Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon join AI skeptics at ‘Pro-Human’ conference as Washington debates next steps
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President Donald Trump has characterized concerns about potentially dire consequences of unrestrained AI development as a “hoax.”
What to know today
- 'PRO-HUMAN' AI CONFERENCE: Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Trump White House aide Steve Bannon are among the attendees at a conference in Washington today dubbed the Pro-Human Assembly, aimed at pressing for new policies to place some curbs on the rapidly accelerating development of artificial intelligence.
- WHITE HOUSE MEETING: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he expects President Donald Trump to hold a meeting at the White House with AI platform leaders in the coming days to discuss how the companies plan to maintain safety and the role of government in that effort.
- KENNEDY CENTER: Trump’s handpicked board of trustees voted today to immediately shutter the performing arts center after its members argued the institution is in “dire” financial and structural shape. The center's chief financial officer, Donna Kauranen, resigned later in the day, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Record number of House Republicans vote in favor of resolution calling for end to Iran war
The House tonight again passed a war powers resolution — a largely symbolic measure — directing Trump to end U.S. hostilities in Iran.
The 220-204 vote included a record seven GOP lawmakers joining all Democrats in supporting the resolution: Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa.
It's the third time the House has approved a war powers resolution seeking to end the war in Iran. Lawmakers passed similar measures in June and July. The Senate also voted in favor of the nonbinding resolution in June.
Mace, Miller-Meeks and Nunn supported the measure for the first time tonight. Nunn's vote comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned for him last month in Iowa.
Kash Patel defends FBI’s new policy on bestiality at Senate hearing
FBI Director Kash Patel today found himself defending a new policy at the bureau that does not immediately disqualify potential hires who have engaged in bestiality.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, some senators grilled Patel about the new standards, which he said were established so as not to discriminate against potential victims of sex trafficking who were forced to perform acts of bestiality.
His explanation elicited curious responses, including one from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who asked Patel why he would “even get into bestiality.”
Patel quickly emphasized that “we’re not into bestiality,” to which Kennedy said, “I know you’re not,” prompting a chuckle from Patel, who said he was trying to explain the policy.
Vance tells Republicans running against Democrats who are ‘not that crazy’ to bring up Abdul El-Sayed instead
Vice President JD Vance gave House Republicans a pep talk in a visit to Capitol Hill today, urging members in safe districts to help their colleagues in tougher races and offering advice about how to convince voters that the problems the country faces are Democrats’ fault.
Vance urged lawmakers to talk about how Republicans have cut taxes and addressed crime while still blaming the Democratic Party — which has been out of the White House for more than a year and a half.
Abdul El-Sayed to meet with Democrats tomorrow in Washington
The Michigan Democratic nominee for the Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, will be in Washington tomorrow to meet with Democrats.
Senate Democrats will do a “meet and greet” with El-Sayed at their campaign headquarters at 11 a.m. ET, according to three people with knowledge of the plans.
The informal meeting comes as Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, whose seat Democrats are fighting to keep, urged fellow Democrats today to set aside their differences and coalesce around El-Sayed, one of the people said.
El-Sayed is also expected to meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, according to a source familiar with that meeting. The CBC's political action committee endorsed him last week.
In AI talk, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says truck drivers could face disruption but air traffic controllers are here to stay
Speaking to a ballroom of tech executives and lobbyists tonight, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his department is keeping safety top of mind while also embracing AI innovation.
"I need to make sure that I have regulations in place that keep people safe but I also don't overregulate and kill the small innovative companies," Duffy said at the AI and American Transportation Dinner, sponsored by the National Artificial Intelligence Association. "I call it my Goldilocks approach," he said in discussing how AI can help federal workers transform outdated systems and smooth Americans’ travel.
Duffy spoke with NAIA President and CEO Caleb Max for the better part of an hour about the Transportation Department's AI efforts, citing work on driverless cars, flying electric vehicles and improvements in air traffic control systems. Duffy said he ultimately views AI as a tool that can supercharge workers' efficiency while keeping humans involved.
"I'm not going to have AI control your airplane," he said. "There are tools that they can use and tools that'll make their lives way easier and way safer. But the air traffic controllers are going to control the airspace."
At the same time, Duffy acknowledged that AI and robotics would disrupt many transportation workers' livelihoods. "I love the truckers," he said. But "I'm sure there's going to be some disruption for sure," he added, citing short-haul trucking routes already operated by self-driving trucks.
