Live updates: Senators clash with Trump's homeland security pick Markwayne Mullin; top intel officials testify on threats

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., briefed senators and staff from the Senate Homeland Security Committee this afternoon in a classified setting regarding the 2016 trip that he would not describe during his confirmation hearing because he claimed it was “classified.”

But Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who is an ally of Mullin’s and introduced him at his confirmation hearing earlier today, told reporters after the briefing, “He was dealing with a whistleblower issue that happened to be overseas on it, and so there’s a lot of non-disclosure that has to happen in any kind of situation like that.”

Pressed on if what Mullin was describing in the hearing was classified or related to a non-disclosure agreement, Lankford said, “I would use more the term of non-disclosure than classified, but I get those are two different things on it. I think the terms are all being thrown around. I think even Markwayne wasn’t careful in trying to be able to articulate between the two on it.”

Mullin called the trip “classified” during his confirmation hearing this morning when pressed by the Committee’s Ranking Member, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., saying, “I was asked to train with a very small contingency and go to a certain area, which was scheduled for 2016. ... I have spoken in general about my experiences, but I’ve never spoken specifically on details, on dates or on the mission.”

The entire episode forced an unscheduled classified session to happen after Mullin’s confirmation hearing, with committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., saying it needed to happen before they voted to send Mullin’s nomination to the full Senate, which could happen as soon as tomorrow morning.

Rep. Kevin Kiley has resigned as a member of the House Republican Conference and subsequently lost his committee assignments due to House rules. The announcement was read on the House floor by the clerk around 2:53pm. 

House rules state that membership on committees “shall be contingent on continuing membership in the party caucus or conference that nominated the Member.” If a member of the House switches or gives up their party affiliation, they are automatically removed from their committee assignments. 

With Kiley leaving the Republican conference, the House membership breakdown becomes 217 Republicans, 214 Democrats and one independent.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell weighed in on a key tension point for policymakers today, describing the U.S. economy as “solid” while also acknowledging growing frustration on Main Street.

When asked by NBC News’ Brian Cheung what may be driving persistent affordability concerns for everyday Americans, Powell admitted there isn’t a clear answer.

“I’m not sure what that’s all about,” Powell said during the central bank’s post-decision news conference, suggesting pandemic-era supply shocks — which drove price increases globally — may still be shaping how consumers feel today.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke to reporters today after sitting in the audience for Mullin’s DHS confirmation hearing. McCarthy and Mullin were close allies in the House.

McCarthy was asked by reporters about whether he had any knowledge of a secret trip abroad that Mullin says he took as a House member in 2016.

McCarthy — who was a member of GOP leadership at the time — told reporters he didn’t know any details, but that it wasn’t necessarily an unusual situation. “There’s a lot of different scenarios, yes, that he could have been involved in a classified situation that he just can’t say in an open hearing,” he said.

McCarthy later told NBC News that he checked with his former staffers as well as Paul Ryan, who was the House speaker at the time, and said Mullin’s claims about being approved to take the trip are “100% true.”

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell today said he won't depart his post, despite pressure from the president to do, until a Justice Department probe into the Fed, "is well and truly over with transparency and finality."

The Justice Department investigation is looking into allegations that a renovation of the Fed building is costing too much.

Powell added that he doesn't know if he'll remain on as a Federal Reserve governor after the investigation concludes. His term as chair ends in May.

"On the question of whether I will then continue to serve as a governor after my term ends and after the investigation is over, I have not made that decision yet, and I will make that decision based on what I think is best for the institution and for the people we serve," he said.

As he was leaving the open hearing on worldwide threats, Warner said he was “extremely disappointed,” particularly by Gabbard's testimony.

Warner called Gabbard’s presence during the FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia “bizarre,” adding “my extraordinary concern I have about the security of our elections in 2026 has only gone up.”

He called out the hearing’s witnesses for “trying to evade the fact that the Intelligence Committee and community was uniform in saying there was no imminent threat” and cited Joe Kent’s resignation as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. 

