Gabbard under spotlight facing questions on Iran

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▪ Intel officials testify before Congress

▪ Mullin appears for confirmation hearing

▪ SAVE America Act debate starts

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard will be in the hot seat Wednesday when she testifies on Capitol Hill just a day after one of her top lieutenants resigned in protest of the war in Iran.

Gabbard is expected to be peppered with questions surrounding the Iran operation and her own view of the intelligence leading up to President Trump‘s decision to attack Iran when she appears alongside other officials before the Senate Intelligence Committee today.

The hearing is the first of two this week featuring Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, with the intelligence officials set to testify before the House Intelligence panel on Thursday as part of Congress’s regular oversight of the executive branch.

Gabbard’s testimony in particular will draw additional scrutiny after Joe Kent, who previously served as her chief of staff, resigned Tuesday as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center while publicly condemning the president’s decision to wage war against Iran.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a letter addressed to Trump and shared on social media, asserting “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent, who served in the Army for 20 years before later launching two unsuccessful GOP congressional bids in Washington state, became the first top administration official to leave their role over the Iran conflict. He urged the president to reverse course on the war.

Kent’s claims about the intelligence ahead of Trump’s decision to join Israel in striking Iran –– and his charge that Iran posed no “imminent threat” to the U.S. –– will only add more questions for Gabbard.

The intelligence chief has given a preview of her position, emphasizing in a carefully worded post on social media platform X on Tuesday in the wake of Kent’s resignation that the president is responsible for determining what is deemed a national security threat.

“The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions,” she said. “After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion.”

All of the Trump administration officials appearing at the Senate hearing Wednesday are expected to face questions about Iran, but observers will particularly be watching Gabbard, who has a long history of supporting noninterventionist policies.

Gabbard is expected to face a flurry of questions over whether she agreed with the president’s assessment and will be pressed on the broader intelligence community’s stance on the signals before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran starting in late February.

While she was photographed in the White House Situation Room when the strikes began, she has stayed mostly under the radar over the past few weeks, with other officials taking a more forward-facing role in messaging on the war.

Gabbard specifically pushed back against the potential for a U.S. war with Iran during Trump’s first term in office.

“Trump’s shortsighted foreign policy is bringing us to the brink of war with Iran and allowing Iran to accelerate nuclear program—just to please Saudis and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. This is not America first,” she said in a post on X in June 2019.

“A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for Dick Cheney and a vote for war, war and more war. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to end wars, not start them,” Gabbard said to rally support for Trump in October 2024.

What Gabbard says Wednesday could help Trump push back against criticism he’s received over the war or add more fuel to the scrutiny surrounding the conflict. And any daylight between how she and other Trump officials discuss the conflict could also attract more attention.

While most of the president’s base is largely standing behind him in supporting the war against Iran, a number of allies particularly in conservative media have broken with the U.S.-Israeli operation.

Kent’s resignation has drawn renewed attention to some of the allegations circulating among MAGA supporters that Trump is breaking away from his America First platform in waging the war.

Other members of the administration and GOP have denounced Kent’s allegations.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a press conference that Iran “clearly” posed an imminent threat and rejected the idea that the U.S. is putting foreign interests ahead of its own.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Kent’s comments alleging Israel influenced the Trump administration in pushing the strikes on Iran, calling it “insulting and laughable.” 

“Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

▪ The Hill: Kent resignation reveals internal MAGA divisions.

▪ The Hill: Vice President Vance steps into limelight in war.

Smart Take with Blake Burman

Trump once again suggested a new era is coming for Cuba, saying, “We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.” Sitting next to the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio added on by saying, “They have to get new people in charge.” I spoke with Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), who was born in Havana and represents Florida’s southernmost congressional district, about the fate of communist leader Miguel Díaz-Canel. 

“I don’t think that Díaz-Canel stays there that much longer, but again, I told you, that he’s not really the leader in Cuba.” Gimenez told me. “The actual people that are running the island are the people that are running this military enterprise there that controls the economy of Cuba.”

While the war in Iran is top of mind now, you will likely see Cuba start to come more in focus on the geopolitical landscape in the coming weeks. It’s one of the many issues before our nation’s leaders.

Tonight, we are continuing our Viewer’s Voice series where YOU get to ask lawmakers questions you find meaningful. Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) joins me live. If you have a question, email me here. Also, be sure to tell us where you’re from and if you would like your name shown on air. The concept is simple: Our government represents all Americans, and it should work for you.  Hope you tune in tonight at 6 p.m. EDT, and don’t be afraid to send us your questions!

Burman hosts “The Hill” weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation.

3 Things to Know Today

A federal judge appeared skeptical of Trump’s White House ballroom project following a new effort by preservationists to block it. The judge said he would try to make a ruling by the end of the month.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has been formally subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to testify on her handling of the Epstein files. The subpoena, which comes after the panel voted for her to answer questions, requests she testify April 14.