Duffy deflected questions about the recent wave of concerns that AI could pose existential or catastrophic risks to society, emphasizing that the Transportation Department's interaction with AI is rooted in real-world practicalities.
"We are going to make things actually work again for all of you," Duffy said. "Make them safer, but way cooler."
Kennedy Center's chief financial officer resigns
The Kennedy Center’s chief financial officer, Donna Kauranen, resigned today, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Kauranen served in the role for about a year and a half. She was brought on in early 2025 by the center’s former executive director and Trump special envoy Richard Grenell after having served in budget and finance roles for several Republican governors around the country over the past two decades.
The Kennedy Center says it is in a “dire financial position” and faces potential bankruptcy. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kauranen’s resignation tonight.
Kauranen’s resignation comes after the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, handpicked by Trump, voted today to shutter the center, citing a dire structural condition. Trump said on social media after the vote that renovations would only take place if his name is added to the building.
Ted Cruz calls Republican candidate Bo French's racist post 'idiotic'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today spoke out against the Republican candidate for Texas railroad commissioner, Bo French, over a racist social media post he published over the weekend.
“It was an idiotic tweet that he sent. I wish he hadn’t sent it,” Cruz told NBC News on Capitol Hill, adding that he himself was “celebrating every student” at the University of Texas.
French’s post, in which he attacked students of South Asian descent pictured celebrating the University of Texas’ football win over Ohio State last weekend, was met with swift backlash from politicians in Texas, including Republicans.
They included Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who blasted French for doubling down on his post and using it to raise money, even after having been called out.
“The Republican Party is better than this. We should all condemn this bigotry directed at our fellow Texans or we will soon find ourselves a minority party,” wrote Cornyn, who will leave his seat at the end of the year after he lost his primary to Trump-backed Ken Paxton.
House panel votes to hold Epstein associate Leon Black in contempt
The House Oversight Committee voted today to recommend the full House find billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with subpoenas related to its probe into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The bipartisan vote was unanimous, 41-0.
Black, a private equity investor who had a business relationship with Epstein, voluntarily sat for a closed-door transcribed interview with the Republican-led committee in late June but left before it was over, after lawmakers complained he wasn’t answering their questions. As a result, they issued subpoenas for him to turn over more information.
He didn’t show up for a later deposition the committee scheduled and sued it, seeking to block the subpoenas for his appearance and nondisclosure agreements tied to Epstein.
Senate votes to move forward with Protect College Sports Act
The Senate tonight voted to advance the Protect College Sports Act, an NCAA-backed, bipartisan bill aimed at setting federal guidelines for college sports amid a rapidly shifting landscape.
The measure advanced on a 74-24 vote; it needed 60. Timing on a vote for final passage in the Senate is unclear. The legislation would still need to pass the House if it makes it through the Senate.
The Protect College Sports Act is the latest attempt to set a national standard for the rules of college sports. In recent years, a variety of issues — ranging from eligibility to compensation — have been litigated in state courts.
Decisions and temporary injunctions have quickly changed NCAA rules that had been in place for decades, paving the way for athletes to transfer from school to school freely or be compensated by their schools directly.
Abdul El-Sayed calls Mike Rogers 'cowardly' for skipping Michigan Senate debate
Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed took a jab at Mike Rogers tonight after his Republican opponent said he would not be participating in what would have been the first debate in a closely watched race for an open Senate seat in Michigan.
"Mike DODGERS is too cowardly to show up to debate me," El-Sayed wrote in a post on X, accompanied by a photo of him in a TV studio in Detroit across from an empty podium.
Rogers’ campaign said in a statement that he would skip the debate because the moderator, WJBK-TV news anchor Roop Raj, displays “bias and favoritism.”
“Michiganders deserve to see their candidates engage in a healthy, fair debate — not one compromised by media bias,” Alyssa Brouillet, communications director for Rogers’ campaign, said in a statement, adding that Raj had previously called El-Sayed “brilliant.”
Raj disputed that the comment reflected a bias toward El-Sayed, saying on WJBK that the remark was about El-Sayed’s status as a former Rhodes Scholar, adding that it doesn’t mean he agrees with his policies.
“We were framing a question in that moment where people had questioned whether [El-Sayed] was actually a doctor or not a doctor, whether he was qualified for office or not,” Raj said on air. “I essentially was saying, look, this is a guy who, by all accounts, is a smart guy. They’re both tremendous political athletes.”
