(BrightPress.org) – Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is questioning the loyalties of some members of the Biden administration. In a conversation with Maria Baritromo on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Cruz suggested at least three Iranian spies worked in the White House.
Cruz’s allegations lack evidence other than the circumstantial type. He mentioned Robert Malley, who was the former White House special envoy to Iran, being placed on a temporary leave in June while his staff was investigated.
Cruz characterized the temporary leave as a major national security scandal and further claimed that three of Malley’s top advisers were “recruited” by Iran. Cruz’s allegations referenced a report from Semafor that came out in September demonstrating an Iranian influence campaign targeting US academics.
They called the move the “Iran Experts Initiative” and targeted writers, and other creators who frequently end up on television shows or panels. These individuals would receive privileged communications from Tehran and are second-generation Iranians. Calling them spies is an exaggeration based on the report from Semafor.
Malley and his team were heavily involved in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action also colloquially called the Iranian Nuclear Deal. The deal was negotiated and implemented under Obama, but Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in 2018. Malley has gone on to work at Princeton University.
Cruz is not the only Republican to castigate Malley and bring up the Semafor report. Republicans have also criticized the Biden administration’s willingness to swap $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds for an American prisoner. Officials have privately informed Congress that the money is still tied up in Qatar and isn’t being released to Iran anytime soon.
Iran has been a focus of attention in the aftermath of the Hamas surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7th. Hamas was able to kill ~1,400 Israeli civilians and 31 Americans in the attack. Over three thousand Palestinians have been killed in response by the Israeli military.
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