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U.S. Intelligence Agencies Omit Climate Change as National Threat

HeadlineMar 26, 2025

Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe were testifying before the Senate in a hearing focused on the U.S intelligence community’s new annual threat assessment. The annual report cited fentanyl and international drug gangs as top threats to the country, but the report omits climate change as a major threat. This is independent Senator Angus King questioning Gabbard.

Sen. Angus King: “Who decided climate change should be left out of this report, after it’s been in the prior 11? Where was that decision made?”

Tulsi Gabbard: “I gave direction to our team at ODNI to focus on the most extreme and critical national security threats that we face.”

Sen. Angus King: “Did your direction include no comments on climate change?”

Tulsi Gabbard: “Senator, as I said, I focused on the most extreme and critical national security threats that” —

Sen. Angus King: “That’s not a response to my question.”

The Senate hearing was disrupted by the activist Tighe Barry of CodePink, who called on the United States to stop funding Israel.

Kash Patel: “Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman” —

Tighe Barry: “The greatest threat to global security is Israel, and the whole world knows it!”

Sen. Tom Cotton: “Witness will suspend.”

Tighe Barry: “The greatest threat to global security is Israel, and the whole world knows it! Stop funding Israel! Stop funding Israel!”

A second CodePink activist, the retired Army colonel and former diplomat Anne Wright, was removed from the hearing and arrested after she stood up to dispute a claim by committee chair Tom Cotton that CodePink was funded by the Chinese government.

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