Live updates: Intel officials testify on worldwide threats; Mullin nomination advances
This version of Tulsi Gabbard Top Intel Officials Testify Worldwide Threats Rcna264256 - Breaking News | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
The intelligence officials testified before the Senate yesterday, where they were grilled about the extent to which President Donald Trump was briefed about the global impact of the war.
What to know today
- GABBARD, RATCLIFFE TESTIFY: House Intelligence Committee members questioned Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel today on the U.S. and Israel's objectives in the war against Iran and the threat posed by Tehran. The officials faced similar questions in testimony before the Senate yesterday about global threats.
- MULLIN NOMINATION VOTE: The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted today to advance the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead the Department of Homeland Security after a contentious confirmation hearing yesterday. The committee's chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote no; Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to vote yes.
- TRUMP-TAKAICHI MEETING: Trump is holding a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House, where the two leaders are expected to discuss efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that Iran has effectively closed, sending energy prices soaring.
- LEAK INVESTIGATION: National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, who resigned in protest over the Iran war, is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly leaking classified information, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Bipartisan talks to end Homeland Security standoff get serious as shutdown drags on
Top Republicans and Democrats trying to end the monthlong Homeland Security Department shutdown huddled with White House border czar Tom Homan in the Capitol today.
The in-person talks come as Senate Majority Leader John Thune threatened to nix the upcoming two-week Easter recess unless negotiators can strike a deal.
Since DHS funding lapsed Feb. 14, lawmakers have shown little interest in ending the partisan standoff. But with recent suspected terror attacks around the country, thousands of federal employees working without pay and major disruptions at some airports as TSA agents miss paychecks, urgency now appears to be growing on Capitol Hill.
“We’ve been encouraging this for a while, and glad to see both sides sitting down and having Homan up here,” Thune, R-S.D., told reporters today.
Jeffrey Epstein lawyer told committee he didn't know of any wrongdoing, lawmakers say
Members of the House Oversight Committee said a lawyer for Jeffrey Epstein told the panel today he didn't know anything about his late client's wrongdoing — a position lawmakers said they were skeptical about.
Darren Indyke, who was sitting for a closed-door deposition with the committee, "claims they had no personal friendship or relationship and it was all business, yet we know Jeffrey Epstein paid Mr. Indyke nearly $45 million over the time he worked for him," and left him another $50 million in his will, Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., told reporters.
"Hard to believe they didn’t have a personal relationship or friendship when he was paid $95 million for legal services. I don't buy it," Walkinshaw said.
Rep. Dave Min, D-Calif., said Indyke testified "he had no knowledge of any women or girls, and yet that doesn't account for the fact that numerous women have described how he helped them fix their problems."
"It’s just not credible," Min said.
James Marsh, an attorney for multiple Epstein accusers, said in a statement that “Indyke’s claimed ignorance of Jeffrey Epstein’s widespread abuse of women and girls is deeply troubling."
"His testimony only underscores how much still remains hidden about the vast network of enablers that allowed these crimes to persist for decades," Marsh said.
An attorney for Indyke did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said Indyke “is answering all of our questions” and “would assume” the already hourslong deposition “is going to stretch many more hours.”
"Republicans asked very sensitive questions that any curious media outlet would ask," Comer said. "Then the Democrats get their hour and they ask about Donald Trump, and Mr. Indyke said that he was not aware of any relationship that Mr. Epstein had with Mr. Trump."
More federal judges warn of an increase in violent threats
A group of federal judges today added to the chorus of concerns raised about the rise of violent threats against members of the judiciary at a time when Trump has ramped up his criticism of the courts.
Four sitting judges spoke during an online forum hosted by a legal group called “Speak Up for Justice” that was formed to defend the judiciary and the rule of law.
Gabbard deflects question about intelligence on foreign interference in U.S. elections
Gabbard was asked repeatedly by Democrats at today's House hearing if there was intelligence that showed a foreign actor had tried to interfere in the 2020 elections, but she offered no specific information, saying only that her office was still investigating the issue.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, cited Gabbard’s decision to appear at a FBI search of an election center in Georgia and her office’s examination of voting machines in Puerto Rico.
