The Pentagon suspended a superior officer after the publication of messages hostile to Israel. The case comes as the congress seeks to supervise any use of force against Iran.
On June 17, 2025, Colonel Nathan McCormack, head of the Levant and Egypt cell within the American joint staff, was suspended from his functions. In question: publications on X (ex-owner) deemed incompatible with its strategic responsibilities.
In these messages, McCormack describes Israel as “worse ally” and accuses Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu of wanting to “expel the Palestinians” as part of an “ethnic purification” project. He also criticizes Western complacency towards Israel, which he attributes to a “post-spoan guilt”.
The Pentagon reacted by stressing that these opinions do not represent the position of the Department of Defense. The officer was dismissed from the staff joint for an administrative inquiry.
Congress tries to curb a climb against Iran
On the same day, representatives Thomas Massie (Republican) and Ro Khanna (Democrat) filed a bipartisan resolution to prevent any military commitment against Iran without authorization from Congress. “It’s not our war,” said Massie.
While Donald Trump accentuates his rhetoric against Tehran, several parliamentarians, including Bernie Sanders and Tim Kaine, call for a strict framework for executive power. Their objective: to avoid a new military intervention in the Middle East, while tensions between Israel and Iran remain at a critical level.