“We ask tough questions about Republicans and Democrats each and every night on our political talk show, 'The Pulse,'” Raj said. “But as you can imagine, the narrative is the narrative. And for whatever reason, the Rogers camp did not want to do a debate with Fox 2.”
El-Sayed fielded questions from Raj and a few voters for about an hour in lieu of a two-candidate debate.
Rogers has committed to other debates, including on Oct. 8 debate hosted by NBC affiliate WOOD of Grand Rapids and an Oct. 21 debate hosted by WXYZ of Detroit.
Two House Democrats cross the aisle to help Republicans pass procedural votes
Two House Democrats voted with Republicans again to advance a procedural rule, just two weeks after they faced criticism from Democratic leadership and their colleagues for taking the same action on a previous vote.
Reps. Jared Golden, of Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, of Washington, helped Republicans approve a rule covering several pieces of legislation, including the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.
Had they voted against the rule, which is typical for the minority party to do, Republicans would have lacked the votes needed to approve the measure. Reps. Andy Harris, R-Md., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., voted against the rule, but Republican leaders were able to flip several other members of their party who initially voted against it.
Perez indicated on X that her vote had to do with her support for the sanctions bill.
“My vote today gets us one step closer to enacting these sanctions into law and I look forward to voting tomorrow to cut off the flow of Russian oil money fueling this war,” she wrote.
‘I’m not going to be a Republican!’: John Fetterman promises, again, not to defect
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., insisted today he won’t become a Republican, showing frustration with the ongoing questions about his intentions.
“I’m not going to be a Republican!” Fetterman told reporters on Capitol Hill, raising his voice and shaking his head. “If I turn a Republican, then I’ll be a liar.”
Supreme Court pushes back against Trump and GOP ahead of the midterm elections
The Supreme Court in the last week has delivered major blows to Trump and his fellow Republicans that suggest the justices will not be receptive to last-minute efforts to change election rules heading into the midterms.
With control of Congress at stake, the court last night blocked Trump’s plan to exert federal control over mail-in ballots via a Postal Service regulation.
House votes to table Rep. Al Green's impeachment resolution for Trump
The House voted this afternoon to table Rep. Al Green’s resolution to impeach Trump.
The vote was 232-147, with 46 Democrats voting present. Eighteen Democrats voted with Republicans to table the measure.
The action kills the impeachment resolution and blocks any further action on it.
Green, D-Texas, has tried to impeach Trump several times. Most recently, in December, the House tabled an impeachment resolution from him.
Inside the AI risk summit uniting Bernie Sanders, Steve Bannon and Hollywood
In a subterranean conference center blocks from the White House, politicians, organizers, celebrities and AI experts gathered to discuss the trajectory of AI and chart out a “pro-human” future today.
The event featured an unlikely mix of top speakers, including Bernie Sanders, Steve Bannon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ashley Judd.
Google searches for voter registration spike after Emmys
Alan Cumming's call last night for Americans to register to vote appears to have worked.
Google Trends today showed "how do i register to vote" as the top trending topic, with more than 1 million searches, up more than 5,000% compared with the previous week.
In his Emmys acceptance speech, Cumming, host of the reality competition show "The Traitors," called for people to register ahead of the midterms.
“Finally, tonight we have received the most votes, but tomorrow is voter registration day in this country,” he said. “So please make sure you are registered to vote, because the time for talk is over. It is now time to vote, America.”
Blanche echoes Trump's comments that Iran conflict isn't a war
Asked about impeachment articles Trump critic Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today, Blanche said the Iran conflict isn't a war.
"You called it a war. I disagree with that characterization, as does most of Congress," Blanche said.
"There’s been votes on whether it’s a war and what to do and why votes through Congress, which has determined ... that he’s not doing anything wrong and the president’s not doing anything wrong," he added.
Trump has also stressed recently that the military operations against Iran shouldn't be considered a "war."
Blanche answers questions in the Rose Garden today. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
Blanche says that Trump's efforts to change voting by mail won't stop after November
Attorney General Todd Blanche was asked about the Supreme Court's decision to block the Trump administration's efforts to restrict mail-in ballots.
"Our efforts to, and President Trump’s efforts, to make sure that we have free and fair elections are not going to stop just in November or after or thereafter, so I expect you’re going to see that work continue," he said.