Warner responded to Gabbard’s statement that the president is responsible for determining what's considered an imminent threat, telling reporters “The idea that the president is the only person that can determine imminent threat goes counter to everything in rule of law and everything that’s in the Constitution.”

He also said that it was “laughable” for Gabbard to omit from her opening statement a line in her prepared statement about Iran making no effort to rebuild its nuclear capacity. “She strangely left that out because, again, that would directly contradict the president.” 

Philadelphia International Airport announced today it was temporarily closing two more Transportation Security Administration checkpoints due to ongoing TSA staffing shortages.

This is the latest major American airport to cut back on security checkpoints as TSA workers, who missed their first full paycheck over the weekend due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, have increasingly been absent from work.

Read the full story here.

Paul told reporters he will not support Mullin’s nomination to lead DHS. 

“We’re in the midst, I think, of a crisis where there needs to be more direction from the top. And a guy who brawls, a guy who can’t even say he’s sorry, you know, wishing violence on me and really applauding the attack that happened on me, says that I don’t know how he could, from my point of view, be a leader of ICE or border control,” he said. 

Paul told NBC News that he still plans to hold Mullin’s committee confirmation vote tomorrow, as long as a classified hearing they are currently participating in “goes as planned and is forthcoming.”

As the Iran war stretches into its third week, Democrats say they’re done with all of the classified briefings from top administration officials.

They now want public hearings into whether Trump plans to put U.S. boots on the ground in Iran, secure nuclear material there and how he plans to end the deadly conflict in the Middle East.

Read the full story here.

House Democrats introduced a discharge petition today to try to force a vote on funding parts of the Department of Homeland Security other than Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

Discharge petitions require 218 signatures and are a way for the Democrats to try to circumvent House Republican leadership to bring bills to the floor. There are currently 214 Democrats, meaning if all Democrats sign the petition, they would need four Republicans to join their effort to be successful. 

“Republicans have decided to force TSA agents to work without pay, inconvenience millions of Americans across the country and create chaos at airports rather than get ICE under control,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said at a press announcement today about the congressional impasse over the funding. Democrats have been demanding an overhaul of immigration enforcement before agreeing to fund the broader department.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, blamed the GOP for the shutdown, saying it "has persisted because Republicans will not vote for any funding bill unless ICE, a lawless and a reckless agency gets another $28 billion on top of the $140 billion they are already sitting on from the one big, beautiful bill.” 

Vice President JD Vance said at an event in Michigan today that Trump is “not interested in getting us, you know, in the kind of long-term quagmires that we’ve seen in years past” in the war with Iran. 

In remarks at an engineering facility in Auburn Hills, Vance gave assurances that he understands what the president thinks about the situation.

"I know the way that he thinks about America’s national security," he said. "That is not a risk with this president at all."

Vance added, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and he’s willing to take action — diplomatic, ideally — but military action if he has to, to make sure that that doesn’t happen. That’s all this is about."

Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Auburn Hills, Michigan, called surging gas prices in the wake of the war in Iran a “temporary blip” and suggested that the Trump administration is “working on a number of things” to address it.

“Look, gas prices are up, and we know they’re up, and we know that people are hurting because of it, and we’re doing everything that we can to ensure that they stay lower,” Vance said in response to a question from a local reporter. “I will say, the president said this, and I certainly agree with it: This is a temporary blip.”

Vance added, a moment later: “We’re working on a number of things, in fact, a couple of things that I think will be announced in just the next 24 to 48 hours. I don’t want to get ahead of the president on that. But we recognize this is an issue, we are fighting against it, and we promise that when this conflict draws to a close, when this operation draws to a close, we’re going to see those energy prices come back down to reality, because that’s what the president promised to do.”

Mullin's confirmation hearing for homeland security secretary has concluded.

It lasted about three hours.

The public portion of the Senate Intelligence Committee's worldwide threats hearing has concluded.

The senators will reconvene for a private session with the intelligence chiefs, where they're expected to get answers that the heads wouldn't testify to publicly, including on possible efforts to retrieve nuclear materials from Iran and intelligence that Russia and China are assisting the Iranian government.

