Maher Brian Samir Bitar

Maher Brian Samir Bitar is a former senior White House official who oversaw the coordination of U.S. intelligence and defense policy. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in Donald Trump’s first impeachment, laying the legal groundwork for the charges and shepherding the case through Congress on behalf of Democrats. Later, when Donald Trump took office for a second term in 2025, Bitar had his security clearance revoked on the grounds that he had “put his own interests ahead of those of the American people.” He currently serves as chief legal counsel and national security advisor in the office of Senator Adam Schiff (Democrat, California).

Earlier in his career, Bitar was involved in initiatives centered on the Palestinian cause and critical of Israeli policy. In 2006, while studying at Georgetown University, he was affiliated with the student group Students for Justice in Palestine, a movement known for its sharp criticism of Israel. Through this work, Bitar backed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which calls for economic, academic, and political pressure on Israel as a means of fostering its international isolation. This stance may stem from his Palestinian background.