Washington – The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee revealed Wednesday that members of Congress had access to information about an unspecified “grave national security threat,” and issued a vague warning that other members were left wondering about the situation. He downplayed the urgency and urged the public to remain calm.
The revelation from Rep. Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, came as follows: incomprehensible statement The committee issued this statement in which it encouraged President Biden to declassify all information regarding the threat. No details were included other than to say the committee had “disclosed information regarding significant national security threats to all Members of Congress.”
“I urge President Biden to declassify all information related to this threat so that Congress, the administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions needed to address this threat,” Turner said. Ta.
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Following Turner's statement, members of Congress were seen entering and exiting the secure Capitol complex. “This is definitely something that needs our attention. It's urgent,” Colorado Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, a member of the Intelligence Committee, told reporters after leaving the secure room. “It's not a crisis, but it's certainly one that we have to respond to.” I'm seriously thinking about it. ”
“The public should not panic,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, told reporters.
“It's a serious problem [Turner] It’s right to be focused, but no, it’s not going to ruin your…Wednesday,” he said.
Jaimes added that this is an issue that Congress and the Biden administration will need to address “in the medium to long term.”
The Connecticut Democratic Party said in a statement that a debate about whether more could be declassified is “valuable,” but not something that should be held in public.
House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed Himes' comments and said Congress would work to address the issue.
“What I want to assure you is that we have a solid staff behind the wheel. We are working on it and there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The Senate Intelligence Committee also has the information Turner referred to, and its leaders, Chairman Mark Warner and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio, said they have been “tracking this matter closely from the beginning.” . Both senators are discussing “appropriate responses” with the Biden administration, the statement said.
“For now, we are cautious about potentially disclosing information sources and methods that could be key to maintaining a wide range of options for U.S. action,” Warner, a Virginia Democrat, and Rubio, a Florida Republican, said in a statement. There must be,” he said.
Asked about Turner's statement, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that the so-called “Gang of Eight” — the Democratic and Republican leaders of both chambers of Congress, and the speaker of both chambers — He said he has contacted executives. Information Committee — will hold a private briefing early this week. Sullivan said a briefing for the group's House members — Turner, Himes, Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — is scheduled for Thursday.
Sullivan said at a White House press briefing: “I am honored by Congressman Turner's public appearance today ahead of a ledger meeting where he will meet with intelligence and defense experts tomorrow. I'm a little surprised.” “I'm not in a position to say anything more today.”
Sullivan later told reporters he could confidently say the Biden administration is “protecting the national security of the United States and the American people.”
“Americans understand that there are a variety of threats and challenges in the world that we deal with every day. Those threats and challenges range from terrorism to state actors.” “And we have to fight them, and we have to fight them in a way that ensures the ultimate safety of the American people. “I'm confident that he will help the American people in the future.” ”
Ellis Kim contributed reporting.