Himes then asked, “It’s a very specific question, is there intelligence in your possession relative to foreign interference in the 2020 elections?”
Gabbard replied, “We are continuing to look at previous attempts to interfere in our elections and any ongoing threats that may exist for the upcoming elections."
After the Connecticut lawmaker said he interpreted Gabbard’s answer as a “no,” Gabbard responded, “We are continuing to look into this matter.”
The intelligence community’s annual worldwide threat assessment, which was released yesterday, made no mention of foreign adversaries seeking to interfere in America’s elections.
At the hearing, Himes also asked FBI Director Kash Patel if he could cite the number of convictions of foreigners trying to vote illegally in U.S. elections.
Patel said he did not know the number.
Himes then asked for the number of investigations underway into foreigners allegedly attempting to cast votes in U.S. elections.
“How many active investigations does the FBI have into foreign individuals voting in U.S. elections?” Himes asked.
Patel replied that he was not sure of the precise number, but said there are “a number” of cases.
“We have a number of investigations, generally speaking, ongoing about individuals across the country ... I don’t have that number with me, but I have a number of them,” Patel said.
Trump and fellow Republicans are pushing for new legislation that would impose stricter requirements for voter identification and have baselessly claimed that past elections have been plagued by mass voter fraud by foreigners.
Hakeem Jeffries calls on House speaker to pass DHS funds, says new war powers resolution coming
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., encouraged Republican lawmakers this morning to work with Democrats to partially reopen the Department of Homeland Security.
“We should be able to get this done today," Jeffries said at a news conference. "All Speaker Johnson needs to do is bring the legislation to the floor that will pay TSA agents and reopen the parts of the Department of Homeland Security that have nothing to do with ICE.”
Jeffries said Democrats will soon bring up another war powers resolution on Iran that “will be different in nature to some degree” from its previous failed iteration.
"And I expect strong Democratic support for that war powers resolution, including amongst some who previously may have voted against it earlier in this war, and all we’ll need is a few Republicans to join us so we can stand up for the American people who are overwhelmingly opposed to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice," he said.
Lisa Murkowski urges hearings on Iran war spending proposal
Republican senators spoke with reporters this morning on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s $200 billion supplemental funding proposal for the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the proposal, which was sent from the Pentagon to the White House, needs to be presented to Congress and she needs to hear the rationale behind it.
“Before I can do my Article I responsibility in terms of helping to fund a war effort, I want to know some of the answers to the questions that Alaskans are asking me,” Murkowski said. “I think we need to have open hearings.”
“I don’t like the fact that I’m getting my updates about the war from information that is being kind of leaked in from the press,” she added.
Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and James Lankford, R-Okla., described the supplemental proposal as “expensive,” but expressed that they were generally willing to hear out the Pentagon’s proposal.
“It’s a lot of money,” Scott said. “I’ll go through it, see what they need. I want to make sure that Iran’s, you know, their ability to produce nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, is destroyed.”
Trump invokes Pearl Harbor attack when explaining why he didn't share Iran plans with Japan
Asked by a reporter about why the U.S. didn't share its plans to strike Iran with Japan beforehand, Trump said he felt it was necessary to preserve the element of surprise.
"Who knows better about surprise than Japan? OK, why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?" Trump added, invoking the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii that precipitated the U.S. joining World War II.
Trump says he thought oil prices would be 'worse' when planning Iran attack
The president told reporters that while oil prices have gone up in the wake of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, "I actually thought the numbers would be worse."
Everything was going great, the economy was great, oil prices were very low, gasoline was dropping too — I mean we had $1.99, $1.85. And I saw what was happening in Iran and i said, 'I hate to make this excursion but we have to do it,’ and I actually thought the numbers would be worse," Trump said in the Oval Office.
Before he decided to strike Iran, the president said, he thought, “Oil prices will go up, the economy will go down a little bit."
