FBI, DHS leaders decline to testify publicly about threats facing US

FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during a meeting of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2024. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - FBI Director Christopher Wray and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday declined to appear publicly before a U.S. Senate committee to discuss national security threats, provoking the ire of the panel's Democratic chairman.

In a statement, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters called their refusal to publicly testify a "shocking departure" that runs counter to 15 years of precedent.