Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reassured Israel Monday the U.S. will ensure it retains its military advantage in the Middle East under any future arms deals with the United Arab Emirates. The remarks come as questions swirl over possible U.S. plans to sell F-35 jets to the UAE following the normalization agreement it reached with Israel earlier this month. On Sunday, White House senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner said the deal “should increase the probability” of such a sale. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire over reports last week that the sale of F-35s was part of the deal with the UAE and that he gave Trump the green light for the sale. Netanyahu has denied the reports. The UAE reportedly canceled a planned meeting with the U.S. and Israel over his denial. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that currently has the F-35.
Mike Pompeo will deliver a speech tonight at the RNC — a move which critics say is a violation of the Hatch Act since he is a diplomat. The speech was recorded Monday in Israel, which is continuing its bombing assault on Gaza.