March 18, 2026 – Trump administration news | CNN Politics

At a separate hearing, intelligence officials testified about worldwide threats and answered questions about the Iran war, elections and immigration. • Three hours of intense questioning: Sen. Markwayne Mullin testified before a Senate committee to be the next Homeland Security secretary. Sen. Rand Paul, who accused the Oklahoma senator of having “anger issues,” said he will not vote to confirm Mullin. • What Mullin said: Mullin admitted he made a mistake calling Alex Pretti, the Minnesotan killed by immigration officers in January, a “deranged individual.” Mullin also said he would scrap Kristi Noem’s controversial FEMA policy requiring her personal signoff for any spending request over $100,000. • Global threats hearing: Lawmakers also heard from President Donald Trump’s intelligence chiefs Wednesday at a Senate hearing where they testified about the Annual Threat Assessment. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the Iranian regime “appears to be intact, but largely degraded.” You can follow CNN’s live coverage on Iran here. • Epstein briefing: Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche briefed lawmakers