He also said, "There should be nothing surprising about what we’re trying to do when it comes to mail-in voting, which is we want to make sure that there is safe voting and that there is integrity, free and fair elections and that there is one person placing one vote and that that person’s eligible to vote."
Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board votes to close venue for renovations
Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board voted today to immediately shutter the performing arts center, a source familiar with the decision said, after its members argued it is in “dire” financial and structural shape.
The board voted shortly after a federal judge in Washington rejected the board’s latest effort to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade — a move the board says is necessary to save the memorial to John F. Kennedy from bankruptcy.
A tarp remained in place on the facade of the Kennedy Center on Sept. 2. Finn Gomez / Getty Images
Patel warns companies that help provide access to medication abortion through the mail
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with FBI Director Kash Patel that his state bans the use of abortion drugs but that overseas companies are still helping consumers gain access to them through the U.S. Postal Service.
"You cannot use federal instrumentalities to evade and violate state laws," Hawley said, asking Patel whether the FBI would look into companies that use federal mail or other means of communication and commerce to circumvent state laws.
Patel said: "Without naming any of the companies, I’m not saying we’re not already, but any use of the mail system is a federal crime that falls to the FBI to investigate, especially in conjunction with a violation of a state law that’s already on the books. So we’re committed to that."
The Supreme Court ruled in May that the abortion pill mifepristone can continue to be accessed through the mail without in-person appointments with clinicians.
Ohio city council joins the renaming trend with ‘Gulf of Cleveland’
Trump has pushed to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”
Now, get ready for the “Gulf of Cleveland.”
The Cleveland City Council voted to pass a resolution to rename part of Lake Erie as the “Gulf of Cleveland,” a satirical move poking fun at Trump’s renaming efforts. The resolution, led by council member Kris Harsh, is nonbinding and does not have the force of law. A council spokesperson said the vote was 13-1.
Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland. simonkr / Getty Images
Steve Bannon alleges AI leaders want to 'socialize all the risk' of the technology
Trump ally Steve Bannon slammed AI industry leaders, arguing they "tried to cover up the danger" and alleging they "want is to socialize all the risk" while keeping the "upside."
He urged executive action to slow the pace of the technology's development and cast doubt on the reasons AI insiders are raising alarms.
"What they’re trying to do now with this whole phony, 'Oh, we really should have some controls,'" he said, "all they’re trying to do is to use a crisis and turn it to their advantage by creating a moat, a cartel." He argued that the AI companies were trying to ensure other aspiring AI companies couldn't get into the market and trying to shift liability to Americans.
Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
He nodded to Sen. Bernie Sanders' previous remarks, saying, "I think Sen. Sanders did a very good job of summarizing the risk." It's a rare moment of unity between the two men, who often have diametrically opposed political views.
Later, he compared the AI race to the Cold War, saying, "This is like Russia and the United States."
Sanders announces plans to introduce a ban on artificial superintelligence
Sanders announced at the Pro-Human Assembly that he planned to introduce legislation with Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, to permanently ban the development of artificial superintelligence.
"Like nuclear weapons, artificial superintelligence is a threat to humanity, and it must be treated as such," Sanders said in his speech. "Further, this legislation will put an immediate pause on advanced AI development until we have clear safety rules in place developed by the most knowledgeable scientists in our country."
Sanders speaks at the Pro-Human Assembly today. Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
Sanders argued that Congress, led by both parties, has been "asleep at the wheel" in addressing the rise in artificial intelligence. He called for Americans to have a greater say in the future of AI, "not just a handful of oligarchs."
Ahead of Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, Sanders said he hoped they could negotiate an AI treaty. Trump has argued that the U.S. cannot slow AI development because it would cede ground to China.
Schiff says Democrats will investigate wrongful termination of FBI agents if they take control of Senate
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., suggested in his remarks that if Democrats retake the majority in the November midterm elections, they plan to investigate what he called the wrongful termination of FBI employees during the Trump administration.
"The FBI is being sued for wrongful termination, and I will remind you, director, because you probably need reminding, that while this Congress is not going to investigate the wrongful termination of potentially hundreds of agents for working on properly predicated investigations, the next Congress will, and you have an obligation as FBI director to ensure that none of the personnel files, none of the emails, none of the voicemails, none of the text messages are destroyed," Schiff said.