He added, "I thought it would be worse, much worse actually," before saying, "it’s not bad and it’s going to be over with pretty soon. “
Trump is meeting with Japanese prime minister
The bilateral meeting between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office has begun.
Takaichi shakes hands with Trump in the Oval Office today. Alex Wong / Getty Images
Open portion of House worldwide threat hearing concludes
The open portion of the House Intelligence Committee's worldwide threats hearing has concluded. The committee will soon be moving to a closed session to question the witnesses about classified matters.
Pat Fallon quotes past Democratic leaders saying Iran won't be allowed to have a nuclear weapon
Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, asked Ratcliffe which nations have achieved 60% enrichment, like Iran, and not produced a nuclear weapon.
"I'm not aware of any," Ratcliffe said.
"There’s none," Fallon said. "There’s a reason you’re at 60% because you are pursuing nuclear ambitions."
Fallon then quoted former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that the U.S. would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
Asked if Iran abandoned its nuclear ambitions after last year's airstrikes on Iran, Ratcliffe said, "They absolutely did not."
"Congressman, I think you point out the success of Operation Midnight Hammer is that one of the things that we assess in the intelligence community broadly is that since that operation, Iran has been unable to enrich a single kilogram of uranium to 60%," Ratcliffe said.
The CIA director added that the intelligence is "also clear that they have not lost their ambition, and that the activities to rebuild or reconstitute their nuclear facilities and centrifuges is something that the intelligence, there’s a body of intelligence that I think confirms that."
Fallon said, "So we have some folks here that are splitting hairs about imminent threat. You know, was it a grave threat, director, in your opinion?"
Ratcliffe said, "Nuclear weapons are a grave threat in the hands of religious ideologues."
Gabbard, Ratcliffe refuse to answer questions about whether Iran was close to achieving a nuclear weapon
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., repeatedly questioned Gabbard and Ratcliffe about whether Iran was close to achieving a nuclear weapon and posed an imminent threat to the U.S.
"Director Gabbard, last year, you testified that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon. Do you stand by that statement? Yes or no?" Gomez asked.
Gabbard said, "Context matters, with that ... ." Gomez interjected and said he was reclaiming his time.
"It’s an easy answer. You either stand by what you said last year or not," Gomez said.
Eventually, Gomez asked if Iran was weeks away from achieving a nuclear weapon.
"Congressman, this is a serious matter, and you’ve made some very serious mischaracterizations," Gabbard said.
Gomez referred to Gabbard's statement yesterday before the Senate asserting that the president is the only person who can determine what is an imminent threat, prompting Gabbard to reply that she stood by that comment.
Gomez then asked Ratcliffe if he agreed with that assessment.
"The president as commander in chief gets to make a decision about what’s an imminent threat. The intelligence ... ," Ratcliffe said before Gomez interrupted.
"Why do you guys even have a job?" Gomez asked. "Why do you even advise them? So you’re saying tomorrow the president of the United States can say China is an imminent threat, and then he can take his own — no matter what the intelligence says — he can take his own action. So that’s what you’re basically saying."
GOP Senate candidate urges Americans to 'take one less trip to Starbucks' to save gas amid Iran war
Michele Tafoya, a Republican running for Senate in Minnesota, urged Americans to be patriotic about the war in Iran and try to stretch gas further by doing things like taking "one less trip to Starbucks." Tafoya has the support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
In an interview yesterday with conservative radio and podcast host Todd Starnes, Tafoya said that the war was "bringing gas prices up again," acknowledging that "it’s frustrating, and I know it’s hard for people."
She said she would tell people that the U.S. has lost service members, noting how during previous conflicts like World War II, "Americans got behind our service men and women" and took part in efforts at home to support the war effort.
"I think right now, at least just kind of keeping a stiff upper lip. Maybe you take one less trip to Starbucks and so that gas goes a little further until this thing is over and these gas prices come back down again," she said. "Let’s just try to be patriots about this. Whether you agree with it or not, we’re there, and we’ve got to support our men and women in uniform."