Mullin faced questions about Corey Lewandowski's role at DHS under Kristi Noem and whether he would comply with an investigation into Lewandowski's approval of DHS contracts.

Lewandowski is a close ally of Noem who worked as a special government employee for DHS. Noem faced questions from Congress about allegations of an extramarital affair with Lewandowski. Noem has denied the allegations.

Mullin said he plans to cooperate with the inspector general's investigation into Lewandowski if there is one.

"I’ll do everything that’s required of me, by law, but the IG will be doing the investigation, and we’ll let the IG, you know, decide what documents he’s going to share, and maybe you can bring that up with him," Mullin said in response to questions about an investigation into Lewandowski.

Sen. Mark Warner criticized the witnesses for refusing to publicly address reports that Russia and China have been assisting Iran.

"I am very disappointed," the Democrat from Virginia told the witnesses. "This is the only one time a year the public gets to hear from you guys in this kind of setting."

"The fact we have repeated public reporting, including a major story in The Wall Street Journal today, about China and Russia assisting Iran, which seems obvious and evident, and that none of you would confirm that publicly, I think doesn't give the American public the full challenges of this war," he said.

Committee Chair Cotton said "the media not a classification authority, but it certainly sounds like something Russia and China would do, and they've done for decades in the past to Americans."

Sen. John Cornyn has introduced a bill that would stop members of Congress from getting ‘courtesy escorts’ or preferential treatment when going through TSA security at airports.

The bill, called the End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, would require lawmakers "to undergo the same TSA screening procedures as all other airline passengers and prohibit the use of federal funds to provide them with expedited or preferential access at airport security checkpoints.”

Notably, the push is at odds with what Cornyn’s fellow Texas senator, Ted Cruz, who in 2024 tried to codify security escorts for lawmakers, an effort that eventually was blocked. Cruz has stayed out of the Texas Senate race, refusing to back either Republican candidate in the Republican primary run-off.

It’s not clear if or when this bill will ever get a vote.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., repeatedly pressed Gabbard about whether Iran posed an immediate threat to the U.S. in the lead-up to the current war with Iran.

Gabbard, however, would only say that the intelligence community's assessment is that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated in the airstrikes last June, and that Tehran was seeking to rebuild the program.

Asked if the intelligence community's assessment was that Iran posed an imminent threat, Gabbard said, "Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president," echoing a statement she issued yesterday.

Rand Paul and Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the committee, are requesting that Mullin share details with them privately in a secure facility about classified travel he mentioned earlier in the hearing.

Mullin said that the travel was within his official duties. He declined to share who assigned him the travel, saying the travel was classified. There seemed to be confusion over who classified the travel, and Mullin said that lawmakers had to go to a SCIF, referring to a secure facility, to discuss the travel.

Mullin spars with senators over classified travel

08:00

Mullin said he has "nothing to hide" and can have a conversation about it in a secure facility, but said that he cannot make the authorization to discuss the issue in detail. He said he had "no issues" with discussing details in a SCIF if he is authorized to do so.

They ultimately agreed to have an initial meeting in a secure facility.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., asked Mullin about what changes in laws he would be willing to support in order to reform ICE.

"I think working with municipalities, I would love to see ICE become a transport more than the front line," he said, emphasizing his desire to "get back into just simply working with law enforcement."

He said that partnership was "vitally important," adding, "I don't think there needs to be a law to change that."

"I think I can work within what is there, but there's a there's an approach that can happen, but we got to have partners," he said.

The Trump administration had made high profile ICE operations a cornerstone of its immigration policy. Immigration enforcement officers deployed to cities across the country, prompting protests. After backlash to the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the Trump administration ended its surge in the city.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., asked Mullin, "who won the 2020 election?"

"Ma'am, we know that President Joe Biden was sworn into office. He was the president for the last four years," Mullin answered, without saying whether Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

The Oklahoma senator added, "I do believe my job as Department of Homeland Security secretary will be to make sure that we assure that the elections are fair and people can trust them."

When he still served in the House, Mullin was one of the almost 150 congressional Republicans who voted Jan. 6, 2021, to object to election results in at least one state.