Schiff asked Patel about FBI agents who worked on investigations of Trump who were fired last year. Asked if a lot were fired under his leadership, Patel said, "I don’t think a lot of them, but a lot of them retired, and some of the ones that weaponized law enforcement were terminated, as they always will be."
Referring to agents that worked on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation, Schiff said, "Is it your testimony that they’re not at the FBI because they retired, not because they were fired?"
Patel responded, "My understanding is the overwhelming majority of those agents and FBI personnel retired."
Schiff asked if any agents who worked on that case or the Jan. 6 probe fired in whole or in part because they worked on those investigations. Patel said, "For the simple fact of working on those investigations, no. If they weaponize law enforcement, yes."
Senators from both parties urge quick action on AI safeguards
A bipartisan group of Senators told NBC News this morning that Congress should take AI warnings seriously and act quickly to implement safeguards on the technology.
“We should not leave for November without passing AI legislation. We should not break for any kind of recess without dealing with AI,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Ct., said.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., warned that Congress is “seldom ever in the front of the parade” of regulating new technology. But Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told NBC, “if Congress is not equipped, then throw the bums out and bring in some new people who are."
“This is one more reason that in this upcoming midterms, we need some people who have the courage to stand up and say we’re going to put meaningful regulations on AI,” Warren added.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said talks of an AI oversight hearing are “ongoing,” adding that there are “absolutely risks” to the letting the technology go unchecked.
On President Trump saying AI safety fears are a “hoax,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said, “I disagree with him completely. Come on, it’s not a hoax. It’s a real thing.” He added that the AI industry needs to “come up with solutions fast.”
Asked if he believes Senators understand AI, Tillis said, “No, a lot of them can’t spell it.”
House Republican is trying to force vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Rep. Thomas Massie, R.-Ky., is attempting to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Massie is currently on the House floor reading his impeachment resolution, saying Hegseth “has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution, if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law.”
Massie is bringing his resolution forward under the privileges of the House, meaning House Republican leaders must address the measure within two legislative days. The House leaves town on Thursday, so the impeachment resolution would have to be taken up by then.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file
Republicans can offer a motion to table or kill the impeachment resolution as they will do today with Rep. Al Green’s impeachment attempt against President Trump. But they would need almost all Republicans to stay unified on voting to table the impeachment of Hegseth.
Hegseth has campaigned this election cycle with Ed Gallrein, who defeated Massie in the Republican primary for his seat.
Booker compares Patel to a 'thug' over FBI's investigation of reporters and their families
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., lambasted Patel over the FBI's investigations into journalists that have reported on the Trump administration, comparing the FBI director to a "thug."
"Like a thug, you’re using your agency to go after reporters in a chill to one of the most sacrosanct ideals of the United States of America. They can pass you all the notes they want, but the truth is clear," Booker said. "Right now, you are stonewalling this committee for asking simple questions of accountability on how you are using government resources to go after reporters."
Booker asked Patel about the FBI's investigation into New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns related to the the new Air Force One, which Qatar donated to the Trump administration.
Booker also asked if FBI agents used federal databases to gather information on a different New York Times journalist, Elizabeth Williamson, after she wrote an article in March alleging that Patel provided his girlfriend with government safety and transportation.
"You can say whatever lies you want. We’re not going to participate," Patel said.
“The Obama administration subpoenaed countless reporters. Did 1,200 interviews of reporters in an investigation into reporters,” Patel said. “This administration focuses on the leakers of classified information that endanger the lives of elected officials and American citizens. We are not targeting reporters at any point in time.”
After Booker railed against Patel, the FBI director said, "I don’t have much to say. This guy called me a thug. It’s kind of ironic. He’s running for president of the United States."
U.S. and China face grave AI risks but mutual distrust stalls cooperation
The United States and China are both gripped by safety fears as they reckon with their rapid advances in AI, but intensifying competition and deep mutual distrust could derail the kind of cooperation experts say is vital to head off the strategically vital technology’s greatest dangers.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly at the center of the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, and is expected to be a major topic of discussion at a summit in Washington next week between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says AI companies can 'self-regulate'
House Speaker Mike Johnson said artificial intelligence companies can “self-regulate” and do not “need the government to tell them to slow it down.”
"They can self-police," he said. "They can self regulate. They don’t need the government to tell them to slow it down. If they want to slow it down, they should. But we cannot, exactly — we cannot have a moratorium on the development of AI. OK, because then we will lose our edge to China, and that has serious national security implications for every American family."
