Episode 4366: Explosive Attacks In House Intelligence Subcommittee Cont.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bannon's War Room – Episode 4366: Explosive Attacks In House Intelligence Subcommittee Cont.

Release Date: March 26, 2025
Host: WarRoom.org
Title: Explosive Attacks In House Intelligence Subcommittee Cont.

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1. Introduction to the Congressional Hearing

The episode centers around a heated congressional hearing focusing on explosive attacks and security breaches within the House Intelligence Subcommittee. Key figures include Congressman Himes, Congresswoman Plaskett, General Cruz, and Director Gabbard. The discussion delves into cybersecurity advisories, the use of encrypted applications like Signal, and the implications of recent vulnerabilities.

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2. Cybersecurity Concerns and the Signal App

Timestamp [00:00-01:22]

Congressman Himes initiates the discussion by addressing cybersecurity advisories related to the Signal app, highlighting risks associated with its use:

• Congresswoman Plaskett [00:10]: "What we've done is we've put out an advisory on how to use the Signal app and other encrypted applications because there's risk to that app."

• Congressman Himes [00:21]: "We do encourage our employees and their families to use."

General Cruz and Director Gabbard confirm recent warnings about Signal app vulnerabilities, questioning the security of communications among high-level officials, including Director Gabbard and Mr. Witkoff.

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3. Classification Standards and Potential Military Operations

Timestamp [01:22-02:33]

The conversation shifts to the classification standards governing sensitive information:

• Congressman Himes [01:40]: "Information providing indication or advance warning that the US or its allies are preparing for an attack... is to be classified as top secret."

Director Gabbard acknowledges the classification standards, emphasizing the seriousness of disclosing such information.

The discussion raises concerns about potential military operations, with references to anti-aircraft systems like SA3 and SA6 used by the Houthis against US aircraft, including MQ9 Reapers.

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4. Accountability and Leadership Failures

Timestamp [03:21-04:42]

Congressman Himes delivers a passionate critique of administration officials, accusing them of lacking accountability:

• Congressman Himes [03:21]: "It is completely outrageous to me... that administration officials come before us today with impunity, no acceptance of responsibility..."

He calls for the resignation of Secretary Hegseth, citing a breach of security that jeopardized national safety. Himes underscores the importance of leadership responsibility, especially concerning the safety of military personnel.

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5. Debate on Public Broadcasting Funding and NPR Bias

Timestamp [05:04-14:37]

The hearing explores the role of public broadcasting in national security and public safety:

• Congresswoman Carger [05:32]: "Public broadcasting stations' unique reach, reliability, and role across America... are especially vital in rural and underserved areas."

Debate intensifies over NPR's alleged political bias, with Director Gabbard and Representative Jim Jordan challenging NPR's impartiality:

• Director Gabbard [10:18]: "We do not track the numbers or the voter registration."

• Director Gabbard [12:44]: "I do not believe we are politically biased, no. We are a nonpartisan organization."

Critics argue that NPR's declining listener base and perceived bias warrant defunding, while defenders emphasize the importance of unbiased public media in disseminating critical information.

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6. Intelligence Community’s Priorities and Operational Focus

Timestamp [17:36-37:25]

Congressman Waltz raises concerns about the Intelligence Community's focus, questioning whether the community prioritizes significant threats over internal security lapses:

• Congressman Waltz [17:54]: "Hundreds of incidents by predominantly Chinese students... should our posture be?"

Director Gabbard and others respond by highlighting ongoing efforts to address threats, emphasizing the need for robust intelligence and counterterrorism measures.

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7. Accountability and Leadership Scrutiny

Timestamp [22:10-26:00]

The hearing scrutinizes the impacts of cutting foreign aid and its ramifications on national security:

• Congressman Crenshaw [22:10]: "Some Kenyan journalists are now being trained by Beijing, mirroring the US Programs that have been cut by the administration."

• Director Gabbard [23:38]: "They are an adversary."

Further discussions highlight the potential weakening of US influence in Africa due to reduced foreign aid, posing strategic challenges against adversaries like Russia and China.

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8. Personal Conduct and Security Implications

Timestamp [35:43-37:25]

Congressman Gonzalez questions the personal conduct of Secretary Hegseth, linking it to potential security compromises:

• Congressman Gonzalez [35:48]: "Do you know whether Pete Hexa had been drinking before he leaked classified information?"

Both Director Gabbard and General Cruz defend the integrity of their officials, denying any misconduct:

• General Cruz [35:54]: "I find it interesting that you want to... are compromised."

The exchange underscores the tension between oversight committee members and intelligence officials regarding personal responsibility and national security.

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9. Host’s Analysis and Closing Remarks

Timestamp [26:00-44:33]

The host, Steve Bannon, provides a critical analysis of the hearings, accusing Democrats of targeting key administration officials like Pete Hegseth. He highlights the perceived bias in the committee's focus, lamenting the diversion from significant national security threats to internal political battles.

