Top Democrats Cite Iran in Push for Homeland Terrorism Hearing

House Homeland Security Democrats are urging a hearing with Trump administration officials on counterterrorism efforts, warning that Congress lacks visibility into threats to the US.

“The American people are in the dark about those threats,” they said Wednesday in a letter obtained exclusively by Bloomberg Law.

The request comes as the war in Iran raises concerns about retaliatory threats in the US and as the funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes counterterrorism work, stretches into its third month.

Reps. Bennie Thompson (Miss.) and Seth Magaziner (R.I.), the top Democrats on the full panel and counterterrorism subcommittee, respectively, told committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) the administration hasn’t issued standard threat notifications or sent key officials to testify on Capitol Hill.

“Since the start of the war with Iran, there have been at least four violent extremist attacks in the US, and the terrorist threat environment across the country remains high,” the letter said.

The push for a hearing underscores broader concerns about a breakdown in oversight of national security agencies, with Democrats arguing that the absence of regular briefings, public threat bulletins, and testimony has limited Congress’ ability to evaluate the administration’s counterterrorism strategies and resource allocation.

Also copied on the letter is Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who leads the counterterrorism subcommittee.

Lawmakers pointed to the reported referral of a deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism to the Office of Inspector General over alleged misconduct, which they said could pose security risks.

The current leadership structure, the letter said, suggests “there are no adults in the counterterrorism decision-making room” while the US is at war, calling the situation “frankly, alarming.”