Month: March 2026

Trump Live Updates: Senate Committee Votes to Advance Markwayne Mullin’s Nomination to Lead D.H.S. – The New York Times  nytimes.com/live/2026/03/19/…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

#CIA  #FBI
#Hearing on  #Intelligence in  #Congress on March 19, 2026: what transpired and what did not (e.g. Election Interference)
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The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held its hearing on the 2026 Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The session was marked by tense exchanges over the ongoing war with Iran (“Operation Epic Fury”) and significant omissions regarding election security. [1, 2, 3]
What Did NOT Transpire (The Omissions)
The most significant “non-event” was the exclusion of established threats from the official record, particularly regarding elections.

Election Interference Removed from Report: For the first time since 2016, the Intelligence Community’s unclassified Annual Threat Assessment contained no mention of foreign threats to U.S. elections.Despite the rise of AI-driven disinformation, the report notably failed to link Artificial Intelligence to election interference.
This omission drew sharp rebuke from committee Democrats, including Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), who argued that ignoring the issue invites further meddling by adversaries like Russia.

Refusal to Rule Out Military at Polls: When Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) asked a Department of Defense official to commit that active-duty military personnel would not be deployed to polling places for the upcoming midterms, the official did not provide that assurance. Instead, they stated that such decisions would be subject to “White House review,” fueling concerns about potential voter intimidation.
Gabbard’s Evasiveness on Past Interference: When pressed by Rep. Himes, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard refused to give a direct “yes” or “no” regarding established intelligence on foreign interference in the 2020 election. She instead gave a non-committal response that the community was “continuing to look into” the matter. [2, 4, 5, 6, 7]
What Transpired (The Testimony)
The hearing was dominated by the administration’s justifications for the war in Iran and the politicization of intelligence. [8]

“Operation Epic Fury” (Iran War):Status of Regime: Intelligence officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testified that the Iranian regime is “intact but largely degraded.”
Strait of Hormuz: Lawmakers grilled officials on whether the administration had anticipated Iran’s retaliation—specifically the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz—before launching strikes.
Testimony Discrepancy: A controversy emerged when DNI Gabbard’s written testimony claimed Iran’s nuclear enrichment program had been “obliterated,” but she skipped this line in her oral remarks. Critics suggested this edit was made to avoid contradicting President Trump’s narrative that an imminent nuclear threat still required military action.

Fulton County Raid Scrutiny: Democrats questioned DNI Gabbard’s unusual personal presence at an FBI raid of a Fulton County, Georgia, election facility earlier in the year, portraying it as political interference in election administration.

Other Threats: The hearing covered the trafficking of fentanyl by transnational criminal organizations (labeled a “direct threat”) and a Chinese cyber operation that utilized an “AI tool” to extort healthcare and government sectors. [4, 7, 8, 9, 10]
[1]  intelligence.house.gov
[2]  cbs19.tv
[3]  youtube.com
[4]  defenseone.com
[5]  gtlaw.com.au

[6]  youtube.com
[7]  cbsnews.com
[8]  newrepublic.com
[9]  cbsnews.com
[10]  25newsnow.com

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

Hearing on Intelligence in Congress on March 19, 2026: what transpired and what did not (e.g. Election Interference) – Google Search  google.com/search?q=Hearing+…
On March 19, 2026, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held an open hearing on the 2026 Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment. [1] 
Below is a breakdown of what transpired during the hearing and what notably did not, specifically regarding election interference. [1] 
What Did Not Transpire • Discussion of Election Interference in the Annual Report: The most significant omission—and a major point of contention—was the absence of foreign election interference from the written Annual Worldwide Threat Assessment report. Unlike previous years, the 2026 report did not list foreign efforts to influence U.S. elections as a top-tier threat.
• Clarification on “Imminent” Threats from Iran: Despite repeated questioning from Democratic lawmakers, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard did not provide clear evidence or a direct answer regarding whether there was an “imminent” threat from Iran that justified the recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes. She also sidestepped questions about whether President Trump had been briefed on potential consequences, such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Direct Answers on Domestic Activities: Gabbard avoided providing specific details regarding her presence at a January FBI raid of a Georgia elections office, stating it was at the President’s request but claiming she did not participate in law enforcement activities. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6] 

What Transpired • Focus on the War with Iran: The hearing was dominated by the ongoing conflict with Iran. Intelligence officials, including DNI Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel, testified that while Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities have been “largely degraded” by recent strikes, the regime remains intact and capable of rebuilding.
• AI Designated as a Top Threat: For the first time, the intelligence community’s report elevated Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the status of a “defining technology” and a primary global threat, distinct from its use by specific actors like China or Russia.
• Terrorism & Border Security: Officials discussed a shift in the nature of terrorism toward individual radicalization rather than large-scale coordinated plots by groups like ISIS or Al-Qaeda. Fentanyl trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border was also highlighted as a “direct threat” to national security.
• Heated Partisan Exchanges: The hearing featured sharp clashes. Democrats pressed witnesses on the justification for the war in Iran and the politicization of intelligence, while Republicans focused on the successes of recent military operations and the “decimation” of Iranian nuclear facilities. [3, 7, 8, 9, 10] 

Context: This House hearing followed a similar Senate Intelligence Committee hearing held the previous day (March 18), where the omission of election interference was first publicly challenged by Senator Mark Warner.

AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses

[1]  intelligence.house.gov/2026/…
[2]  youtube.com/watch?v=F7XOjlIY…
[3]  nbcnews.com/politics/trump-a…
[4]  politico.com/news/2026/03/18…
[5]  theguardian.com/us-news+tone…
[6]  nextgov.com/defense/2026/03/…
[7]  youtube.com/watch?v=vBdN2deC…
[8]  cbsnews.com/live-updates/tul…
[9]  cbsnews.com/live-updates/tul…
[10]  nextgov.com/defense/2026/03/…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

#CIA  #FBI
LIVE:  #Senate Intelligence Committee holds hearing on worldwide threats – YouTube  youtube.com/watch?v=jRPCe-Ir…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

LIVE: Senate Intelligence Committee holds hearing on worldwide threats – YouTube  youtube.com/watch?v=jRPCe-Ir…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

Current  #News: Articles and Tweets: What Election interference? Mr.  #Trump does not want to talk about it … –  #Intelligence Hearings 2026. Congress hearings on Intelligence Services 2026: What transpired so far? Election Threat Omission  currentnewschannels.blogspot…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026

Current News: Articles and Tweets: What Election interference? Mr. Trump does not want to talk about it … – Intelligence Hearings 2026. Congress hearings on Intelligence Services 2026: What transpired so far? Election Threat Omission  currentnewschannels.blogspot…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 19, 2026