Bannon emphasizes the resilience of administration figures, noting their strategic responses to allegations and hostilities. He criticizes the committee for what he perceives as a setup and ambush against key defense officials, advocating for accountability and support for those in defense roles.

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10. Excluded Content

The transcript includes commercial breaks and advertisements promoting products like Birch Gold and emergency preparedness kits. As per the summary guidelines, these sections have been excluded to focus solely on the substantive content of the hearing.

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Notable Quotes:

1. Congressman Himes [03:21]:
   "It is completely outrageous to me... that administration officials come before us today with impunity, no acceptance of responsibility..."

2. Congresswoman Carger [05:32]:
   "Public broadcasting stations' unique reach, reliability, and role across America... are especially vital in rural and underserved areas."

3. Director Gabbard [12:44]:
   "I do not believe we are politically biased, no. We are a nonpartisan organization."

4. Congressman Waltz [17:54]:
   "Hundreds of incidents by predominantly Chinese students... should our posture be?"

5. Congressman Gonzalez [35:48]:
   "Do you know whether Pete Hexa had been drinking before he leaked classified information?"

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Conclusion

Episode 4366 of Bannon's War Room captures a contentious congressional hearing fraught with accusations of security lapses, editorial biases in public media, and intense scrutiny of national defense officials. The discussions reveal deep political divisions and underline the ongoing battle over accountability and the prioritization of national security threats.

For listeners seeking a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in congressional oversight and national security debates, this episode offers valuable insights into the strategies and conflicts shaping current political landscapes.

Transcript

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Congressman.

[Congressman Himes]

Is we put out cybersecurity advisories on a whole host of systems on the Signal on the Signal app that was included in that advisory. Right.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

What we've done is we've put out.

[Congressman Himes]

An advisory on how to use the.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Signal app and other encrypted applications because.

[Congressman Himes]

We do encourage our employees and their families to use. Because there's risk to that app.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

There are.

[Congressman Himes]

Okay. General Cruz, Dodge also issued a warning about vulnerabilities to the Signal app recently, correct?

[Director Gabbard]

That's correct.

[Congressman Himes]

Director Gabbard, you were on the signal text chain in question, correct?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

As was Mr. Witkoff, the administration's lead negotiator with the Russians, correct?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

And at the time, Mr. Witkoff was actually in Russia during this chat discussion, was he not?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I was not aware of that.

[Congressman Himes]

Was he on his personal phone at the time?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I don't know.

[Congressman Himes]

Well, it's my understanding that he was indeed in Russia. Director Gadbird, you were also traveling during this discussion, correct?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

And where were you?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I was traveling through the Asia Pacific region. I don't recall which country I was in at that time.

[Congressman Himes]

You don't remember the country?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I'd have to go back and look at the schedule.

[Congressman Himes]

Director Gabbard, I want to direct your attention again to the text chain where it says, just confirmed with centcom, we are a go for mission launch. Does that indicate to you that there is about to be a military operation?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

Director Gabbard, earlier in this hearing, we heard about the DoD's classification standards. I want to now turn my attention to your classification standards. You are the Director of National Intelligence. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence Classification Guide says, quote, information providing indication or advance warning that the US or its allies are preparing for an attack, end quote, is to be classified as top secret. Are you familiar with that?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

Director Gabbard, have the Houthis indicated an ability to shoot down American aircraft?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

They have in fact, done so, haven't they?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes.

[Congressman Himes]

Including MQ9 reapers, haven't they?

[Mr. Witkoff]

That's correct.

[Congressman Himes]

And that was one of the systems used in the attack recently? That's the subject of this discussion, is it not?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Correct.

[Congressman Himes]

General Cruz, are you familiar with this system?

[General Cruz]

I'm not wearing my glasses at the moment, but.

[Congressman Himes]

Well, I'll help you out. This is an SA3 anti aircraft system.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Correct.

[Congressman Himes]

Are you familiar with this next system?

[General Cruz]

I am.

[Congressman Himes]

What is it?

[General Cruz]

I'm going to have to ask you.

[Congressman Himes]

It's an SA6.

[General Cruz]

I'm going to guess that this is.

[Congressman Himes]

Also an advanced anti aircraft system, is it not?

[General Cruz]

It was used widely in the Balkans in the 90s.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Correct.

[Congressman Himes]

And the Houthis also have this system, don't they?

[General Cruz]

They certainly do.

[Congressman Himes]

And they've employed it against our aircraft, have they not?

[General Cruz]

They have attempted to.

[Congressman Waltz]

Correct.

[Congressman Himes]

I spent my life in service to this country. I deployed three times to combat in service to this nation. I learned in that time in service that responsibility is core to leadership. You accept responsibility when things go wrong. You admit mistakes. You set the standard from the very top. It is completely outrageous to me, completely outrageous to me that administration officials come before us today with impunity, no acceptance of responsibility, excuse after excuse after excuse. But we send our men and women downrange to do incredibly difficult, incredibly dangerous things on our behalf, and yet nobody is willing to come to us and say, this was wrong, this was a breach of security, and we won't do it again. It is outrageous and it is a leadership failure. And that's why Secretary Hegseth, who undoubtedly transmitted classified, sensitive operational information via this chain, must resign immediately. There can be no fixes. There can be no corrections until there is accountability. And I'm calling on the administration to move forward with accountability. I yield back.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Gentleman yields. Gentlemen from Texas. Mr. Mr. Crenshaw.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Thank you.

