Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) have initiated a formal investigation into Vice President Kamala Harris's national security adviser, Philip Gordon, following reports of his alleged connections to Iranian influence networks, the Washington Free Beacon revealed.
In a letter addressed to Vice President Harris on Wednesday, the lawmakers expressed deep concerns regarding Gordon's associations with Ariane Tabatabai, a senior Department of Defense official.
Tabatabai has been linked to Iranian operations aimed at enhancing Tehran's soft power in the U.S. The letter highlights Gordon's collaborative efforts with Tabatabai in writing op-eds that purportedly advanced the Iranian regime's viewpoints. Additionally, Gordon has co-authored articles with former U.S. envoy to Iran Robert Malley, further raising questions about his impartiality.
Cotton and Stefanik are probing whether Gordon's connections to these figures compromise his suitability for holding a security clearance, which grants access to sensitive information. They also scrutinize the role of the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI), founded by Tabatabai, which is believed to be part of Iran's broader strategy to undermine resistance to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.