Gabbard says U.S. intelligence assessed Iran would use Strait of Hormuz as leverage

01:56

Ratcliffe and Gabbard confirmed to senators that before the U.S. launched air attacks on Iran, U.S. intelligence indicated that Iran would possibly launch strikes on energy sites in the Middle East region and try to close off the Strait of Hormuz.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, pressed the witnesses about whether U.S. spy agencies told Trump about the possible consequences of a campaign against Iran. Ratcliffe didn't directly answer, saying only that intelligence showed that energy sites in the region could come under attack, while Gabbard simply said it was likely that Iran would seek to shut down the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. 

“I think Director Ratcliffe made the point here, is that this has long been an assessment of the IC that Iran would likely hold the Strait of Hormuz as leverage,” Gabbard said.

Other Democratic senators, including Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, have also focused their questions on what Trump was told about the critical shipping route and the consequences of launching strikes on Iran.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., blasted Trump and the administration's mixed messaging on the goals of the war with Iran, saying the president had run on ending wars and instead enlisted the U.S. in a "perpetual war."

"He is the person that got elected on the criticism that we had fought two wars in the Middle East that had lasted for 20 years," Bennet said. "And now we're hearing, the testimony is, to get their ballistic missiles, to not even get to the nuclear stuff, we're going to have to be in a perpetual war with Iran, and I don't think that's where the American people are on this."

"President Trump said we are not the policemen of world. He ran on that," Bennet continued. "And now he's turned us into the world's policeman, into its jury, into its judge and into its executioner and just because we have the most advanced military in the world doesn't mean that we should be in a perpetual war all around the world."

Ratcliffe said he disagreed with former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent’s statement that Iran did not pose an imminent threat before the U.S. launched air attacks against Iran on Feb. 28. 

Questioned by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, about Kent’s resignation letter yesterday that argued the war against Iran was unnecessary, Ratcliffe said Iran posed “an immediate threat.”

Cornyn did not ask the same question of Gabbard, who has not publicly endorsed the decision to go to war. She has said only that it was the president’s responsibility to make the call based on the intelligence provided to him.

CIA Director John L. Ratcliffe testifies today. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Gabbard sidestepped questions during the public portion of the Senate worldwide threats hearing about reports that Russia is sharing intelligence with Iran.

"If there is that sharing going on, that would be an answer that would be appropriate for a closed session," Gabbard said.

"Is it occurring?" King pressed, pointing to media reports.

"If it is occurring would be an answer appropriate for closed session. What I can tell you is that according to the Department of War any support Iran may be receiving is not inhibiting their operational effects," Gabbard said.

"That's sort of the first cousin of a yes, I guess," King responded.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, asked if regime change in Iran or the elimination of 1,000 pounds of highly-enriched uranium can be accomplished without putting boots on the ground in the country.

"Senator, the discussion about the Iranian nuclear capability, we intend, in the closed session to talk about that in great deal with regards to revealing any information about the ability to do that, I would have to defer that to closed session," the agency's head, James Adams III, said.

Trump hasn't ruled out the possibility of using ground troops in the war.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, asked the witnesses if Trump receives a daily intelligence briefing.

None of the witnesses responded at first. Ratcliffe then spoke up and estimated he briefs Trump on intelligence about 10 to 15 times per week.

Ratcliffe said he has "conversations with him about specific, discrete issues."

"Sometimes there are dedicated sessions that last hours in length, sometimes I’m briefing him on specific issues, sometimes three or four times a day," Ratcliffe continued. "But I would say, on average, my interactions where I’m briefing the president on important national security matters happens probably, on average, 10 to 15 times per week."

The FBI director acknowledged to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that the agency has been buying commercial database information that includes location data from internet advertising.

"Can you commit this morning to not buying Americans' location data?" Wyden asked.

"The FBI uses all tools, senator," Patel said, and "we do purchase commercially available information that’s consistent with the Constitution and the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and it has led to some valuable intelligence for us to be utilized with our private and partner sectors."