[Director Gabbard]

Mr. Chairman.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Thank you all for being here. Good to see many of you again, and thank you for. Thank you for enduring two long days. I will note I always use fire emojis when I see terrorists getting killed. And I want to talk about cartels.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

This is a.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Been investigating it thoroughly for the last couple of years, and I'm glad to see that it's mentioned in all of your opening statements. We're going to shift back. We're going to shift back to the Doge sharing. Crockett, Texas is up. Let's hear her.

[Congresswoman Carger]

Ms. Carger, what about you?

[Congressman Crenshaw]

I agree. I think it's important for us to report on the important news of the day.

[Congresswoman Carger]

So let's talk about the critical role of public media. During his first term, President Trump's own Department of Homeland Security highlighted the importance of public broadcasting's role in public safety. In 2018, his administration stated, quote, pbs and local public television stations play a crucial, crucial role in protecting communities by delivering essential information to individuals and first responders. These benefits are all made possible by public broadcasting stations unique reach, reliability and role across America, and are especially vital in rural and underserved areas. Madam Chairwoman, I would ask unanimous consent. I seek unanimous consent to enter into the record. The 28th.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Without objection. So ordered.

[Congresswoman Carger]

And Madam Chair, I also seek unanimous consent to enter into The Record the 2019 report titled Modernizing the Nation's Public Alert and Warning System from Trump's.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Without objection, so ordered.

[Congresswoman Carger]

In the report, FEMA encouraged, quote, the use of public broadcast capabilities to expand alert, warning and communication capabilities to fill gaps in rural and underserved areas. Mr. Ullman, what's a more significant domestic threat? Reporting the murder of George Floyd or dismantling most of America's emergency communication systems?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Can you please repeat the question for me, Congresswoman?

[Congresswoman Carger]

Which one is more of a threat? Reporting the murder of George Floyd or dismantling most of America's emergency communication systems?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Dismantling the emergency systems.

[Congresswoman Carger]

And isn't it true that in borough Alaska is the only. I'm sorry. And isn't it true that KBRWAM in Borough, Alaska is. Is the only broadcast service available in an area of more than 90,000 square miles?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

That is correct.

[Congressman Himes]

It's also the North Slope where the.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Majority of all the oil production that comes from Alaska takes place.

[Congresswoman Carger]

Thank you so much. And isn't it true that without these stations broadcast, Americans in rural communities would lack access to life saving information and public safety alerts?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

That is correct.

[Congresswoman Carger]

So in your opinion, would eliminating funding for stations in rural America like WNGH, channel 18 in the chairwoman's district, hurt Americans?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

It would hurt Americans, yes.

[Congresswoman Carger]

In fact, Georgia Public Broadcasting serves as the official distributor of evacuation route information during state ordered evacuations. And the chairwoman is here advocating to strip their funding. Look, the Doge agenda isn't about government efficiency. It's about breeding corruption at the expense of the safety of the American people, Particularly Americans living in rural or remote parts of the country. They don't care about public safety, they don't care about emergency management, and they don't care about free speech, all of which are harming American people. In fact, I'm a skip off real quick because they have tried to come for you, Ms. Mayor, and I just want to clarify, you did not work for NPR when those statements were made, did you?

[Mr. Witkoff]

That is correct, madam.

[Congresswoman Carger]

And to be clear, free speech is not about whatever it is that y'all want somebody to say. And the idea that you want to shut down everybody that is not Fox News is bullshit. We need to stop playing because. Because that's what y'all are doing in here. You don't want to hear the opinions of anybody else. And the Constitution says Congress shall make no law respecting or establishing of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging. The gentlewoman's time has expired.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

The gentlewoman's time has expired.

[Congressman Himes]

Madam Chairwoman, can I put something into the record?

[General Cruz]

Unanimous consent, please.

[Director Gabbard]

Without objection, so ordered.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Thank you. I'd like to put under this NPR.

[Congressman Himes]

Article what Biden preemptive pardons for family.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Members could mean for presidential powers.

[Congressman Himes]

If I could submit to the record.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Without objection, so ordered. I now recognize the gentleman from Ohio.

[Congresswoman Carger]

Jim Jordan, for five minutes.

[Director Gabbard]

Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Maher, who is Uri Berliner?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Mr. Berliner is a former senior editor, that's all. A former senior business editor for NPR.

[Director Gabbard]

How long do you work at NPR?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I believe he was there just over 25 years.

[Director Gabbard]

25 years. Award winning journalist. Did he win any awards?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Our time to come Peabody Award.

[Director Gabbard]

That's pretty important, isn't it?

