At a recent House Rules Committee meeting, Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA) voiced strong criticism of former President Donald Trump’s approach to national security and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. McGovern began his remarks by stating, "America is less safe under Donald Trump. That is the simple truth."
He referenced the recent military action initiated by Trump, saying, "The war he launched over the weekend—and it is a war, by the way; he calls it a war, Pete Hegseth calls it a war, so according to them it’s a war—this war has made America and the world less safe." McGovern argued that this decision has led to an increase in threats to homeland security.
McGovern also criticized the current legislative process regarding Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. He noted that lawmakers were revisiting a bill already passed by the House: "So let me get this straight: we’re re-passing a bill we already passed, but we’re removing a provision we already passed, because it already passed. Is anyone able following that? What are we even doing here?"
He expressed opposition to further funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), citing concerns about their actions: "It’s the same lousy, rotten bill that does not put any guardrails or constraints on ICE or CBP after federal agents shot American citizens in the streets. So, speaking for myself, I will not give another penny to ICE or CBP. Republicans already shoveled $75 billion into ICE in their 'Big Ugly Bill.' I will not vote to give them another cent."
McGovern accused these agencies of breaking laws and said their focus on immigration enforcement was detracting from other important DHS responsibilities. He also criticized personnel decisions within national security agencies: "Let’s talk about homeland security—let’s talk about the fact that Donald Trump put a 22-year-old with no national security experience in charge of terrorism prevention for the entire country." He added concerns about staff changes at federal agencies responsible for counter-espionage and cybersecurity.
Regarding Congressional response to recent events, McGovern stated: "Speaker Johnson should have called Congress back on Monday. We should have held an emergency meeting in this committee to bring a war powers resolution to the floor immediately." He criticized Republican leadership for canceling votes during what he described as an escalating crisis.
McGovern concluded his remarks by highlighting personal consequences of U.S. military actions abroad: "Six U.S. service members are already dead—Americans are stranded throughout the region because this Administration had no plan to keep them safe either—and Republicans are repassing a bill that they already passed a couple weeks ago."
He ended with: "It’s a disgrace. Come back when you have a plan to rein in the lawlessness of ICE and CBP. Until then, we’re not going to rubber-stamp more money for agencies that defy judges and violate court orders—while this President makes America less safe by the hour with his new forever war."