Wyden then said doing that without a warrant "is an outrageous end-run around the Fourth Amendment. It’s particularly dangerous given the use of artificial intelligence to comb through massive amounts of private information."

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the Trump administration's failure not to predict the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is a "historic mistake."

"Director Gabbard, last year, your agencies testified: 'Iran's large conventional forces are capable of inflicting substantial damage to an attacker, executing regional strikes and disrupting shipping, particularly energy supplies, through the Strait of Hormuz.' In other words, every problem we're seeing now was not only foreseeable, but was actually predicted by the intelligence agencies," Wyden said.

Wyden asked Gabbard if the intelligence community stuck to its assessment three weeks ago that in response to an attack, Iran had the capability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz.

Tulsi Gabbard skips over prepared comments on Iran's nuclear capabilities

05:53

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., pointed out that Gabbard omitted portions of what was in her prepared statement for the hearing from the opening statement she delivered orally.

"I guess what I'm concerned about, one thing is, even in your printed testimony today on page six, and your last paragraph on page six, 'As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There's been no efforts to try to rebuild their enrichment capability.' You omitted that paragraph from your oral opening. Was that because the president said there was an imminent threat two weeks ago?"

"No, Sir, I recognize that the time was running long, and I skipped through some of the portion ... ," Gabbard answered.

"You chose to omit the parts that can contradict the president," Warner then said.

Gabbard had suggested in her spoken opening remarks that Iran was trying to rebuild its nuclear program since last June when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran's nuclear facilities.

Gabbard says she observed Fulton County search 'at the request of the president'

02:20

Gabbard told Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., she only observed the FBI's execution of a search warrant at the Fulton County, Georgia, election hub in January, and did not participate in the action because that would not have been appropriate.

"I did not participate in a law enforcement activity nor would I, because that does not exist within my authorities," Gabbard said. 

"I was at Fulton County, Sir, at the request of the president and to work with the FBI to observe this action that had long been awaited. I was not aware of what was in the warrant or was not in the warrant, and to say thank you to the FBI agents," she said.

Asked why the president wanted her there, she said, "To go and observe the FBI's activities on this issue," adding that she wasn't sure the president knew about the search warrant affidavit.

"Then why was he sending you to Fulton County?" Warner asked.

"This occurred the day that the FBI had it approved, their warrant approved by a local judge, and they began to execute" it, Gabbard responded.

Mullin told Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., that he was willing to visit a proposed ICE facility in Roxbury, New Jersey.

Kim expressed concerns about the community not having input in the proposal, pointing out the small size of the community compared to the large facility.

Mullin said he did not know the circumstances behind the proposal, but he said if he is confirmed, "I'll make a trip out there and see it for myself, because it's a big concern of yours, and we want to address those concerns."

Kim asked Mullin to commit to getting him documents from ICE about the agency's evaluations of the warehouse.

Asked by Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., about whether he'll revoke a policy put in place by Kristi Noem to personally review all DHS spending over $100,000, Mullin said "absolutely."

"That's called micromanaging," he added. "And I don't know if Secretary [Noem] put that in or someone else did. I'm not a micromanager. We put people in. We empower them to make decisions."

In July, Noem defended her policy of reviewing spending over $100,000 at DHS.

"The $100,000 sign-off is for every contract that goes through the Department of Homeland Security,” Noem told NBC News' "Meet the Press."

“It’s an accountability on contracts that go forward,” she added at the time.

Gabbard said in her opening statement that the U.S. intelligence community has assessed the "regime in Iran appears to be intact, but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities."

"Its conventional military power projection capabilities have largely been destroyed, leaving limited options. Iran’s strategic position has been significantly degraded," she said.

Gabbard said the U.S.-led pressure campaign and "snap-back of European sanctions added additional pressure to an already bleak Iranian economy, resulting in mass protests earlier this year that Tehran suppressed by killing thousands of protesters."

Tulsi Gabbard prepares to testify today. Win McNamee / Getty Images

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., asked Mullin to commit to not trying to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"As I said, I think it needs to be restructured, not eliminated," Mullin said.