Last week, AI industry insiders issued warnings about the future of the technology, prompting public conversations about government regulation. Trump, though, dismissed the idea of needing to implement AI guardrails.
Asked by a reporter about Trump dismissing concerns about AI as a "hoax," Johnson said, "We've all seen this movie before."
"OK, we’re 49 days out from an election, a catastrophe is created. The media gets spun up. Social media gets spun up," he said.
Johnson also reiterated that he believes AI leaders need to come together for a meeting and figure out how to address artificial intelligence. Johnson said he believed there needed to be independent auditors and that "everybody needs to take responsibility for their safety of their own products."
The Data Dive: Kornacki on the Texas voters giving Democrats hope
You know the story in Texas: Democrats are trying to flip a Republican-held Senate seat and win a statewide election for the first time in 32 years. If they succeed, their chances of claiming a Senate majority will be dramatically bolstered.
Patel says 'this FBI is not going to shy away' from ensuring election integrity
Under questioning from Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Patel declined to promise that he would not interfere in the upcoming midterm elections.
"Do you pledge that you will not, in any way, interfere in the will of the American people when they go to the polls in November?” Welch asked the FBI director.
"I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies,” Patel replied.
Patel testifies today. Win McNamee / Getty Images
Patel earlier was pressed by other committee Democrats on whether the FBI would send agents to the polls, and said of his agency that "We will always follow the law."
He told both Welch that the agency would have "election crisis coordinators" at each of its 56 field offices.
“Election integrity is of paramount importance,” Patel said. “This FBI is not going to shy away from that effort.”
OpenAI supports House AI bill's call for third-party safety reviews, spokesperson says
Chris Lehane, the head of global affairs at OpenAI, said that OpenAI supports part of the FRONTIER Act, a bipartisan House bill that would create oversight for frontier artificial intelligence, according to a company spokesperson.
The spokesperson confirmed that Lehane said that the company supports part of the bill that would establish a system for independent verification organizations to oversee AI practices and risks.
Politico reported earlier today that OpenAI supported part of the FRONTIER Act.
Chris Lehane of OpenAI. Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
Last week, Lehane wrote that the company wants "to work with Congress on mandatory, capability-based national AI safety regulation."
"A serious public framework should reduce, not increase, the concentration of power," he wrote. "Today, frontier laboratories largely set their own rules for managing frontier risks. Democratically accountable standards, independent verification, and meaningful transparency would replace that fragmented system of private governance."
Blumenthal calls for FBI investigation into Russian oligarch paying for Donald Trump Jr.'s lavish wedding celebration
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked Patel what steps the FBI is taking to investigate the revelation that a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin paid for Donald Trump Jr.'s post-weddign celebration on a Caribbean island in May.
Blumenthal summarized the details, which were first reported yesterday by ProPublica. The president's eldest son and his new wife, Bettina Trump, acknowledged that Umar Kremlev paid for their post-wedding celebration.
The president told NBC News in a statement yesterday that "I have no idea who Umar is, never heard of him." Similarly, a spokesperson for first lady Melania Trump said today that "Mrs. Trump does not, and has never had, a relationship with Mr. Kremlev."
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Umar Kremlev at the Kremlin in April. Getty Images file
"I’m not sure what public reporting you’re referring to," Patel said. "The only thing I can tell you is that the counterespionage arrests by this FBI are up 53, including from Russia," he said. "We’ve arrested more espionage actors in these last 18 months than any 18-month period in the FBI history, and we’ll continue to investigate."
Blumenthal expressed concern that that "there’s a potential for compromise in intelligence and also the possibility of improper influence."
Asked what steps the FBI is taking to look into this matter, Patel said, "First of all, you’re referring to something that happened yesterday in public reporting, and public reporting generally is inaccurate. And so, what the men and women of the FBI will do, as we do in every case, is we will look at whatever information comes our way and analyze it."
After Patel said he doesn't track public reporting, Blumenthal said he wants the FBI director to report back to the committee how the agency will investigate the issue.
Patel pressed on whether FBI will send agents to polling places
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said to Patel that "federal law has made clear that the president does not have the authority to deploy armed federal officials to election sites."
She noted that Justice Department guidance states FBI agents can't conduct probes inside polling places on Election Day and that federal prosecutors have no authority to send FBI special agents or deploy U.S. marshals to polling places.