More than 1,000 Voice of America employees are set to return to work after a year of paid administrative leave as the Trump administration sought to shrink the agency. The decision comes after a federal judge ruled Kari Lake unlawfully oversaw layoffs at the broadcaster.

CONFIRMATION HEARING: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) will appear today before a Senate panel for his confirmation hearing as he seeks to replace Kristi Noem as leader of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Mullin’s views on the direction he believes DHS should take after months of increasing scrutiny over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies will be under a microscope at the Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch reports.

The senator, who has served in the upper chamber since 2023, has suggested he’s open to changes in how DHS conducts its operations but hasn’t given any public details about potential changes he would make. That makes Wednesday’s hearing the first opportunity for the public to learn more about Mullin’s vision for the department he’s hoping to lead.

“There’s an opportunity to build off successes, and there’s also opportunities to build off things that didn’t go as planned,” he told reporters last week.

In the Senate, Mullin has been a staunch defender of the Trump administration, including on immigration policy. He’s argued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers shouldn’t have to display an ID and made comments critical of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the two U.S. citizens who were shot and killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis.

That’s been enough for many Democrats to come out against his nomination, as they expect he wouldn’t steer the department in a significantly different way than Noem. But Republicans have largely rallied behind Mullin, expressing optimism that he can avoid the controversies that plagued Noem’s leadership.

▪ CNN: Dems like Mullin but won’t necessarily vote for him.

▪ The New York Times: Airport security lines grow amid DHS shutdown.

STRATTON’S SUCCESS: Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin‘s (D-Ill.) Senate seat in a test of both her strength and that of her boss, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D).

Stratton came out on top ahead of a crowded field to replace Durbin that featured Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly as her top opponents. Krishnamoorthi appeared to be the slight favorite heading into primary day, but Stratton rallied late momentum to win by nearly 7 points, as of the latest vote count.

Stratton was assisted toward the end of the primary race by massive spending from Pritzker boosting her. While Krishnamoorthi held the advantage in campaign fundraising, the Pritzker-backed Illinois Future PAC went all in on the lieutenant governor. That included a $5 million influx from Pritzker in recent weeks.

Pritzker faced some criticism for attempting to put his thumb on the scale, particularly from the Congressional Black Caucus, which supported Kelly. But Stratton’s victory demonstrates her strength as well as Pritzker’s political influence in state politics as he may be eyeing higher office.

Pritzker is running for a third term as governor and seems all but certain to win reelection in November in the solidly Democratic state. But he’s also considered a potential contender for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination, and flexing his political muscle Tuesday made him a winner of the evening.

Pritzker also notched another win in the Democratic primary for state comptroller, as his preferred choice, state Rep. Margaret Croke, won the party’s nomination in a close race.

Read more on other takeaways from the primary from The Hill’s Julia Mueller and Caroline Vakil here.

▪ The Hill: Former House Democrat wins nomination for comeback.

▪ The Hill: Daniel Biss wins primary defined by Israel support.

SAVE AMERICA DEBATE BEGINS: The Senate narrowly voted Tuesday to begin debate on the SAVE America Act, a voting requirements bill that the president has declared his top legislative priority.

The legislation, which already passed in the House last month, would require people to provide proof of citizenship before registering to vote and an ID to cast a ballot. But it faces tough odds of getting across the finish line, with all Democrats and even a few Republicans opposed to it.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted against advancing the measure, while Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was absent from the vote but said he would oppose it as well. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted to start debate as a courtesy to GOP leadership but has told colleagues he doesn’t support the bill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has rejected pressure from Trump and conservatives to force Democrats to engage in a “talking filibuster” to block the bill.

Instead, a long and contentious debate is expected as Thune plans to keep the measure on the floor through the weekend and into next week to force Democrats to defend their opposition and try to build momentum for the legislation, The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports.

▪ The Hill: Tempers flare over how to pass the SAVE America Act.

▪ The Hill: Bipartisan housing bill faces tough path in House.

NO HELP NEEDED: The president reversed course after many countries refused to send war ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. doesn’t need help.

“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” he said in a post on Truth Social.

The reversal came just days after Trump said “many” countries would be sending ships to force the strait to open again. Iran has declared it would attack any ship attempting to pass through the passageway, bringing the shipping of oil in the area to a halt.

France became the latest major country to reject Trump’s push for assistance on Tuesday, as French President Emmanuel Macron said his country “will never take part” in military operations to open the strait.

SYMBOLIC MARK: The average national cost of diesel fuel reached $5 per gallon in a new high point since the Iran conflict began, potentially signaling more economic turmoil to come.

