ the council said.

The statement also said that once the council is officially installed, it will ‘put Haiti back on the path of democratic legitimacy, stability and dignity.’

Henry has said he will officially resign his post after the transitional presidential council is formally established. 

But despite the statement from the council signaling a positive step forward in wrapping up an arduous nomination process, some in Kenya remain skeptical about sending their forces into such a precarious state. 

A legal challenge was filed against the deployment of Kenyan police forces by opposition party Thirdway Alliance Kenya last year and the plan has faced several hurdles levied by Kenyans frustrated by Ruto’s agreement. 

‘If they come back in body bags, what will [Kenyan President William Ruto] tell the nation?’ opposition leader Ekuru Aukot questioned, according to a report by The Guardian. 

The severe uptick in violence this year, a unity agreement established by the gangs and the near complete takeover of the capital city of Port-au-Prince has prompted some in Nairobi to seriously question whether the agreement with Haiti should still stand. 

Kenyan authorities have pointed out that since the agreement was first reached in July of last year, there has been a ‘fundamental change in circumstances in Haiti’ and a ‘complete breakdown of law and order.’

Some police officers set for deployment have also begun dropping out following the spike in Port-au-Prince violence earlier this year, according to a BBC interview earlier this month. 

Kenya has not yet landed on an official timeline as to when it would deploy its police force to Haiti, even after the establishment of an interim government. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cuba’s repressive Communist dictatorship relies on more than brute force to oppress its people. The Castros and their successors keep Cubans in line by controlling what information they can receive and transmit. That’s why, when demonstrations against shortages of food and other necessities began on March 17, the regime cut the state-provided internet to stop the protesters from coordinating online, and from sharing their videos worldwide.  

This Draconian step suggests that the protests have rattled the regime. Cuba’s economic decline is becoming a death spiral. The hardships on the island may now be so acute that its inhabitants are willing to resort to drastic measures.  

Given these circumstances, the internet cut-off might effectively hasten the nation’s decline, as it will not only isolate the protesters but all commerce in Cuba – to the regime’s own detriment.  

Consider what happened during the 2019 Iranian demonstrations against the removal of government fuel subsidies. During ‘Bloody November,’ the regime in Tehran cut off the state-controlled National Internet Network for three days straight to shut it down. The tactic worked, but at significant cost to the Iranian economy. So, it is not a step to take lightly. 

At that time, the United States didn’t have a ready means to restore internet service. Interest in satellite-based internet access emerged in the 1990s, and after some failed attempts, private entities such as SpaceX and Amazon began exploring options around 2014.  

After the catastrophic 2017 hurricane season, these efforts gained steam – Google’s Project Loon provided internet access to 100,000 people in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc – but weren’t viable enough to assist the Iranian people two years later. 

Now, however, the situation is completely different. SpaceX’s Starlink has famously been providing reliable satellite-based internet access to Ukraine in a war zone for more than two years. Given the contracts SpaceX has with the U.S. Department of Defense, DoD can direct the company to provide the service to partners in distress such as Ukraine. Surely, America would also want to help the people of Cuba marching for their freedom.  

Which then begs the question: Why is this direction not coming from the Biden administration? 

In Cuba, internet access is exclusively provided by the state-owned Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. in partnership with Venezuela. Accessing the internet by any other means is illegal, which means additional actions would need to be taken to provide VPNs and other means to reduce the risk for users to be monitored by the regime.  

The millions of cellular subscribers in Cuba can access American service providers, but would require a new subscriber identification module (SIM card) to connect. Starlink access at Punta Gorda Florida could support Cuban users, but terminals would be required on the ground in Cuba, which would be both expensive and complicated logistically. 

Providing ubiquitous cellular access will be detectable by Cuba’s oppressive security services so long as they provide access which exposes users with foreign SIM cards to risk, but this would also impose a dilemma on the Cuban government, discouraging them from completely shutting down service. It won’t be easy, but providing this assistance could help the American people finally gain a friend rather than a dangerous foe 90 miles from our shores. 

SpaceX’s Starlink has famously been providing reliable satellite-based internet access to Ukraine in a war zone for more than two years. Given the contracts SpaceX has with the U.S. Department of Defense, DoD can direct the company to provide the service to partners in distress such as Ukraine. Surely, America would also want to help the people of Cuba marching for their freedom.  

The recent scandal involving accused Cuban spy Manuel Rocha makes this all the more imperative. Rocha, who held sensitive national security positions under the Clinton and Obama administrations, is alleged to have been doing the bidding of Cuba’s communist regime inside the U.S. government for some 40 years.  

This reported espionage no doubt contributed to the generational blunder in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union when, instead of ratcheting up economic pressure to hasten Cuban President Fidel Castro’s demise, America stood by as Venezuela President Hugo Chavez offered a lifeline of assistance, creating a new and dangerous axis of communist dictatorship in our own hemisphere.  

As Congress is now asserting, we may now have the technological means to make this generational blunder right by standing with the Cuban people and providing them with not just rhetorical support but also the means to avail themselves of free speech and communication if they choose to take their destiny into their own hands. 

Robert Greenway is director of Heritage’s Center for National Defense.