[Mr. Witkoff]

That is absolutely.

[Director Gabbard]

So pretty distinguished journalist, right?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Certainly.

[Director Gabbard]

And he wrote a long story about what you do at npr. Is NPR biased?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Congressman? I have never seen any instance of never of political bias determining editorial decisions.

[Director Gabbard]

No. Well, Mr. Berliner in his story last year wrote I've in the D.C. area editorial positions at NPR. He said he found 87 registered Democrats, zero Republicans. Is that accurate?

[Mr. Witkoff]

We do not track the numbers or the voter registration. But I find that he was award.

[Director Gabbard]

Winning journalist who worked 25 years at NPR. Mr. Berliner, was he lying when he wrote that?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I am not presuming such. I just don't have. We don't track that information about our journalists.

[Director Gabbard]

87 to 0. And you're not biased?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I think that is concerning. If those numbers are accurate, it's concern.

[Director Gabbard]

I mean it wasn't 44, 43 wasn't 60, 27. It wasn't 70 17. It wasn't even 80 to 7. It was 87 Democrats, zero Republicans. And you say NPR is not biased. How about the big stories over the last few years? According to Mr. Berliner? Again, he wrote on the Trump Russia story. He wrote at npr, we hitched our wagon to Trump's most visible antagonist, Representative Adam Schiff, and he said they interviewed him 25 times. That accurate?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I was not there at the time. But those numbers sound accurate?

[Director Gabbard]

Those sound accurate. But then he said when the Mueller report came out and they said Mueller said, Robert Mueller said he found no evidence of clothes. He said Russiagate faded from our programming. Is that accurate?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Again, I was not there at the time. I couldn't say.

[Director Gabbard]

You couldn't say?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I was not at NPR at the time.

[Director Gabbard]

You didn't prepare for that. You knew we Were going to ask you about this guy, didn't you? It's come up like 6,000 times already in the hearing.

[Mr. Witkoff]

I just couldn't say whether it faded from our coverage.

[Director Gabbard]

Sir, how about this story? October 2020? The New York Post had the Hunter Biden laptop story. And one of those editors, I guess One of those 87 Democrat editors said this. We don't want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories. We don't want to waste the listeners and readers times on stories that are just pure distractions. Was that a pure distraction story?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Our current editorial leadership believes that that was a mistake, as do I. Yeah.

[Director Gabbard]

The whole country knows that was a mistake. Definitely impacted the election or I think it certainly impacted the election. How about the COVID origin story? That's a pretty big story too, right? Mr. Berliner said we became fervent members of the team, Natural origin. Even declaring that the lab leak was debunked by S.C. turns out, though, the lab leak is what most people think actually caused the COVID virus.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Sorry, sir, is there a question there?

[Director Gabbard]

There is. You guys were 0 for 3 on three of the biggest stories in the last five years. You guys were 0 for 3. And yet you maintain that NPR is not biased.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Congressman, I do not believe we are politically biased, no. We are a nonpartisan organization.

[Director Gabbard]

Nonpartisan organization. What's happened to your listeners over the last five years went up, down, or stayed the same?

[Mr. Witkoff]

It has gone up and down and is now going back up.

[Director Gabbard]

Well, I thought five years ago it was at 60 million. And you said in your opening statement, I think 43 million.

[Mr. Witkoff]

That's correct.

[Director Gabbard]

So 43 million now, and it was at 60 million five years ago. I can do some math. That looks like it went down and.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Is now going back up.

[Director Gabbard]

It's now going back up.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Yes, it is.

[Director Gabbard]

How much has it went back up?

[Mr. Witkoff]

It went up a couple of millions over the past few years.

[Director Gabbard]

Oh, so you went from 60 million to 41 million. Now you're back up to 43 million.

[Mr. Witkoff]

In a year's time. I'm very proud of that growth, sir.

[Director Gabbard]

Okay, you're proud of that growth. Okay. But over five years it's went down 18 million?

[Mr. Witkoff]

That is correct, sir.

[Director Gabbard]

Okay. Should taxpayers subsidize NPR?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I believe that taxpayers subsidize local stations, sir. That is the vast majority of what.

[Director Gabbard]

I thought you said you got 11 million from corporation of public broadcasting, which is taxpayer funding, directly to you. Right.

[Mr. Witkoff]

That is to support the public broadcasting.

[Director Gabbard]

And then local stations get it from the corporation for public broadcasting. Right. They get tax.

[Mr. Witkoff]

100 million that goes to the local station.

[Director Gabbard]

100 million goes to local stations. And then those local stations buy back programming content from you. So that money goes to local stations, comes back to you, gets routed through the local stations. All taxpayer money.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Those fees are actually based on private donations rather than on federal funding.

[Director Gabbard]

Well, we all know money's fungible, so some of it gets put in there.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Certainly, we could agree that money is fungible.

[Director Gabbard]

What? More money for less listeners. You fire the guy who pointed all this out, who said that you were so biased to the left that you lost listeners, which. Exactly. Happening. And you're here maintaining that. Oh, you need. You need to continue to get taxpayer money.

