Republicans are raising concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris and her stance on Israel, pointing to her foreign policy adviser, Phil Gordon, as a cause for concern.
Gordon is Harris’ most trusted adviser on foreign policy, and his allies credit him for his influence on the vice president and the way she articulates her carefully crafted narrative on the issue.
Harris defended Israel’s right to defend itself but also criticized the country for failing to limit civilian casualties.
However, Republicans are concerned that Gordon’s views and ties to Iran raise concerns, particularly regarding the issue of Israel-United States relations.
Elise Stefanik, chair of the New York GOP conference, warned that Gordon’s positions on Iran could be a major problem. In an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com, she said his influence “poses a danger to all Americans.”
Democratic presidential candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force 2
“Republicans will continue to hold Kamala Harris accountable for the radical, anti-Israel puppets of the Iranian regime in her orbit who have made the world less safe,” she said.
Gordon has worked for three different Democratic administrations, starting with former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama and now in the Biden administration, where he advises Harris.
Recent news reports about Gordon confirm that he is a “pragmatist” in foreign policy. He is deeply skeptical about the ability of the United States to overthrow dictators in the Middle East and build democracy.
Gordon was already part of the foreign policy establishment and would continue on the same path, but with a healthy dose of skepticism about the limits of American power.
Dr. Phil Gordon speaks on stage at the Council on Foreign Relations’ 2024 International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) conference
Vice President Kamala Harris is flanked by French President Emmanuel Macron and National Security Adviser Phil Gordon (right) during a meeting
However, foreign policy experts in Congress are raising concerns about its positions on Iran and Israel and are examining its views on how the United States should deal with them.
When Trump came to power in 2016, Gordon criticized his foreign policy of provoking Iran.
“How can Trump help protesters in Iran? Be quiet,” Gordon wrote in 2017, rebuking Trump for expressing support for political protesters in the country. He also advised against tightening sanctions on Iran in 2018.
In 2018, he became even more concerned after Trump terminated the Iran nuclear deal.
“We just threw all that out the window,” he lamented in an interview with NPR, describing Trump’s decision as wrong and misguided.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (C) speaks with House Majority Leader Tom Emmer (L) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) at a news conference
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY., speaks during the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee.
“This is a really big deal and it appears the president has taken this leap into the unknown without a plan or even an explanation of what should happen,” he added.
Gordon also advised against imposing sanctions on Iran, warning that financial pressure on the government would only turn Iran against its neighbors.
Trump regularly boasts that he has pressured Iran to the point where it has gone bankrupt and is unable or unwilling to finance and carry out major terrorist attacks.
Gordon’s repeated soft approach to Iran drew the interest of Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Stefanik, who both wrote a letter warning of his ties to pro-Iranian interests.
Gordon also advised against imposing sanctions on Iran, warning that pressuring the government financially would only lead to them turning against their neighbors.
The team of advisors to US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (from left) Richard Danzig (National Security), Phil Gordon (Foreign Policy), Wendy Morigi (National Security), Dr. Susan Rice (Foreign Policy), Dennis Ross (Middle East Policy) and David Axelrod (Chief Strategist)
Gordon co-authored some of his op-eds with Ariane Tabatabai, a government official who was a founding member of a pro-Iran advocacy group, the Iran Experts Initiative. He also gave speeches for the National Iranian American Council, another pro-Iran influence group.
Cotton and Stefanik warned Harris in their letter whether she was aware of Gordon’s ties to pro-Iranian figures.
“The Biden-Harris administration is no stranger to Iran appeasers, enablers, and accomplices,” the letter reads.
Gordon served as White House coordinator for the Middle East and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs during the Obama administration.
He advised Harris to take a more nuanced position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, without giving the impression that he is abandoning Israel as an ally.
But Gordon is also trying to earn respect from other sides of the political spectrum.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Gordon Harris warned against Biden’s plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and advised that the administration support the idea of keeping a residual force to prevent the Taliban from taking over the government.
Despite Gordon’s advice, Harris decided to side with President Biden, declaring that she was the “last one in the room” when it came to the decision to withdraw.
Gordon also warned Obama that it would be difficult to oust Bashar al-Assad from power, sources said, while others were convinced that supporting the Syrian rebels could oust him.
But he is also seen as a hawk on Russia, fully supporting the ongoing war in Ukraine without attempting to resolve the differences between the two countries through concessions or negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The vice president’s office did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.