Gabbard deflects in response to question about her personal views on war with Iran
Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., referred to Gabbard's statements in 2020 when she was a congresswoman criticizing Trump's drone strike on Qassem Soleimani, saying at the time that it pushed the U.S. toward an illegal war with Iran.
"Do you still believe that strikes against Iran that don’t have congressional authorization constitute an illegal and unconstitutional act of war?" Bera asked.
"The cost of war weighs very heavily upon me and and my colleagues here, especially for those of us who have experienced and seen the cost of war firsthand," Gabbard said. "My own personal and political views, as I mentioned earlier, I was asked and required by Congress and by the president in this role as the director of national intelligence to check those views at the door, to ensure that the intelligence assessments are not colored by my personal views."
After Bera pressed her again, Gabbard said, "Once again, in this role, it is essential that I do not allow any of my personal views on any issues to color or bias the intelligence reporting that we deliver to you and to the president."
Tulsi Gabbard testifies at a House hearing today. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Democrats focus questions on whether Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S.
Several Democratic lawmakers have focused their questions on whether Iran posed an imminent threat in the lead-up to the war against Iran.
"Director Gabbard, did you — there is no imminent threat of nuclear breakout. Did you deliver that assessment to the president?" Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., asked.
"I have delivered the intelligence community's assessments to the president," Gabbard said.
"There was no imminent nuclear threat to the United States," Bera continued. "There was no evidence of imminence that Iran was going to attack American assets that was different from anything they've done over four decades that was going to attack our homeland. There was no imminent threat. Imminent is defined in the dictionary as something that is about to happen, not something that's been happening for four decades, not something that is going to happen three months from now, not something that's going to happen a year from now."
Bera asked again, "Did you deliver that assessment to the president?"
Gabbard responded, "I delivered the intelligence community's objective analysis of the threats, the severity of those threats and the scope, along with assessments of the different scenarios and context that exist within the Middle East."
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., also questioned Gabbard about the issue earlier in the hearing, echoing the kinds of questions Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee asked the intelligence officials yesterday.
Gabbard says objectives of U.S. and Israel in the war against Iran differ
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, pressed the witnesses about the objectives of the U.S. and Israel in Iran after Israel struck the world's largest gas field, South Pars, in Iran.
"What does the intelligence community assess Israel’s goals in this war to be, and are those goals aligned with the goals of the United States?" he asked.
Gabbard answered that the objectives laid out by the president differ from those outlined by the Israeli government.
"We can see through the operations that the Israeli government has been focused on disabling the Iranian leadership and taking out several members, obviously beginning with the Ayatollah and the supreme leader, and they continue to focus on that effort," she said.
"How does that differ from our goals?" Castro asked.
Gabbard replied: “The president has stated that his objectives are to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile launching capability, their ballistic missile production capability, and their Navy, the IRGC Navy and mine length capability.”
Castro then asked if Israel is supportive of Trump's call to make a deal with Iran.
Gabbard said, "I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know Israel’s position on that."
"What do you attribute Israel’s decision to strike Iranian energy infrastructure despite President Trump’s call to keep those facilities off limits?" Castro asked.
"I don’t have an answer for that," Gabbard said.
Gabbard said that she isn't "privy to any of their deliberations or what went into their calculus and launching this or other attacks."
"We are not involved with the in the operational element of this," she added. "We’re providing continuously, on a daily basis, the intelligence assessments of the events that are occurring."
Brendan Boyle says Fetterman 'needs to go' after Mullin vote
Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said Fetterman, his fellow Pennsylvania Democrat, "needs to go" after the senator voted for Mullin's nomination.
"Once again Sen Fetterman shows why he is Trump’s favorite Democrat," Boyle said in a post to X. "He needs to go."
Last night, another Pennsylvania Democrat, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, urged people on social media to call Fetterman's office and ask him to vote against advancing Mullin's nomination.
John Fetterman explains why he voted for Mullin
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., explained in a post to X why he supported Mullin's nomination.
"In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did," Fetterman said. "I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind."
"We need a leader at DHS," he continued. "We must reopen DHS. My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security."