[Mr. Witkoff]

I did not fire Mr. Berliner, sir.

[Director Gabbard]

Okay. The guy that left after all that. Understand. Understand. Are you fundraising off today's hearing?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Sir, I believe that there was a message that went out earlier today letting people know we were coming in. Yes.

[Director Gabbard]

Yeah. And at the bottom of the message, it said, donate now. Right.

[Mr. Witkoff]

I don't recall the exact language.

[Director Gabbard]

I'll show it to you. Right, there it is. Donate now. I mean, I'm not against fundraising. We all do it. I mean, I get it. But I assume this. This. This fundraising is probably going to all the left listeners who are subsidized content by the taxpayers. And that's the gentleman's time is exactly. That's the rub. I yield back.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

I now recognize Ms. Randall from Washington for five minutes.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Thank you so much.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

You know, I.

[Mr. Witkoff]

I'm new to Congress. This is my first term, and I.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Came from a legislative body that.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Okay, I'm bored already. Lady, get. You got to. In these hearings. You got to get. Cut to the chase. Don't give me your backstory. We're going to go back to intel in a second. I want to make sure we. We highlight something for the audience. This audience was name checked by the ranking member. The ranking member, remember, is always a senior member of the minority. This would be the Democrats, Congressman Himes of Connecticut, and he is a player in Democratic circles and particularly Intel. He name checked this audience at the beginning because they fear the war. And posse, they understand the Warren Posse can put their shoulder to the wheel and make things happen. Want to make sure you get the Bill Blaster app. You get Article 3. There's a lot going on today. One thing is very evident. We'll go back to the intelligence in a minute. That's very evident today. They are targeting Pete Hegseth. They are targeting the Secretary of Defense. The Democrats have made a decision. It's not waltz. That's the target they want to go after because they understand how hard it is to get confirmed. They're going after Pete Hexith. It's quite evident by Castro's questions, by other questions are being asked, by what they're putting up on the charts of the, of the text messages. They're very much focused on Pete Hexith, what he said. And I think three of them already called for either Secretary of Defense Hexath's resignation or to be fired. The Armed Services Committee of the Senate, which is chaired by Republicans, is talking about Wicker and his ranking member, Jack Reed, who was on intelligence yesterday. Jack Reed is no friend of the administration. They're talking about having an investigation and hearings, quote, unquote, bipartisan. Armed Services is the is basically the main committee in dealing with the Pentagon. That's the committee of jurisdiction, is what it's called in the Congress, committee of jurisdiction. If he's investigating that, the target right now, I believe, is Pete Hegseth. And as you remember the effort it took for us to get Pete Hegseth confirmed. Let's go to the Intelligence Committee. Just heard pbs, Jim Jordan laying up pbs. Outrageous that American taxpayers underwrite a Marxist thing. Let's go to the intelligence back to it.

[Congressman Waltz]

The United States of America. And if not, what should we be doing about it?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Thank you for your question, Congressman. I'm not fully aware and up to date on the specific example that you've mentioned, and I'll go and look into that and get back to you further.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Absolutely.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Look forward to having the conversation with you. Broadly, this is obviously a concern that any of these activities occurring near or around any of our military sites creates that potential national security risk and the potential for foreign intelligence collection.

[Congressman Waltz]

I'm hoping it's a, it's a priority for everybody on the dais there. It is a priority, I think, for the American people, certainly for me. I want to move on in the time remaining with a related topic, which is the hundreds of incidents by predominantly Chinese students, oftentimes called gatecrashers. So this includes the two gentlemen in uniform on the dais. I'm going to kind of point to three events that happened just last year. One in Grayling, Michigan. Five Chinese students are charged for lying and concealing evidence. One in the University of Minnesota, where a drone flew over Newport News and took pictures of classified information regarding ships and classified systems. And then one at the University of Florida regarding the illicit acquisition and shipment of toxins, biomedical drugs and research Supplies to China. In these cases or most of these cases, we encounter these people and then we release these people. As a matter of fact, in the case of Florida, apparently she found out that criminal charges were being prepared and she dropped out of school and her whereabouts remain unknown. At this point, what should be our posture? Because we're trying to follow up after the fact we're encountering these people, whether the gatecratchers or whether we catch them conducting this illicit activity, we try and prosecute. That takes a lot of man hours, as you know. Director Patel. Is this the best policy or is there something better that we can do? I mean, the immigration Nationality act of 1952 gives the Secretary of state the authority to revoke visas. But should these people be allowed to come to this country in the first place, is the question. And what should our posture be? Anybody.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

In terms of the visa issue? I know that the administration is working on a policy, but to directly answer your question, anybody who utilizes the student visa program to come to this country to conduct criminal activity should never be allowed in this country.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

And anyone that's doing it here in the United States of America from an FBI standpoint will be vigorously investigated and.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Will use the expulsion or criminal process on them.