Asked if he's aware of that guidance, Patel said, "I'm aware."
Klobuchar then asked Patel to commit to "following clear federal law and DOJ policy, and not deploy federal agents to polling places."
Patel said, "We will always follow the law and the guidelines."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., later asked Patel to "commit to this committee that you will not send FBI agents to the polls on election day."
Patel said that the agency "will follow the law if there's a reason to go there because there's been a violation of law."
Blumenthal continued to press: "I’m dissatisfied that you are unable to give us an unequivocal, clear, unambiguous commitment that the FBI will be kept out of election interference. You are involved in seven voter-related subpoenas issued to the Nevada Secretary of State’s office. You were involved in seizure of election records from Fulton County, Georgia. Clearly, the FBI has been involved in possible election interference."
Whitehouse presses Patel on FBI's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., pressed Patel about the FBI's investigation into late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the administration's release of related documents to the public.
Whitehouse said that there was a summary of an FBI interview with a woman who testified to the FBI that she had been "both sexually and physically assaulted by Donald Trump around the ages of 14 to 15." He appeared to be referring to a woman from South Carolina who alleged to the FBI in 2019 that she was a sexual assault victim of Epstein and that she was assaulted by Trump in the 1980s when she was between the ages of 13 and 15.
When the government released information related to the probe in March, then-White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “These are completely baseless accusations, backed by zero credible evidence, from a sadly disturbed woman who has an extensive criminal history."
The senator said in the federal government's first release of DOJ documents, the summaries didn't mention Trump and then it later disclosed records that did.
"But we still have 37 undisclosed pages that seem to be the contemporaneous FBI notes that would have formed the basis for the 302 summaries," Whitehouse said.
Patel said the FBI has complied with the Epstein release statute and court orders and has produced 3.5 million pages of documents.
Pressed about 37 pages that Whitehouse said are missing, Patel said, "I don’t know what you’re referencing."
More than a half-billion dollars pours into the battle for the House — mostly in just 15 districts
Candidates, super PACs and others are set to spend more than a half-billion dollars over the next two months vying for control of the House — and the way they’re spending that money illustrates the two big, push-pull dynamics shaping the midterm fight.
Despite their narrow House majority, Republicans have some key things working in their favor. Republican-held seats make up a smaller share of competitive seats than in any other midterm over the last two decades — a dynamic shaped significantly by the GOP’s redistricting moves in the past year.
Trump attacks Supreme Court after it rejected mail-in ballot restrictions
In a lengthy Truth Social post this morning, Trump railed against the Supreme Court for ruling that his administration cannot enforce proposed mail-in ballot restrictions.
"Republicans just got another bad decision from the United States Supreme Court, one that the Court System took forever to give, and then blamed it, in part, on no time left to implement a solution to our totally CORRUPT and out of control Mail-In voting “disaster,” which is a laughing stock all over the World, and where we are the only country that has to endure such a Nation Destroying SCAM," he wrote.
Trump called the two dissenting justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, "legends."
"The Supreme Court has really let our Country down! Certain Justices are petrified of these crazed and depraved Democrats, and are totally unable to show the courage necessary to save our America," he said of the high court, with three of the nine justices appointed by Trump himself.
He added: "These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court, they are merely a shell of their original selves."
Trump also lashed out at the court's decisions to strike down Trump's attempt to ban birthright citizenship and his aggressive tariff policy on foreign countries.
"The damage done to America is incalculable, and they know this, just as everyone else does — It is an irreparable and unrecoverable harm! The Court’s inability and unwillingness to do the right thing for our Country will go down, in a very negative way, in the annals of History," he said.
Durbin criticizes Patel's leadership at the FBI
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., criticized Patel's leadership at the FBI, arguing in his opening statement that he's shaped the agency as a "political weapon" against Trump's enemies.
"He compiled an enemies list of public servants he called government gangsters, who he promised to target if he was confirmed as head of the FBI, despite the warnings of Senate Democrats during his confirmation hearing," said Durbin, the committee's highest ranking Democrat.
He added, "Patel’s failed leadership, decades of efforts to modernize and reform the FBI are being undone, and the bureau has been reshaped as a political weapon against President Trump’s political enemies and a shield to protect the president and his MAGA loyalists, not the American people."
