Top national security officials testified Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats.
Those appearing at the hearing included FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Intelligence Agency Director James Adams, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, acting U.S. Cyber Command chief William Hartman and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Gabbard faced some of the toughest questions, particularly about the war in Iran.
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Sen. Mark Warner asked whether she had briefed President Donald Trump on the possibility that Iran would strike neighboring Gulf nations and close the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli attacks. Trump had previously suggested he was surprised by Iran’s response.
Gabbard declined to discuss her conversations with the president.
"I will say those of us within the intelligence community continue provide the president with all the best, objective intelligence available to inform his decisions," she added.
She added that Iran’s regime “appears to be intact, but largely degraded” following weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Meanwhile, Gabbard identified Russia and China as the United States’ primary adversaries and said they are developing technologies that could pose a threat to the homeland.
"The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel advanced or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range," Gabbard noted.
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Gabbard was also questioned about her presence during a raid at the Fulton County elections headquarters, which is outside the typical scope of her role.
"I did not participate in a law enforcement activity, nor would I, as that does not exist in 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 what was not in the warrant."