Kim said he believed there was bipartisan support for reforms.

Trump has previously discussed potentially "getting rid of" FEMA, and former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a Cabinet meeting last year that "we are eliminating FEMA." Months later, Noem said that she believed that Trump wanted FEMA "remade," rather than eliminated.

Minutes after he retracted the comments he made in the wake of Alex Pretti's death, Mullin declined to take back the comments he made about Renee Good's death.

Pretti and Good are two Americans who were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. After Good was shot in her car while driving near ICE agents, Mullin said the shooting was "absolutely" justified.

"It’s very clear that an officer had to make a split decision," Mullin said in his hearing today. "In that case ... a car was running towards him and did strike him. At that point, that car becomes a lethal weapon."

Mullin later added that the DHS investigation into Good's death is "going on," and he would take a look at it if confirmed to be the homeland security secretary.

In her opening remarks, Gabbard warned senators about the threats from artificial intelligence, saying "AI capabilities are rapidly advancing and changing the threat landscape, as this is a defining technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, creativity and autonomy."

"It will be critical to ensure that humans remain in control of how AI is used and of the machines that may threaten to autonomously violate the interests of the American people across all domains," she said.

Gabbard warned that AI has the "potential to aid in weapons and systems design has been used in recent conflicts to influence targeting and streamline decision making, underscoring the risks and likely threats that could manifest on the battlefield."

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., pressed Mullin on whether he would ensure that an ICE detention center is not built in Merrimack, New Hampshire. A proposed ICE facility was rejected this year after local pushback.

Mullin said that he has not "seen the facts behind it," adding that "I will work with you on this."

"We want to be good partners in your state and in your community," he said. "I don't know the strategic purpose of it."

Asked again to commit to ICE not opening any new facilities without the support of local communities, Mullin said, "I will work with the local community, and I'll work with you and your office."

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said that Mullin "made several public statements suggesting that you are involved in special security forces or combat operations overseas."

Peters quoted Mullin discussing "special assignments outside of DOD," and that war is "something you will never forget" if you're on the ground.

"Before your time in Congress, other than on vacations with your family, have you ever traveled to a foreign country?" Peters asked.

Mullin responded that he had not, other than vacations or mission work.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., voiced outrage in his opening statement at the lack of intelligence briefings on foreign threats to the midterm elections.

"For months, the committee has reportedly has repeatedly requested briefings from the [intelligence community], briefings that are required by law on legitimate foreign threats to the midterms," said Warner, the panel's ranking member.

"We have received no response," he said. "Now that silence, I believe, should concern every member of the committee, because it clearly demonstrates the [director of national intelligence] is not interested in protecting American democracy by combating foreign influence."

He also tore into Gabbard for involvement in domestic affairs, including her appearing at the FBI seizure in January of election ballots and voting records in Fulton County, Georgia.

"When the warrant supporting the raid was unsealed, it showed something deeply troubling — there was no foreign connection to justify the involvement of our nation’s top spy," he said.

'I went out there too fast': Mullin apologizes for comments about Alex Pretti

01:22

Mullin, responding to questions from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., apologized for his remarks following the death of Alex Pretti in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents.

"I have a deep amount of respect for you. We've had our differences, but I do respect you. I think I said this privately when we had a conversation, those words probably should have been retracted. I shouldn't have said that," Mullin told Peters.

Speaking to Fox News in January after Pretti's death, Mullin called him a "deranged individual."

Peters also asked if Mullin would be willing to apologize to Pretti's family.

"I just said I regret those statements. Is that the same as an apology?" Mullin responded. "I haven't seen the investigation. We'll let the investigation go through, and if I'm proven wrong, then I will, absolutely."

At the worldwide threats hearing, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in his opening statement that he supports Trump's request for a clean reauthorization of FISA section 702.

"I expect a healthy intelligence budget request in the administration’s supplemental appropriations request to fund operations against Iran and narco-terrorists," Cotton said.

"No doubt, our military needs supplemental funding, but our intelligence agencies need it just as badly," he added.