[Congressman Waltz]

Yield, Mr. Chairman, gentlemen.

[Director Gabbard]

Yields.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Ms. Plaskett.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And good morning to the witnesses. You know, first, let me say that we do have to, in this committee try as much as possible to remain nonpartisan as opposed to bipartisan. I can recall being that way when I was counsel on the House ethics Committee. And it's a really hard. It's a hard position to take. But I'm really struck by the fact that In December of 2023, many people made Secretary Lloyd Austin go through the stages of the cross in self flagellation and mea culpas for not informing the president that he was having a surgery. And now how we're treating secretary Hedgepath as if he is untouchable. Mike Waltz, when he was a member of Congress, went in the committee on armed services to talk and slammed Austin for holding himself to a different standard than the American people. And yet we are not doing this across the board. And that's disappointing. At the very least, very disappointing. Director Gabber, thank you for your testimony. And one of the things that I believe I heard you say was that when there was a discussion by doge as to the cuts to foreign aid, that there had not been a request for a national. For an intelligence national security or an intelligence assessment of the impact of those cuts is that. Was that your testimony a little earlier?

[Mr. Witkoff]

Congresswoman, I have not seen any kind of assess, actual official assessment, either within the intelligence community or outside of it, on what the effects of those cuts to USAID programs has been, but it.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Was not requested by DOGE of you or of any of the areas in which you have oversight over.

[Mr. Witkoff]

I'm not aware of any requests.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Great, thank you. I know that there has been some open source reporting on what the effect of those cuts are. I mean, when we think about several examples, Kenya, our strongest regional ally in the Horn of Africa and a key partner with us in the fight against terrorist group Al Shabaab. And, you know, according to the Washington Post, that's not definitive and we can talk about this in closed session. Some Kenyan journalists are now being trained by Beijing, mirroring the US Programs that have been cut by the administration. Director Gabber, is letting China train Kenyan journalists going to make Kenya more or less receptive to American requests of the Kenyan government, do you believe?

[Mr. Witkoff]

As you said, Congresswoman, our relationship with Kenya has been very longstanding in so.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Do cuts of ours to train journalists in Kenya, make them more or less, and Beijing having that make them more or less.

[Mr. Witkoff]

Clearly there is strategic competition taking place. I'll withhold my personal view to look at an official.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Well, I was asking for your director view, not your personal view. And then additionally, we have ended Voice of America, which provided accurate, unbiased news in our opinion. Meanwhile, St. Petersburg University has announced that it's opened 11 Russian language centers across Africa that pay special attention to the promotion of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values. Director Gabber, is Russia a friend or a foe? Is are they our friend or our adversary?

[Mr. Witkoff]

They are an adversary.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Thank you. I believe that this reckless cuts make terrorism and our influence in Africa, which is on the front lines of terrorism, a real threat to us, and we need to be careful of it. Director Patel, one of the benefits of being here kind of in the middle is I get to hear other people's testimony and the questions that are asked. I know that Mr. Carson asked you questions specifically about the counterterrorism division, and we know that there has been some open source reporting that says that individuals within that division have been removed or been moved. Not necessarily fired, but moved. Do you know if that is correct? I don't have any personal information on that.

[Congressman Himes]

But people within the CTD component, which.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Is a large component, the FBI, move all the time. And have they been moved? Are you able to get that information to us? Whether they have or have not been moved?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

I'll go back to my team and see who has been moved.

[Congressman Himes]

If you have a particular interest, we'll.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Share it with you. Of course we have an interest in counterterrorism division and movement of individuals within that. Because one of the other things I'm concerned about is you have stated, I believe in other areas that the disbandment of certain sections of the FBI related to intel and breaking up components. Can you explain to us how you intend to do that or what you would like to do and why?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

My intention is to reprioritize counterintelligence authorities and cyber capabilities to focus on violent crime and national security. And that's what I'm doing. Gentleman's time has expired.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

Thank you.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

The gentlewoman from Missouri. Madam Ambassador.

[General Cruz]

Ms. Wagner.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Hi.

[Director Gabbard]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[Congressman Crenshaw]

And I thank all of you for.

[Director Gabbard]

Being here and for your continued service to our country.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Let's go back to the pbs. We gotta admit we got Tim Burchett. Let's hear Burchett. The gentleman from California, Mr. Khanna, for five minutes.

[General Cruz]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for allowing me to wave on to the committee.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Mr. Gonzalez, I read with interest your testimony. It was so angry. So I thought I'd try to lighten.

[General Cruz]

Things up a little bit.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Who are three of your favorite characters.

[General Cruz]

On Daniel Tiger or what episodes are your favorites?

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Representative Connor, thank you very much for.

[Congressman Gonzalez]

The opportunity to lighting up again.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

I think I've taken a time machine here. Sesame street went to Daniel Tiger. Do you have some favorite characters?