Fetterman's support gave Mullin the necessary votes to advance to the full Senate, where he is likely to be confirmed.
Gabbard says ex-counterterrorism chief's statement blaming Israel for Iran war concerns her
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., brought up the resignation earlier this week of Joe Kent as national counterterrorism director and his statement blaming Israel for the U.S. deciding to strike Iran.
Stefanik said she was "not only disappointed" by Kent's comments but said that his resignation letter was "inappropriate"
"Do you agree or disagree with what this letter was put out by former Director Kent?" Stefanik asked.
"He said a lot of things in that letter," Gabbard said. "Ultimately, we have provided the president with the intelligence assessments, and the president is elected by the American people and makes his own decisions based on the information that's available to him."
Stefanik pressed again. "But do you agree with does that statement he made, blaming Israel concern you?"
"Yes," Gabbard said.
When he announced his resignation on Tuesday, Kent wrote: “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
The White House has strongly rejected Kent’s assertions.
Senate committee advances Mullin's nomination after John Fetterman breaks with Democrats
The Senate Homeland Committee has voted 8-7 to advance Mullin's nomination to be DHS secretary to the full Senate. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, was the only Republican to vote no, and Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote in favor.
The committee’s vote sends Mullin’s nomination to the Senate floor, which could consider it in the coming days (likely finishing it early next week). He will need a simple majority of the Senate to be confirmed, which he is likely to receive.
Gary Peters says Mullin is 'not up for that challenge'
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said in his statement ahead of the committee vote on Mullin's nomination that Mullin was "not up to that challenge."
Peters said that he kept an open mind, but argued that Mullin has not been transparent.
Senate Homeland Security Committee voting on advancing Mullin's nomination
The Senate Homeland Security Committee's vote to advance Mullin's nomination to be DHS secretary has begun. If Mullin passes out of committee, he could face a full Senate vote as early as next week.
Mullin testified before lawmakers yesterday, and the hearing grew heated at times over immigration enforcement practices. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also clashed with Mullin over the nominee's "anger issues."
Senate committee to vote on Mullin's nomination
The Senate Homeland Security Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. for a business meeting to vote on whether to advance Mullin's nomination to be homeland security secretary to the full Senate.
Mullin needs a simple majority to be reported to the full Senate favorably. Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., is expected to vote no on Mullin’s nomination, but Paul expects a Democrat to cross the aisle and vote yes, giving Mullin the simple majority he needs.
We largely expect that Democrat to be Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who said last night he still has an open mind on Mullin and has alluded to supporting him in past days.
We expect the chairman and the committee's top Democrat, Gary Peters of Michigan, to give a speech ahead of the vote. We do not expect Mullin to attend the meeting.
If Mullin is reported out, he’s expected to be confirmed by the full Senate next week.
Jim Himes: No U.S. intelligence showed Iran posed imminent threat
At the House hearing on worldwide threats, Rep, Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said no U.S. intelligence report before the U.S. launched air attacks on Iran showed that the regime in Tehran posed an imminent threat as the Trump administration has asserted.
“Why did we and are we risking our blood and treasure on a deeply risky venture, one that the president of the United States and the director of national intelligence have spent years telling us is a terrible idea?" Himes asked, addressing the top intelligence officials testifying at the hearing.
“The president has said that Iran was preparing an imminent attack on the United States. That is not true," Himes said. "As awful as the regime is and always has been, not one of your agencies has produced a single report saying that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States."
“The president also claimed that Iran would soon possess a nuclear weapon, perhaps in weeks. That is also not true," he continued. "It is not supported by a single report from your agencies, and it is certainly belied by the repeated claim that Iran’s nuclear capability was obliterated mere months ago.”
The Republican chair of the committee, Rep. Rick Crawford, praised Trump for taking “decisive action” to eliminate the threat presented by Iran and its nuclear ambitions.
“Once it was clear that diplomacy would not stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon or holding the world under threat through ballistic missiles and terrorist networks, President Trump took decisive action to eliminate the threat," Crawford said.
