Trump officials snub important congressional hearing

The House Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, was largely disregarded by President Donald Trump’s top officials Thursday during its annual hearing on worldwide threats. The committee, acting on behalf of all Americans, deserves to be fully briefed by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI about what threats Americans face.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem left the hearing early, and FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t attend. This wasn’t a last-minute hearing on an obscure point of policy. Garbarino acknowledged this, saying, “Oversight is not unfair, and asking questions is not unwarranted. We must ensure the people’s representatives are informed.”

What did come out of the hearing were partisan attacks by both parties seemingly designed to generate interest on social media. Democrats used their time to attack Trump and called for Noem to resign, Trump to fire her, or themselves to begin impeachment investigations on Noem. Quite the squandered opportunity.

Republican House members along with Noem and National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent used the forum to attack Democrats for being soft on crime and illegal immigration. They blamed former President Joe Biden for drugs and violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Noem said what “keeps her up at night” is not knowing who is in the country after the “invasion” allowed by Biden. While Noem acknowledged that the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in the detaining of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, little insight was given for why.

Little time was devoted to pressing homeland security concerns like cyberattacks. Noem said DHS plans to spend $1.5 billion on drone technology and defense. Kent said cybersecurity remains a top concern with China being the No. 1 state acting against U.S. interests. Noem confirmed DHS will spend $140 million to buy planes for deportations. When Garbarino asked Noem if counterterrorism grants for New York City, which had been cut by 80%, were reappropriated, Noem said the city had $440 million in existing unspent grants but said that Trump “has sent more resources to New York City.”

Garbarino, his first time wielding the gavel as head of the high profile committee, sought to keep the focus on the hearing’s intent. “More and more both nation states and rogue actors are turning to cyberspace to conduct nefarious operations against the United States and its interests,” he said. “Just a few weeks ago, we saw the first mainly autonomous artificial intelligence-conducted cyberattack.”

That’s serious and concerning. The 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics are just two examples of events that will need bolstered protection from Homeland Security, the FBI and other agencies.

Garbarino said cybercriminals, China propagandists, emerging biological threats, and narcoterrorists are “... why this hearing is so important.” We agree, which is why the committee must hold more hearings with real input from top administration officials.

Americans have the right to know they are being protected.