Cotton to Biden: Brief Congress on Leak Investigation

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to President Biden asking for consistent updates on the investigation into the reported leak of top-secret documents. Senator Cotton noted that the repeated leaks from the Biden-Harris administration raise questions about whether the administration will adequately address this security breach.

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris - Wikimedia Commons Image

“Officials in your administration have repeatedly leaked information clearly designed to pressure Israel to curb its righteous campaign against Iran and its terrorist proxies over the last year. These leaks have ranged from reports of personal conversations between American and Israeli officials to assessments of Iranian intent and are clearly designed to handcuff Israel.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

October 22, 2024

President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500       

I write to express my deep alarm about the reported leak of top-secret American documents regarding Israel’s planned military response against Iran. This leak is an outrageous betrayal of an ally and a breach of trust that will undermine our relationship with partners for years to come.

Officials in your administration have repeatedly leaked information clearly designed to pressure Israel to curb its righteous campaign against Iran and its terrorist proxies over the last year. These leaks have ranged from reports of personal conversations between American and Israeli officials to assessments of Iranian intent and are clearly designed to handcuff Israel.

To cite a few examples:

• CNN recently cited unnamed U.S. officials claiming Israel’s has finalized a counterstrike plan to hit Iran before the U.S. election and provided details about that plan.

• You publicly discussed the timing of Israel’s retaliation again Iran for their latest attack saying on October 3 that it would not “happen today.”

• The Washington Post quoted an unnamed U.S. official about Israel’s plans for the ground invasion of Lebanon before the IDF launched the operation.

In each instance, these leaks are providing aid to Israel’s—and America’s— enemy about likely Israeli attack plans and limiting Israeli freedom of action.

Given this track record I am deeply concerned as to whether your administration will adequately address this serious security breach. Therefore, I request that you provide regular biweekly updates about the investigation to the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.  

Sincerely,

Tom Cotton
United States Senator                     

Cotton: Biden's original Houthi decision shows his weak leadership

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after reports emerged that the Biden administration is expected to redesignate Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist group, after previously removing the terrorist designation in 2021:

“The Houthi rebels are trained and armed by the terrorist wing of Iran’s army. And they chant ‘Death to America’ while attacking American sailors and global trade. Removing them from the list of terror organizations was a deadly mistake and another failed attempt to appease the Ayatollah.

“Joe Biden’s weakness and poor judgement continues to put our security at risk.”

Sanders, Boozman, Cotton, Womack Applaud Selection of Fort Smith for F-35 Fighter Planes, Singapore Air Force Squadron

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Congressman Steve Womack applauded the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the home of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission that will bring F-35 fighter planes and a Republic of Singapore F-16 squadron to the installation. 
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes clear and cements Arkansas’ important role in training, equipping, and supplying our friends across the globe. This also means bringing jobs and economic prosperity to the state. I look forward to welcoming the new U.S. Air Force personnel who will be moving to our state and am excited for all our international partners to discover the meaning of Arkansas hospitality. The Arkansas Congressional Delegation and the Fort Smith community were instrumental in securing this major new mission for Ebbing Air National Guard Base – they have my deepest gratitude for their hard work,” Sanders said.
 
“This is a gamechanger for Fort Smith and our state that will enhance economic development and opportunity in the region and strengthen Arkansas’s role in defending our national security,” Boozman said. “The Arkansas Congressional Delegation has worked tirelessly along with state and community leaders to demonstrate to the Air Force what we all knew – Fort Smith is the best location for this mission.” 
 
“I’m pleased that the Air Force has selected Fort Smith as the location for this training mission, another positive step in bringing a manned flying mission back to Arkansas. I will continue to work with the Air Force, our congressional delegation, and Governor Sanders to bring the sound of freedom back to the River Valley,” Cotton said.
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes official what Arkansans have known since the start of this process—Fort Smith is the premier location for F-35 FMS training and Singapore’s F-16 mission. Fort Smith’s central location, existing infrastructure, and airspace were essential differentiators but the people of Fort Smith and their desire to support national defense were truly the deciding factor. I’m proud the Air Force has made this final decision and look forward to hearing the ‘Sound of Freedom’ soon in the River Valley,” Womack said. 
 
Since 2021, when the U.S. Air Force announced Ebbing Air National Guard Base as its preferred location for these missions, members of the delegation have worked to strengthen relationships with Singapore leaders and allies who have an interest in enhancing their air power with the F-35 in addition to recently securing $28 million to support the F-35 FMS program.
 
State leaders have delivered critical funding in support of an expanded runway and community leaders have demonstrated their commitment with investments in this project, warm welcomes to foreign dignitaries and a widespread embrace of the project at public comment events.

Senator Tom Cotton On Trump’s List As Potential U.S. Supreme Court Justice

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was among 20 additional individuals named by President Trump as potential Supreme Court nominees at the White House on Wednesday.

Afterwards, Cotton released a statement saying, “I’m honored that President Trump asked me to consider serving on the Supreme Court and I’m grateful for his confidence. I will always heed the call of service to our nation. The Supreme Court could use some more justices who understand the difference between applying the law and making the law, which the Court does when it invents a right to an abortion, infringes on religious freedom, and erodes the Second Amendment.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/sen-cotton-trump-s-list-potential-us-supreme-court-justice

Sen. Cotton On Trump's List As Potential U.S. Supreme Court Justice

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was among 20 additional individuals named by President Trump as potential Supreme Court nominees at the White House on Wednesday. Afterwards, Cotton released a statement saying, "I'm honored that President Trump asked me to consider serving on the Supreme Court and I'm grateful for his confidence.

Cotton Statement on 8th Circuit Ruling on Dismemberment Abortions

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals vacated an injunction imposed by the district court preventing enforcement of Arkansas's law prohibiting "dismemberment abortions":

"After years of obstruction and delay, Arkansas is one step closer to protecting unborn babies from the barbaric method of dismemberment abortion. Today's ruling moves us toward a society that respects the dignity and worth of every human being."

Cotton Reacts to Chinese Sanctions

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after China announced sanctions against him:

"The Chinese Communist Party imposed these impotent sanctions against me because I defend the real victims of Chinese Communism: the millions of Americans harmed by the Wuhan coronavirus, the workers whose factories shut down and moved offshore to China, the businesses and inventors whose property has been stolen, the Chinese Christians and missionaries whose churches have been razed by bulldozers, the Uighurs and other minorities languishing in concentration camps, the Hong Kong students fighting desperately for their democracy, and the Chinese people trapped in a high-tech communist tyranny. Chinese Communism is the most dangerous threat to freedom in the world, and I will never back down from fighting it. If China thinks my opposition to its communist tyranny to date warrants these sanctions, I have two words for them: just wait."