FBI Director Kash Patel testifies today. Graeme Sloan / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Durbin accused Patel of diverting FBI resources to investigate debunked conspiracy theories "that the 'deep state has been targeting President Trump since his first campaign.'"
He said that Patel is wasting resources to relitigate the 2020 presidential election and has overseen a purge of thousands of law enforcement officials.
"Director Patel has installed MAGA loyalists as political appointees in key career positions, and he imposed loyalty tests, requiring FBI officials to undergo polygraphs to say whether they ever criticize him," he said.
Obama, Harris call on federal government to address pace of AI development
Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris are calling on the federal government to take tangible action to address the acceleration of AI development amid warnings from within the industry about the potential consequences.
In a thread of posts on X, Obama said it's clear to him that the "potential impact of this technology is not overhyped" and is "moving at lightning speed."
"At the end of the day, voluntary standards made by a handful of tech companies won’t be enough," he wrote. "We need government — and specifically our leaders in Washington — to get proactive in coming up with concrete proposals, laws and regulations that deal with serious safety concerns, anticipate AI’s impact on jobs and our kids, and make sure that AI’s benefits are widely spread."
Similarly, Harris said in a post on X that a "slowdown is critical in order to ensure AI serves the public interest."
"This moment demands the leadership of the United States government. Congress must work at an urgent pace to pass new laws and establish a new federal entity to provide oversight and independent testing for this technology, to ensure accountability, and to protect our wellbeing," she said.
FBI Director Kash Patel to testify before Senate committee on oversight of his agency
FBI Director Kash Patel is slated to testify this morning before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing focused on oversight of his agency.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET.
Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump will convene meeting with AI leaders
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said yesterday that he expects Trump to “summon” AI platform leaders for a “deliberate discussion about the responsibility of the companies to maintain safety and what role, if any, the government has to play in that.”
“I think the president is going to summon everyone together, probably at the White House,” Johnson told reporters as he walked back to his office in the Capitol. “I expect that happens at the end of this week or early next week. That hasn’t been scheduled yet, but it’s in process.”
A source familiar with the situation told NBC News that a meeting between Trump and AI leaders is in “in the works” but that no timing has been nailed down yet.
Johnson also reiterated his comments yesterday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that the U.S. has to maintain an edge over China with regard to AI.
Asked whether the rise of AI is a threat to American society, Johnson said it was not.
“No,” he said. “I think we harness the AI technology and we keep America with the edge on this. And that would be good for everybody around the world, but certainly Americans.”
AI CEOs have called for a “slowdown” of AI, while former President Barack Obama advised Democrats to build an agenda around the topic. Trump today called concerns over AI a “hoax” and said the only guardrail needed is a “high IQ” president.
What hitting the brakes on AI could mean for the U.S. economy
Calls to put some brakes on AI development are raising questions about whether a tech slowdown could rein in the momentum that has been powering U.S. economic growth.
Once confined to remote corners of the technology world, concerns about AI safety burst into broader view last week after multiple AI safety engineers at leading companies resigned and issued public warnings that the technology isn’t being developed responsibly.
Trump calls Nvidia CEO to talk AI — and gets put on speakerphone during industry summit
Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during an industry summit yesterday and gave another full-throated defense of artificial intelligence after Huang put the call on speakerphone.
Trump characterized concerns about AI safety as a “hoax,” while telling Huang in the middle of the All-In Summit that the U.S. had to beat China in AI innovation and development.
Lawmakers to speak at 'Pro-Human Assembly' to address AI
Several lawmakers will speak at a "Pro-Human Assembly" today in D.C. that aims to address concerns about the future of artificial intelligence.
The assembly said on its website that it aims to bring "together select leaders to identify risks, spotlight opportunities, and map practical steps forward."
Speakers include Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas; and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas. Steve Bannon, a prominent conservative and Trump ally, will also speak, according to the website. Non-politician speakers, such as actors, union leaders and an archbishop, are also expected to appear.
"By acting now, our leaders can choose this better path for all of us," the group's website said. "By bringing together faith groups, parents, workers, politicians, national security experts, business leaders, activists, artists, and more, The Pro-Human Assembly 2026 will help make crucial voices heard in AI’s corridors of power."
Lawmakers have faced growing calls to implement AI guardrails in the aftermath of warnings from industry insiders last week about the potentially dire consequences of rapidly developing artificial intelligence. Trump, though, has made clear that he is not interested in implementing major AI restrictions.
