The House and Senate Intelligence committees will question leaders of five major intelligence and security agencies next week, resuming the annual tradition of a worldwide threats hearing that was abandoned under the Trump administration.
Director of National Intelligence Avril HainesAvril HainesHillicon Valley: Intel heads to resume threats hearing scrapped under Trump | New small business coalition to urge action on antitrust policy | Amazon backs corporate tax hike to pay for infrastructure Intel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump 2024 GOP White House hopefuls lead opposition to Biden Cabinet MORE, CIA Director William BurnsWilliam BurnsHillicon Valley: Intel heads to resume threats hearing scrapped under Trump | New small business coalition to urge action on antitrust policy | Amazon backs corporate tax hike to pay for infrastructure Intel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump Biden urges Congress to pass assault weapon ban MORE, FBI Director Christopher Wray, National Security Agency Director Gen. Paul Nakasone and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Gen. Scott Berrier will all appear in the Senate next Wednesday and in the House next Thursday.
Federal law requires the intelligence community to submit an annual worldwide threats assessment, but agencies failed to do so during Trump’s final two years in office. The last worldwide threats hearings were in January 2019.
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“Over the last four years, the Trump Administration discarded the tradition of open hearings on World Wide Threats, when it displeased the former president to have his preferred views of rival nations contradicted by agency heads,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffHillicon Valley: Intel heads to resume threats hearing scrapped under Trump | New small business coalition to urge action on antitrust policy | Amazon backs corporate tax hike to pay for infrastructure Intel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden tasks Harris on border; news conference today MORE (D-Calif.) said in a statement.
The hearing will be the first congressional appearance for many of the witnesses since they were confirmed earlier this year.
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It comes as the U.S. is facing a diverse set of threats, ranging from geopolitical tensions, a massive cyberattack on the U.S. government, a pandemic and an increase in domestic extremism.
During the last worldwide threats hearings under Trump, Wray and former Director of National Intelligence Dan CoatsDaniel (Dan) Ray CoatsIntel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump Lack of cyber funds in Biden infrastructure plan raises eyebrows How President Biden can hit a home run MORE testified on issues including rising threats from Russia and China, noting these nations might attempt to interfere in U.S. elections.
Coats also contradicted Trump on nuclear threats posed by Iran and North Korea, pushing back on Trump’s assessment that North Korea might get rid of its nuclear weapons stockpiles.
Though not mandated by law, the House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on worldwide threats to the homeland last year, at which Wray and former National Counterterrorism Center Director Christopher Miller testified.
Former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad WolfChad WolfIntel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump Sunday shows preview: Democrats eye passage of infrastructure bill; health experts warn of fourth coronavirus wave Russia suspected of massive State Department email hack: report MORE was also slated to appear but defied a subpoena to testify, garnering intense criticism from Democratic committee leaders in the process.