[Director Gabbard]

Oh, the owl.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Ro Khanna, our favorite Democrat. Populist though, trying to lighten up. We're not looking to lighten it up today. Let's go back to this. I tell you what, we've got to take a break. We are going to take a break here. Right there, you just saw it once again. That's the non voting member from the Virgin Islands. Very smart. She's on MSNBC a lot. She does not actually get a vote on the committee. So she's a non voting member of Congress from the Virgin Islands. Even she's thrown in with. She is a Democrat, but she's thrown in. You see the targeting of Pete Hegseth. Let this be a lesson for the rest of the day. Pete Hexith, by the way, has put out a. Both Pete and Waltz have both put out tweets and they're hunkering down. No war plans, no classified information, no locations, no names of everything. We'll put them up after we come back from a break. Want to thank Real America's voice for our coverage this morning. Virtually commercial free for two hours. We wanted you to get a full flavor of particularly House intel as they come in for a kill shot on Director Ratcliffe at the CIA and Tulsi Gabbard, dni. They're trying to take this situation with this reporter Goldberg, who released this right before the committee started. As you can tell, this whole thing's a setup. Honestly, I think it would have been smart to just cancel these hearings and say we're going to have them in 30 days. The threats are. The major threats are not going to go away. The report to take some of the steam off of this. It's a setup. An ambush. Complete, total ambush. Total ambush. And you've seen it live for the last two days. So you see it with your own eyes and you see how the Democrats come in. The White House is hunkered down. Waltz is hunkered down. Pete Hegseth is in the Pacific talking to the Indo Pacific Command is hunkered down. We're gonna take a short commercial break. We're returning the War Room in just a moment. 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[Mr. Witkoff]

And I as I said earlier, I was not involved with that portion of the chat so it did not come to my recollection yesterday.

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Thank you. So I take that as you stand by your do not recall yesterday stance when you were Asked those questions. You've been in office 43 days. Radcliffe. Director Radcliffe has been in office 62 days. This was considered the first major military operation using lethal force of the Trump administration. Was this the first? This was probably the first time that you've been involved with a discussion like this on a thread. It was not discussing. You were not on a group chat discussing where we're going to go for lunch. You're discussing putting men and women of the armed services in harm's way. That's a major decision, so. And when did that happen? 10 days ago. Okay, I'll answer that. It happened 10 days ago. Here's the point. Something of this magnitude, it's something that you would not forget. It's something that most people. If you're taking this job so seriously, that you would not forget. I mean, since I've been on this committee, there's been days that I have woken up in the middle of the night from the things I learned in scif. So deciding to use military force is something hard to imagine. So the do not recall. It doesn't pass the smell test. It makes it mix it. It's unbelievable. That was the case. So that's what the American people don't understand. And I know a lot of folks in this administration were saying that they're going to take on the establishment and drain the swamp, but you have become that swamp in a matter of days, not weeks or months. Days. So one of the things we're going to look into is if what actually occurred. Because the American people deserve a full accounting. Additionally, the main person who was involved in this thread that a lot of people want to talk to is Secretary of Defense Hegseth. And a lot of questions were brought up regarding his drinking habits and his confirmation hearing. To your knowledge, do you know whether Pete Hexa had been drinking before he leaked classified information?

[Mr. Witkoff]

I don't have any knowledge of Secretary Hegseth's personal habits.

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Director Radcliffe, same question. Yes or no?

[General Cruz]

You know, no, I'm going to answer that. I think that's an offensive line of questioning. The answer is no. I find it interesting that you want to. No, I'm going to answer. You asked me a question. You want an answer.

[Director Gabbard]

No.

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Listen.

[General Cruz]

You don't want to focus on the good work that the CIA is doing that the intelligence community.

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Director, I reclaim my time here. I have huge respect for the CIA, huge respect for men and women in uniform. But this was a question that's on the top of minds of every American. Right? He stood in front of a podium in Europe, holding a drink. So of course, we want to know if his performance is compromised. If you were people were asking if the General Austin was compromised because of.

[General Cruz]

A heart issue, was his performance compromised because of a successful strike?

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Mr.

[General Cruz]

I bring my you want to know, you want to talk about accepting responsibility?

[Congressman Gonzalez]

Do you think you should claim my.

[General Cruz]

Time, responsibility for a successful strike to make Americans safer?

[Congressman Gonzalez]

You want to focus? I reclaim my time. So here's the thing. This is serious. As somebody we've been briefed in this committee about using signal, one of the things they basically said the most secure phone call, the least secure text messaging, and we know that your people are Russians, Chinese are on your phone's times expired.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Klein.

[Director Gabbard]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to give the director the ability to respond without being interrupted by his questioner.