“Make no mistake. Iran is committed to acquiring nuclear weapons. It has been their policy and is their intent," he said. "Anyone who thinks we weren’t on borrowed time is refusing to acknowledge the failure of prior policies. It is a simple fact that consecutive administrations had exhausted all other options to end this threat.
Crawford said the administration's classified briefings to members of Congress made the threat posed by Iran clear, "even if it can’t be fully discussed in the open. The president made a difficult, but necessary, decision.”
Japanese leader faces a ‘very difficult’ meeting with Trump as he presses for help with Iran
Few world leaders seem to get along with Trump as well as Sanae Takaichi. But the Japanese prime minister could be in for an earful when she visits the White House today, as Trump grows increasingly frustrated with the course of his war on Iran.
Takaichi, 65, will be the first leader of a major U.S. ally to meet with Trump since he demanded that a coalition of countries, including Japan, help protect the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route that Iran has effectively closed, disrupting global trade and sending energy prices soaring.
Jim Himes to press intel leaders on how they answered questions about the war to Trump
In his opening statement at the House worldwide threats hearing, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., laid out a series of questions about how the war ends, how the U.S. may deal with a new Iranian leader, how the Strait of Hormuz will get reopened and how frequently the U.S. may attack Iran in the future.
"The very core purpose of the intelligence community is to answer these questions for the president, for us and for the American people," Himes said.
"Right now, as we watch the dignified transfer of lost American patriots at Dover, as we watch gasoline approach $5 a gallon, as we watch our allies mocking us on the world stage, we need to know, were those questions asked?" he continued, addressing the witnesses. "How did you answer them for the president of the United States, and did he listen?"
Yesterday, Trump attended a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base for the crew killed in a crash of their refueling aircraft in Iraq. The average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. is now at $3.90, according to Gas Buddy, an increase of 96 cents from last month's average.
Elizabeth Warren endorses Graham Platner for Senate in Maine
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., endorsed Graham Platner today in the competitive Democratic primary race for Senate in Maine instead of Gov. Janet Mills.
"I'm endorsing Graham Platner for Senate in Maine and here's the reason why: Graham Platner is the real deal. He's a fighter, and he's ready to take that fight to Washington," Warren said in a video shared on X.
"Graham actually knows hard work. He's an oyster farmer in Maine. Graham knows the consequences of Donald Trump sending our servicemembers to fight endless wars in the Middle East. He's a combat veteran who was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he understands what's happening to working people when there's not someone in Washington fighting like hell for your family," she continued.
Warren added, "Graham Platner has the grit to go against the grain and to fight for what is right."
Warren said that she thinks Platner could flip the Senate seat held by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Platner said on X, "Thank you, Senator Warren. Together I look forward to taking on Wall Street and the billionaires waging a class war against the rest of us."
Platner has faced blowback for having a skull and crossbones tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol, which he said he got years ago while in the Marines and denied had any intent to represent Nazism. His campaign said last October that he had it covered up.
Warren has also endorsed Zach Wahls in the U.S. Senate race in Iowa over state Rep. Josh Turek in the Democratic primary.
Iran war escalation sets key gas sites, and the world’s energy prices, ablaze
The molten fireballs and belching smoke over the Middle East today signaled a dramatic escalation in the Iran war — and its threat to the global economy.
Israel launched a widespread strike on Iran’s world-largest gas field, South Pars, triggering retaliation from Tehran against key energy sites across the Gulf Arab states.
Some DHS contractors told White House officials they were asked to pay Corey Lewandowski
More than a year ago, The GEO Group founder George Zoley asked for a meeting with Corey Lewandowski, a close ally of Trump who had just started a powerful position as a top adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
As a titan of the private prison industry, GEO Group stood to benefit from Trump’s mass deportation agenda, which would require the federal government to spend tens of billions of dollars to transport, detain, monitor and deport undocumented immigrants. The company’s federal contracts in those areas already totaled more than $1 billion per year.
But Zoley and his advisers were worried that the road to securing new government contracts now ran through Lewandowski. The two had history: Lewandowski and Zoley had butted heads during the transition between Trump’s November 2024 election and his January 2025 inauguration, before Lewandowski officially worked for the government, according to two industry sources and one senior DHS official familiar with the matter.
