WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King questioned Christopher Maier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, about the need for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community to stay focused on counterterrorism efforts from non-affiliated extremist cells while also keeping an eye on growing threats from nation-state actors like Russia and China. The hearing comes just weeks after ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack at a Moscow concert hall that killed at least 60 people and injured 145 more.

Later in the hearing, Senator King spoke to General Timothy Haugh, Commander of the United States Cyber Command, Director of the National Security Agency and Chief of the Central Security Service, about the highly sophisticated and concentrated Russian misinformation and propaganda campaigns designed to affect U.S. public opinion toward Ukraine.  

King began the hearing by warning of the increasing risk of terrorism and making clear deterrence efforts do not work against terrorist organizations such as ISIS.

“There’s a human tendency called the recency effect, and that is to pay most attention to things that happened recently, and then sort of lose track. To put it most bluntly, I’m afraid we’re taking our eye off the terrorism ball. That, because September 11 is twenty years ago, and now we’re focused on Russia and China — which I think is appropriate — I just worry that we’re losing focus on the threat of terrorism,” began Senator King.

“The recent attack in Moscow indicates that ISIS wants to attack in other countries. There’s no doubt that they would like to attack here. And the technology is developing where they can do so. The thing that keeps me awake at night is nuclear terrorism. If one of these organizations gets their hands on a nuclear weapon, deterrence doesn’t work because they don’t have a capital city to worry about, they don’t care about dying. Mr. Secretary, I just hope that you will advocate strongly that we maintain the attention in the intelligence community and the Defense Department on the risk of terrorism. It hasn’t gone away,” said Senator King.

“Senator, your concerns are ones that I share. I have spent most of my career in the counterterrorism community, and I think we have done great things in keeping that threat at a low level, but I think you’re recognizing some of the asymmetric capabilities, and the lack of deterrence of different groups if they get capabilities is something we need to remain very focused on,” responded Secretary Maier. “I think we sometimes forget that the National Defense Strategy has five elements to it. We like to talk about the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia, but one of those is counterterrorism. It has been across administrations for a long time. So, if we’re taking our own direction, Sir, it says that counterterrorism remains a focus for this country.”

“I just want you to be irritating in the counsels of the Defense Department on this issue, and, I understand that you’re very capable of doing that. So please keep pushing, because I don’t want a hearing here five years from now, or three years, where everybody says “What happened? How did we miss this,” said Senator King.

“Yes, sir. I will certainly stay on it. Hopefully, I don’t have a reputation for being that irritating, but on this issue, I think it’s very important, Sir, so I take your guidance,” finished Secretary Maier.

Later in the hearing, Senator King stressed the growing threat of Russian misinformation campaigns used to influence U.S. support for Ukraine. His remarks come on the heels of a recent SASC hearing where he highlighted parallels between the propaganda campaign the Nazis launched in America in the 1930s and the current day misinformation tactics being deployed by Russia.

“Right now, we’re experiencing a sophisticated, consistent, and purposeful misinformation attack from Russia with regards to Ukraine and it is very reminiscent of the attack of the Nazis in the late 30's in terms of the pro-Nazi propaganda here in the United States, which went up to and included members of Congress,” said Senator King. “This is an attack. This is an in effort to disrupt our political process by a foreign agent. And this is one of the things that the framers of our constitution most feared and we have to be active and not just say — oh well, it's just the Russians again. I believe, again, I am advocating a strong response that will make them think twice before they undertake such an attack.”

“Senator, I understand, and I do believe that both the PRC and Russia understand our capabilities and I would like to be able to walk through with you, in the closed session, some examples of that,” replied General Haugh.

As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Chair of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, and a member of the Senate Select Committee of Intelligence, Senator King is an active, vocal supporter of the importance of democratic values and defeating terrorism. Earlier in the year, Senator King reflected on his January trip to the Middle East, warning that continued Houthi attacks, an Iranian-backed terrorist proxy, on international shipping lanes would warrant a response. Senator King has also been outspoken on the need to defeat Hamas, another Iranian-backed terrorist proxy based in Gaza, that massacred over a thousand innocent Israeli citizens, committed mass gender-based violence including rape, and took hundreds hostage.

Senator King has been a vocal supporter for Ukraine, voting in support of a bipartisan aid bill this past February that will help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan defend themselves. In the days prior to the vote, he spoke on the Senate floor to his colleague that Ukraine’s fight is a “battle for the south of Democracy in the world.” Last January, Senator King travelled with Armed Services Chairmen Jack Reed (D-RI) in a visit to meet Ukraine President Vladimir Zelenskyy in Kiev.

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