Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard delivered the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment on Wednesday, covering global threat levels to the U.S. based on data compiled from multiple intelligence agencies. Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee and provided updates on foreign powers, including China, Russia and Iran, as well as the status of the U.S. border and global stability.
“Intelligence remains among our sharpest tools in protecting our interests and informing our policymakers and decision makers on key national security concerns,” Gabbard said. “Putting America first means committing to an unrelenting vigilance in service of our own citizens, borders and communities. Recent efforts to bolster Homeland defense have yielded significantly positive results but challenges persist.”
Gabbard highlighted the Trump administration’s massive success in securing the border, noting that deterrence policy has drastically reduced illegal crossings. Data from Customs and Border Patrol indicate that the number of border encounters in January 2026 is down 83 percent compared to the same period last year. Gabbard also noted fentanyl overdose deaths have decreased 30 percent between September 2024 and September 2025, citing the crackdown on the transportation of precursor chemicals as a contributing factor.
President Trump’s designation of certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as foreign terrorist organizations was pointed out by Gabbard as a mechanism for combatting potential terror threats. Gabbard noted that the U.S. has engaged in counterterrorism efforts in multiple countries, including Iran, Yemen, Somalia and Syria, which have eliminated key leaders and operatives within terrorist groups and weakened their ability to launch large-scale attacks.
Gabbard also noted that stricter border policies have resulted in fewer individuals with connections to terrorist groups crossing the U.S. border. She emphasized her agency’s efforts to identify and remove individuals affiliated with terrorist groups who are already present in the U.S.
Cyber threats were also an area of focus, with China, Russia, Iran and North Korea listed as possible sources of attacks against U.S. government and private-sector networks. Gabbard noted the heightened vigilance required as Artificial Intelligence continues to transform the nature of these cyber threats, making them both faster and more effective.
Regarding the status of Iran since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury last month, Gabbard said the Iranian regime “appears to be intact but largely degraded.” Economic sanctions and the destruction of nuclear facilities during last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer were cited as successful efforts that have left Iranian leadership with fewer options to launch attacks against the U.S. or its allies in the region.
