FBI Director Kash Patel will confront skeptical Senate Democrats at a congressional hearing Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET, likely to be dominated by questions about the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s killing as well as the recent firings of senior officials who have accused him of illegal political retribution.
The appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee represents the first oversight hearing of Patel’s young but tumultuous tenure and provides a high-stakes platform for him to try to reassure wary lawmakers that he is the right person for the job at a time of internal upheaval and mounting concerns about political violence inside the U.S., which President Donald Trump has sought to blame squarely on the left.
Other news we’re following:
- Vance urges speech crackdown over Kirk killing: Vice President JD Vance called on the public to turn in anyone who says distasteful things about the assassination of his friend and political ally, Charlie Kirk, a staunch free speech advocate. “When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance said Monday. “And hell, call their employer.”
- US designates Colombia uncooperative in drug war: The Trump administration has added Colombia to a list of nations failing to cooperate in the drug war for the first time in nearly three decades. The move reflects a decade-long boom in cocaine production in Colombia. Trump said Monday that the military had separately targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel.
- US and China reach framework deal on TikTok: After the latest round of trade talks between the world’s top two economies concluded in Madrid, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a news conference that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would speak Friday to possibly finalize the deal. He said the objective of the deal would be to switch to U.S. ownership.