Diesel is often used to fuel trucks used in shipping, and the rise in its price could have impacts on the agriculture and food industries in the form of higher prices for consumers.

Along with gasoline, the cost of diesel has soared since the war with Iran began. Diesel prices averaged $3.65 per gallon a month ago but now stand at about $5.07, according to AAA. This is the second time ever that the average diesel price reached $5 per gallon, the first time being in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to GasBuddy.

Despite the rising costs and other impacts on the economy, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett brushed off concerns about affordability in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday.

“The fact is that the U.S. economy is fundamentally sound and that if [the war] were to be extended, it wouldn’t really disrupt the U.S. economy very much at all,” he said.

“It would hurt consumers, and we’d have to think about if that continued what we would have to do about that,” Hassett continued. “But that’s really the last of our concerns right now because we’re very confident that this thing is going ahead of schedule.”

▪ The Hill: House Democrat highlights Hassett’s comment.

▪ CBS News: Why gas prices are spiking.

The president will participate in executive time at 8 a.m. He will receive an intelligence briefing at 10 a.m. He will depart Washington, D.C., for Dover, Del., to participate in a dignified transfer ceremony at 1:25 p.m. He will return to Washington later.

The House will convene at 10 a.m.

The Senate will meet at noon.

Thursday at noon: Join editors from The Hill for a live conversation and audience Q&A on the stories shaping Washington. Register here.

RECOUNT: North Carolina state Senate President Phil Berger (R) is in the battle of his political life as he hopes to fend off a primary challenge that appears like it may oust the longtime incumbent.

Berger trailed Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page (R) by just two votes on primary day in North Carolina two weeks ago. That margin expanded to 23 votes by the time all votes were counted, but Berger requested a recount Tuesday.

His campaign said it identified instances of overvotes and undervotes, in which a voter selected more than the number of choices permitted or fewer than the number permitted, which could swing the election.

As the margin is well within 1 percent, Berger has the right to push for a recount. But his political career seems up in the air.

Seen as the most powerful Republican lawmaker in the state, Berger has presided over the state Senate as president pro tempore for 15 years. He rose to the position while helping Republicans win control of the chamber for the first time in more than a century.

But he faced a tough challenge against Page, a popular sheriff who has held the role since 1998 and whose name recognition rivals Berger’s. While Berger has seen many Republican wins during his tenure and had an endorsement from Trump, Page sought to position himself as shaking up the status quo.

If the recount doesn’t end in Berger’s favor, it would be a seismic development in North Carolina politics.

▪ The Carolina Journal: Berger campaign says some voters received wrong ballot.

ON THE RISE: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) appears to be gaining traction in the highly contested California governor’s race as Democrats seek to prevent a possible Republican upset.

Swalwell has ticked up recently in polling among a crowded field to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), The Hill’s Julia Mueller and Caroline Vakil report. His national profile and some high-profile endorsements seem to be boosting him past other top Democrats such as former Rep. Katie Porter (Calif.) and billionaire Tom Steyer.

But a plurality of voters is still consistently saying they’re not sure whom they support with just three months before the primary. More than a half dozen prominent Democrats have entered the race, splitting the Democratic vote significantly.

That has raised some fears that the two Republican candidates, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, could box out Democrats if they finish as the best performers in California’s top-two primary ballot, at which point they would advance to the general election.

The odds of that happening may be slim as Democrats’ support would have to remain just as divided with no candidate emerging as a favorite as the primary draws closer. But the Democratic candidates have so far ignored a call from the state party chair to consolidate, which would safeguard against that possibility.

▪ The Hill: Newsom gains Trump’s insults and attention.

▪ ABC7: No love between Hilton, Bianco.

Democrats are being total hypocrites over the SAVE America Act, Joe Burns writes in The Hill.

3 costly mistakes Trump has already made in Iran, Joseph Bosco writes in The Hill.

And finally … The number made famous in a hit 1981 song by Tommy Tutone will now direct callers to a cancer support line.

People can call CSC-867-5309 to reach a nonprofit organization called the Cancer Support Community (CSC), which provides information, support and advice from trained specialists to people affected by cancer.

The song “867-5309/Jenny” was a major hit for the band in the early 1980s and has remained a staple on classic rock radio ever since. The CSC, Gilda’s Club locations and a health marketing agency were involved in a joint effort to secure the number for the calls, which are free and private.

“When we recorded ‘Jenny/867-5309,’ none of us imagined that number would still be stuck in people’s heads decades later,” Tommy Heath, the lead singer of Tommy Tutone, said in a statement.

“If that little piece of pop culture can now help someone remember Cancer Support Community’s and Gilda’s Club’s Helpline and connect them to real people, real community, and real support, that’s incredibly meaningful to us,” Heath said.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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