WASHINGTON — Leaders from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security opted not to provide public testimony at a Senate hearing on Thursday that was set to discuss global national security threats, marking a significant deviation from previous practices where such testimonies were customary.
Senator Gary Peters, who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, expressed his disappointment, stating that their decision to forgo public testimony deprives American citizens of essential insights into the efforts being made to mitigate national security threats and undermines public accountability regarding federal actions aimed at ensuring the safety of the populace.
Peters noted that it was unprecedented in over 15 years for both the FBI director and the Homeland Security secretary to decline participation in a public hearing that focused on threats to the homeland, labeling it a “shocking departure” from established norms.
Additionally, a separate hearing that was slated for Wednesday before the House Homeland Security committee was also postponed.
The decision to skip these hearings comes during a period of notable political transition, as former President Trump is interviewing individuals to fill the vacancy left by FBI Director Christopher Wray and has announced the appointment of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to replace Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Typically, the Senate committee begins organizing its annual hearing several months in advance, with past events consistently incorporating a public dimension. On Monday, the committee was notified that both Mayorkas and Wray would not be attending.
In response to this development, the FBI asserted that it has continually demonstrated its commitment to Congressional oversight and transparency, emphasizing its intention to share information concerning the evolving threat landscape facing the nation.
“The FBI leaders have participated extensively in public forums discussing the current threat environment and feel that the committee would greatly benefit from deeper, substantive discussions and additional information that can only be shared in a classified setting,” the FBI stated.
Meanwhile, no immediate comment was received from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the situation.