Paul played a tape of Mullin being confrontational, including a 2023 incident when Mullin told Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to "stand your butt up" as they nearly got into a fight.

"Really, there's a pattern of this," Paul said before the video played.

After the video, Paul asked Mullin whether he believed "fighting as a resolution for political difference is a good example for the men and women of ICE and border patrol?"

Mullin responded, pointing out that O'Brien, whom he called a "good friend," was sitting behind him.

Mullin calls Teamsters president 'a good friend' when questioned on 2023 incident

02:31

"Both of us have had conversations," Mullin said. "Both of us have shaken hands, and both of us agreed we could have done things different. Sean is someone that has become a close friend. We talk all the time. I've been on his podcast. We've talked through this. That's how you handle your differences, not like this, chairman."

Mullin seemed to reference frequent controversies at the Department of Homeland Security, saying, "My goal in six months is that we're not in the lead story every single day."

"My goal is for people to understand we're out there, we're protecting them, and we're working with them," he said.

He emphasized that Congress needed to fund the department, which is in a shutdown as Democrats demand changes to immigration enforcement tactics.

"We have to get DHS funded," he said. "We have to. My friends, we have to set the partisan side down, and we have to realize that we're putting our homeland and the peace of mind at risk for the American people."

DHS has repeatedly made headlines for immigration enforcement controversies, as well as two high profile shootings. Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by immigration enforcement in two separate shootings in Minneapolis this year.

Paul continued the back-and-forth with Mullin about Mullin's past comments about Paul and the 2017 attack he suffered in his yard.

During the start of Paul's questioning time, he told Mullin, "You completely understand the violence that was perpetrated on me. You're unrepentant."

The Kentucky senator added, "It's really more about this machismo that you have." He also said Mullin has "anger" and "low impulse control."

In response to Paul's comments, Mullin later said, "We can have our differences. It's not going to keep me from doing my job as secretary of homeland security."

Mullin responds to Sen. Rand Paul's criticism in opening statement

07:10

At the top of his opening remarks, Mullin took a few minutes to respond to Paul's fiery opening remarks, telling the Kentucky senator, "Everybody in this room knows that I’m very blunt and direct to the point, and if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face."

Mullin added that when he still served in the House, he and Paul privately spoke about Paul's neighbor attacking him in his yard.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opened today's hearing by confronting Mullin over a report that Mullin called Paul a "freaking snake" earlier this year and said he understood why the Kentucky senator was attacked by his neighbor.

According to Oklahoma-based journalist David Arnett, Mullin told constituents at a February event that, “I respect Bernie Sanders because he’s an open socialist, and you know that he’s a communist so you know what you’re getting. Rand Paul’s a freaking snake. And I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did."

During today's hearing, Paul described an incident in which he was attacked in his yard in several years ago that led to multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung. He blamed Mullin for inflaming violent political rhetoric, telling the senator from Oklahoma, "Today I'll give you that chance to clear the record. Tell it to my face, if that's what you believe. Tell the world why you believe I deserve to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it."

Sen. Rand Paul delivers an opening statement today. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., criticized his Republican colleagues — who include Mullin — for rejecting efforts to individually fund DHS parts, including TSA and the FEMA, amid the ongoing debate about the department's reform.

"Let's be clear, Democrats are committed to funding TSA, FEMA, the cyber security and infrastructure security agency and the Coast Guard while we negotiate much needed ICE reforms," said Peters, the top Democrat on the committee. "We tried to pass those bills by unanimous consent multiple times over the past two weeks. Unfortunately, Republicans have blocked those bills each and every time."

Federal workers at agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are not being paid as the shutdown continues. Democrats have been demanding changes to immigration enforcement tactics in order to fund the entire department.

Sen. Mullin's confirmation hearing has just begun, with Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul, R-K.Y., opening the hearing.

Mullin, R-Okla., has been nominated to be the next homeland security secretary.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin during today's hearing. Oliver Contreras / AFP - Getty Images

Senate Republicans voted yesterday to bring up the SAVE America Act to overhaul election laws nationwide, kicking off what’s expected to be a highly contentious floor debate.

