The Trump administration's top intelligence leaders will testify before House and Senate intelligence committees amid intense scrutiny of the Iran campaign and concerns about domestic terrorism. Lawmakers are expected to probe an apparent targeting error that may have led to a U.S. missile striking an Iranian elementary school and killing more than 165 people. The resignation of NCTC Director Joe Kent, questions for DNI Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and scrutiny of FBI leadership under Kash Patel add to the hearings' stakes.
Top U.S. Intelligence Officials to Testify on Iran School Strike and Rising Domestic Terror Threats
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard exits the House chamber following President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON — Senior national security officials from the Trump administration will face back-to-back congressional hearings beginning Wednesday, where lawmakers are expected to press them on the U.S. campaign against Iran — including a deadly strike on a school — and on the FBI's ability to prevent terror attacks on U.S. soil.
The annual worldwide-threats hearings, which gather the government's most senior intelligence leaders, come amid intense scrutiny of U.S. military operations in the Middle East and growing concern about domestic terrorism after recent attacks at a Michigan synagogue and a Virginia university.
Key Questions on the Iran Campaign
CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrives for a briefing for Senators on Iran at a secure room in the basement of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Testimony before the House and Senate intelligence committees is expected to focus on the Iran campaign and, in particular, disclosures that outdated targeting intelligence likely led to a U.S. missile striking an elementary school in Iran and killing more than 165 people. Reporting indicates the obsolete targeting data may have originated with the Defense Intelligence Agency. DIA Director Lt. Gen. James H. Adams is among the officials scheduled to testify, and the White House says the incident remains under investigation.
Resignation and Internal Disagreement
The hearings also come after the resignation this week of Joe Kent as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Kent said he could not "in good conscience" support the administration's military campaign and disputed characterizations that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. Hours later, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — whose office oversaw Kent's work and who is expected to appear at the hearings — posted a carefully worded message saying it is President Trump's decision to determine whether Iran poses a threat; she did not explicitly state her personal view on the strikes.
This photo provided by the White House which has been partially blurred, shows President Donald Trump talking with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., during Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Daniel Torok/The White House via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Intelligence Assessments Under Scrutiny
Both Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe may face questions about recent intelligence assessments on Iran, including analyses suggesting U.S. strikes are unlikely to produce a regime change in Tehran and reports that call into question claims Iran was preparing to strike first.
Domestic Security and FBI Leadership
FBI Director Kash Patel takes part in a U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag Raising ceremony at the State Department, Monday, March 9, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The hearings are also expected to scrutinize Kash Patel's leadership of the FBI. This will be Patel's first public appearance on Capitol Hill since video surfaced last month showing him celebrating with members of the U.S. men's hockey team after their Winter Olympics gold medal win. Patel has dismissed dozens of agents during his first year at the bureau, raising concerns about the potential loss of institutional national security expertise at a time officials say the terrorism threat is elevated.
Recent Incidents Heighten Concern
Authorities point to a string of recent incidents that underscore those fears: a gunman wearing clothing bearing an Iranian-flag design and the phrase "Property of Allah" killed two people at a Texas bar; two men accused of being inspired by the Islamic State were arrested on charges of bringing powerful homemade explosives to a protest outside the New York City mayoral residence; a man with a prior terrorism conviction opened fire inside an Old Dominion University classroom in Virginia; and a Lebanese-born man in Michigan drove his car into a synagogue.
The FBI has said it is working around the clock to protect the country as Congress seeks answers about both foreign operations and homeland defenses.
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