McGurk Reveals Biden Nearly Cut Arms to Israel After Aid Worker Deaths
Brett McGurk, a former senior Middle East adviser to President Biden, disclosed in a new interview that the U.S. president was on the verge of imposing severe sanctions on Israel following the April 2024 drone strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers. McGurk stated that Biden only halted this potential 'draconian' response after intelligence revealed an imminent, large-scale Iranian aerial attack on Israel. The former aide also detailed the Biden administration's internal debates over cutting off weapons supplies, its failure to act on early Saudi normalization offers, and the lack of U.S. intelligence warnings prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Key points
- Biden was prepared to cut off U.S. weapons to Israel after the April 2024 killing of seven aid workers but paused due to an impending Iranian missile and drone attack.
- The U.S. and allies intercepted an Iranian assault involving 120 ballistic missiles, 170 drones, and 30 cruise missiles, which McGurk described as unprecedented.
- McGurk argued that halting U.S. support would not have ended the war in Gaza and might have hardened Hamas's negotiating stance.
- The Biden administration failed to act on a 2021 offer from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to normalize relations with Israel, a move McGurk called a mistake.
- U.S. officials confirmed they had no intelligence warnings regarding the October 7, 2023, attack, though McGurk noted UAE leaders had warned Israel of a potential major offensive without specific details.
- McGurk criticized Biden's 2022 fist bump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stating it set back U.S. efforts to secure Gulf cooperation on oil and nuclear issues.
Background
Brett McGurk served as the White House National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa during the Biden administration. He is currently a CNN contributor and the author of the memoir 'Brink,' set for publication in October 2026. His comments come amid ongoing debates within the U.S. Democratic Party regarding the effectiveness of Biden's foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly concerning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the trajectory of U.S.-Israel relations.
Why it matters
McGurk's disclosures provide a rare insider perspective on the internal tensions within the Biden administration regarding Israel, highlighting the narrow margin between a potential U.S. arms embargo and continued military support. His account also underscores the strategic miscalculations in U.S. Gulf policy, specifically the delayed engagement with Saudi Arabia, which may have impacted the pace of regional normalization and energy security. These insights are critical for understanding the complex diplomatic landscape that preceded the current Trump administration's Middle East initiatives.
What to watch
The publication of McGurk's memoir 'Brink' is expected to generate further scrutiny of the Biden administration's decision-making processes. U.S. officials will likely continue to debate the efficacy of arms embargoes as a tool for influencing Israeli policy, while the Trump administration moves forward with its own nuclear and normalization deals with Saudi Arabia and Iran.
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