The vote was 51-48, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., joining unified Democrats in opposition.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has promised “an extended debate” on the legislation, which Trump has labeled his “No. 1 priority.” But it doesn’t have a viable path to pass in the Senate.

Read the full story here.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., introduced a bill to ban members of the presidential Cabinet from using their own political advertising firms to do official ads or to appear in those ad campaigns.

Rosen’s bill comes after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced scrutiny for participating in a border security ad campaign with a $220 million price tag. Earlier this month, Trump announced that Noem would be moved to another position and he was picking Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to take her place at the Department of Homeland Security.

NBC reported that the president was particularly frustrated by Noem's response to questioning about her role in approving the contract for that ad campaign. 

In a release shared exclusively with NBC News, Rosen wrote, “No other Cabinet official should ever be allowed to waste Americans’ hard-earned dollars in that way or hire their friends' political ad-making firms. I’m proud to introduce this bill to cut down on this shameful practice and protect tax dollars.”

Juliana Stratton won the Democratic Senate primary in Illinois yesterday, NBC News projects.

Stratton defeated Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. As the Democratic nominee, Stratton is heavily favored to win the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. She will compete against Republican Don Tracy in the fall.

Juliana Stratton wins Democratic Senate primary in Illinois, NBC News projects

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Stratton, Illinois’ lieutenant governor, was endorsed by Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Pritzker poured money into Illinois Future Fund, a group backing Stratton, and spent nearly $15 million in ads supporting her and attacking Krishnamoorthi, according to AdImpact. She overcame a large financial disadvantage after Krishnamoorthi spent $29 million on primary ads.

Stratton also faced attacks from the super PAC Fairshake, which supports pro-crypto candidates, while receiving the endorsement of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who supports increased crypto regulation.

If she wins in November, Stratton will become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate.

See the latest results here.

Top intelligence officials will testify today at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats.

Lawmakers will hear from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, acting commander of U.S. Cyber Command William Hartman and Defense Intelligence Agency Director James Adams.

The hearing comes a day after the resignation of Joe Kent, who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Kent attributed his resignation to the war in Iran, marking the first high-profile resignation over the conflict.

Gabbard responded in a post to X, saying the commander in chief determined Iran was an imminent threat — something Kent disputed in his resignation letter.

"After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion," she wrote.

The creators of a controversial program designed to hunt for voter fraud that was promoted by conservative activists are pitching two new programs to state election officials ahead of the midterms.

The first election software from Dr. John W. “Rick” Richards Jr. and his son, John W. Richards III, called EagleAI, promised to help officials and activists root out inaccurate voter registrations in the run-up to the 2024 election. The program was embraced by members of the Election Integrity Network, the group founded by Cleta Mitchell, a former election lawyer for Trump. But it was also criticized as inaccurate by election officials and experts, as well as some of the activists who tried it.

Read the full story here.

China said it would “maintain communication” with the U.S. on Trump’s visit after it was delayed so he can focus on the war with Iran.

“Head‑of‑state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–U.S. relations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing. “China and the United States will continue to maintain communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China.”

The White House had said the three-day trip would begin March 31, while China had not yet confirmed the dates. Trump said yesterday that it would be delayed by “five or six weeks” amid the widening conflict in the Middle East.

The trip is set to include a highly anticipated summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with both leaders seeking to extend a fragile trade truce between the world’s two biggest economies.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing this morning on Trump's nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The president fired the previous secretary, Kristi Noem, earlier this month after she testified at a pair of combative oversight hearings before House and Senate committees.

Noem was questioned about the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, which led to the deaths of two residents, and about a more than $200 million ad campaign in which she was prominently featured. Her testimony that Trump had signed off on the ad campaign, which involved the firm of her spokesperson's husband, received immediate pushback from the White House and the president himself, who said he hadn't known about the ad.

Trump subsequently removed Noem from her position as homeland security secretary and appointed her to lead what he described as a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere.

Mullin, a businessman and former mixed marital arts fighter, served for a decade in the House before he won a 2022 special election to the Senate.