[General Cruz]

I appreciate that, Congressman. I guess, you know, just a general reflection here again that for the last two days, members of the intelligence community have been asking questions about a signal messaging group and not asking questions from Democrats either in the Senate or the House on China, Russia, Iran, and the real threats that are going on to the United States. And you can say that you care about the good work that agencies are doing like the CIA and that you care about 140 stars on the wall, but no one's asked me about my second day on the job here where I lit the fuse that led to a foreign government participating with us to capture one of the senior planners of the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13Americans. And in the process, we worked with a government that previously hadn't so that hadn't cooperated with us on counterterrorism matters or the fact that no one has focused on that. Within an hour of that taking place, I was on the phone with Director Patel and a few hours later with Attorney General Bondi, working together, the IC and the FBI working together to bring this person home in less than a week. Unprecedented success for the intelligence community and the law enforcement community. Exactly. Representative of the kind of work that we should be doing and the kind of work that an oversight committee should be asking about, but instead we're getting questions about whether or not someone has drinking habits. And, you know, I just wish in an annual threats hearing where the American people want to hear about threats, that that's what we would be talking about. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify.

[Director Gabbard]

Absolutely, Director. I want to thank you and all the people who work with you and all the witnesses and the men and women, the brave men and women who are putting their lives on the line each and every day for this country and to the military.

[Congresswoman Plaskett]

Let me have it because we're going to run out of time here. That's Ben Klein that we had on the on TV on the show yesterday to highlight this right there. That is Congressman Jimmy Gonzalez, previously from he's from Chinatown and Boyle Heights. As folks in LA know, that's the kind of, I guess not inner city la, but the famous Boyle Heights and Chinatown. Jimmy Gonzalez and I told you they're targeting Pete Hegseth. Congressman Gonzalez asked had Pete Hegseth been drinking while he was on that text chamber, which means that Pete Hegseth was drinking on the job because that was during a strike. And you saw finally with Ratcliffe and I really appreciate the director of the CIA finally had enough. That hit Ratcliffe's tripwire after two days. He fired back hard. I think the administration should understand this afternoon. I don't think Mike Waltz is the target. It's clearly Pete Hegseth. This audience doesn't need to be be reminded of the effort this audience put in on that fixed bayonets Thursday when everybody had to get up on it to save Pete Hex's nomination when they were trying to run Pete Hexith out of town for these allegations that came from, I don't know, various women about drinking and other issues. Pete Hex has done a terrific job so far as secretary of defense. He's at in the Indo Pacific Command right now. Gave an amazing talk yesterday to everybody to get them motivated about the threat of the Chinese Communist Party, as Captain Fennell tells us. And he's correct. Keep the main thing the main thing. And Pete Hegseth is doing this. Okay, we're going to turn over to the Charlie Kirk show now on Real America's Voice. Charlie is going to pick up with his coverage. We're going to be back at five to seven. We've got a lot more that you didn't hear in the PBS. They're trying to defund NPR and PBS. Outrageous responses I think from PBS's management today, trying to essentially just kick the can down the road. We'll get more to that. Also much more coming out of Intel. Pete Hexa just put up a tweet, he's hunkering down. Mike Waltz put up a tweet, he's hunkering down. They're going to the mattresses on this. Are just not going to sit there and be punching bags for these radical Democrats. The courts are also involved. We told you that's going to happen. So, so much going on. We're going to be back at 5:00 tonight. We're going to turn you over to Charlie Kirk. Jack Bassoba will follow after that. Gruber, Eric Bolling will be back at 5:00. Want to thank our sponsors, particularly Birchgold. Make sure you go birchgold.com and this is heating up right now. Everything about the reconciliation bill, the taxes, the budget, all of it. Make sure you go to burchgold.com Bannon enter the dollar empire. Most importantly, get to Philip, Patrick and the team. Ask them, hey, you know what the price of gold is? Is over 3,000 bucks. How'd it get there and where it's going? What are the forces driving that? That's what you need to know. We're not here to give you a fish. We're here to help teach you how to fish converging factors so that you can use your own human agency. And by the way, couldn't have been a better compliment at the top of Vice Chairman Himes saying the War Room posse, when they get involved, things happen and folks are going to have to get involved in this. We're also going to have a live report from Florida, six issues down there, also from Wisconsin and talk about Pennsylvania, lost the Senate seat last night, all at 5 o'clock tonight. We'll see you back. What if he had the brightest mind in the war room delivering critical financial research every month? Steve Bannon here. War Room listeners know Jim Rickards. I love this guy. He's our wise man. A former CIA, Pentagon and White House advisor with an unmatched grasp of geopolitics and capital markets. Jim predicted Trump's Electoral College victory exactly 312 to 226, down to the actual number itself. Now he's issuing a dire warning about April 11, a moment that could define Trump's presidency and your financial future. His latest book, Money GPT, exposes how AI is setting the stage for financial chaos. Bank runs at lightning speeds, algorithm driven crashes and even threats to national security. Right now, War Room members get a free copy of MoneyGPT when they sign up for Strategic Intelligence. This is Jim's flagship financial newsletter, Strategic Intelligence. I read it. You should read it. Time is running out. Go to rickardswarroom.com that's all one word. Rickards war Room records with an S. Go now and claim your free book. That's rickardswarroom.com do it today. And of course, the beef liver being our flagship products for those who don't know, beef liver is loaded with highly bioavailable ingredients such such as vitamin A, B12, zinc CoQ10, etc.

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