Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine expressed surprise on Tuesday over the absence of “climate change” in the U.S. Intelligence Community’s (IC) annual threat assessment report, which was released on Monday.
The report, which identifies global threats such as cartels, terrorism, and hostile nations, notably omitted any reference to climate change.
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on global threats, King, who has served on the committee for thirteen years, questioned Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about the exclusion of climate change from the report.
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King noted that every prior annual threat assessment had included global climate change as a significant national security threat, making its omission this year particularly surprising.
“One note that surprised me: I’ve been on this committee now for — this is my thirteenth year. Every single one of these reports that we have had has mentioned global climate change as a significant national security threat, except this one,” King said.
“Has something happened? Has global climate change been solved? Why, why is that not in this report? And who made the decision that it should not be in the report when it has been in every one of the eleven prior reports?”
In response, Gabbard explained that the report was focused specifically on the “most extreme and critical direct threats” to U.S. national security, which, according to her, did not include climate change.
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She emphasized the IC’s awareness of environmental issues and their potential impacts on operations but noted that the assessment was intended to address direct threats to American safety, well-being, and security.
“For the intelligence community, being aware of the environment that we’re operating in is a given,” Gabbard said.
“What I focused this annual threat assessment on, and the IC focused this threat assessment on, are the most extreme and critical direct threats to our national security.”
King continued to press the issue, arguing that climate change could lead to serious consequences like mass migration, famine, dislocation, and political violence.
He pointed out that a 2019 threat assessment under President Donald Trump had linked climate change to these issues.
“You don’t consider that a significant national security threat?” King asked.
Gabbard reiterated that while the IC acknowledged the environment's impact on operations, the focus of the assessment was on the most critical national security threats.
She was again questioned by King about who made the decision to exclude climate change from the report.
Gabbard confirmed that she had directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to prioritize the most extreme and critical national security threats.
King then asked Gabbard whether she had specifically instructed her team to exclude climate change from the report.
Gabbard responded, “I don’t recall giving that instruction.”
Democrat Senator King just threw a FIT about Tulsi Gabbard no longer considering “climate change” a national security threat
The climate scam is OVER. Tulsi responded “We’re focused on the most direct threats to Americans’ safety, well-being, and security.” Finally pic.twitter.com/hMoK1heU2l — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 25, 2025
According to a document obtained by the Daily Caller, the strategy emphasized the need for U.S. leadership to counter an anti-growth energy agenda that could harm U.S. economic and energy security.
Trump’s administration had also made efforts to roll back energy and environmental policies established by Joe Biden.
Additionally, the Department of Defense (DOD) is reportedly working to reduce climate change initiatives within its agency, according to Politico’s E&E News.
In January 2021, Trump signed an executive order designating cartels and criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
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What an idiot there is no such thing as climate change it is just in the empty mindless heads of demonrats shut up you freak