Democrats walk out of Pam Bondi briefing on Epstein files over subpoena compliance
House Democrats walked out of a closed-door hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi last night while she was briefing lawmakers on the Epstein files a day after being subpoenaed to testify in mid-April.
Democratic members of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee told reporters that Bondi, who was joined by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, would not commit to complying with the subpoena for her sworn testimony April 14 to answer questions about the DOJ’s handling of records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Senators clash with Trump’s nominee to lead Homeland Security Department
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faced questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill at a heated confirmation hearing. Mullin, a former pro MMA fighter with a multimillion-dollar family plumbing business, repeatedly distanced himself from fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure. NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell reports for "TODAY."
FBI conducting leak investigation into former Trump official who resigned over Iran war
A former senior intelligence official who resigned in protest over the Iran war is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly leaking classified information, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The source told NBC News that the investigation began before Joe Kent, a longtime Trump ally and retired Green Beret, announced his resignation as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
Semafor first reported the investigation.
Kent, who reported to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, said Tuesday that he disagreed with the decision to go to war against Iran and that the regime did not pose “an imminent threat” as the Trump administration has asserted.
U.S. assesses China not planning to invade Taiwan in 2027
China does not currently plan to invade Taiwan in 2027 and seeks to control the island without the use of force, the U.S. intelligence community said yesterday, striking a measured tone on one of the world’s biggest potential flashpoints.
The assessment in the intelligence agencies’ annual report on global threats comes as Beijing has stepped up pressure on Taiwan with frequent military drills, even as Trump has played down the risk of Chinese military action while he is in office.
The Pentagon said late last year that the U.S. military believed China was preparing to be able to win a fight for Taiwan by 2027, the centenary of the founding of its People’s Liberation Army, and was refining options to take Taiwan by “brute force” if needed.
“China, despite its threat to use force to compel unification if necessary and to counter what it sees as a U.S. attempt to use Taiwan to undermine China’s rise, prefers to achieve unification without the use of force, if possible,” the U.S. intelligence agencies said in the report.
Senate committee to vote on whether to advance Markwayne Mullin's nomination to be DHS secretary
The Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote today on whether to send Sen. Markwayne Mullin's nomination to be Department of Homeland Security secretary to the full Senate for a vote.
“I think we’re sort of done,” committee Chair Rand Paul said last night. “There are still some mysteries regarding his war service, but I think that, you know, we’ve gone about as far as I think we’re going to go. People just have to make a judgment based on what he said.”
His comments came after Mullin testified before Paul's committee yesterday. The hearing grew tense at times, with Democrats criticizing immigration enforcement tactics and Paul slamming Mullin for "anger issues."
While Paul says he will still vote no on Mullin's nomination, he said he believed that Mullin will have the votes to be reported out of committee to the full Senate, meaning a Democrat will need to join the rest of the Republicans on the committee to advance the nomination.
“My courtesy to the White House is we went fast with the nomination hearing, we’re gonna go fast with the vote, but I can’t vote for a guy who’s got all these anger issues,” Paul said.
When Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was asked yesterday whether he planned to advance Mullin's nomination, he told NBC that his "mind is wide open, and I guess we’ll see tomorrow."
Tulsi Gabbard and other top officials testify before lawmakers again today
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and other top intelligence and law enforcement officials will head back to Capitol Hill this morning for a House hearing on worldwide threats.
Other officials testifying before lawmakers include CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Yesterday, the officials testified before senators, who pressed them on the Iran war and U.S. intelligence leading up to the start of the conflict. Gabbard declined to say whether Iran's nuclear program posed an "imminent threat" to the U.S. White House officials and Trump had argued that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S. before the start of the war.
On Tuesday, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent resigned over the war, marking the first high-profile resignation due to Trump's Iran policy. Kent had argued that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the U.S.
Gabbard said that it is up to Trump to determine what constitutes an imminent threat.
