Three years after the Capitol riot shook Washington, a quiet Senate hearing has put new questions back in the spotlight, this time about the FBI.
Joseph Kent, chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed on Wednesday that the U.S. intelligence community is now investigating whether the FBI was involved in the events of January 6, 2021.
“We’re looking into it right now,” Kent told senators, responding to a confirmation hearing question about his nomination to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. He did not disclose which agency is handling the review, but the acknowledgment alone was enough to reignite political tensions.
The statement aligns with Gabbard’s recent launch of a task force designed to root out politicisation within U.S. intelligence services. Her office later confirmed that the group is executing Trump-era executive orders to rebuild public trust.
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly challenged Kent’s earlier suggestions that law enforcement informants may have helped direct events on the ground. Kelly pointed to a Justice Department report from December, which stated 26 FBI informants were in Washington on January 6, but none had been authorised to breach the Capitol or incite unrest.
Kent pushed back, alleging that some informants were observed removing barriers and guiding crowds, and said the FBI’s Washington Field Office was probably involved. He offered no new evidence, only stating that the matter is being looked into.
Kent’s past colours the moment. A former Green Beret and CIA officer, he ran for Congress in 2022 with Gabbard’s endorsement and has publicly called January 6 defendants political prisoners.
He also declined to answer questions about his participation in a private Signal chat group with former Trump officials in which airstrikes in Yemen were discussed, now the subject of a Pentagon inspector general probe. Kent claimed the material shared in the chat was unclassified, but refused further comment citing ongoing litigation.
The FBI has consistently denied directing or inciting the January 6 riot. Over 1,500 individuals have been charged in relation to the attack, aimed at blocking the certification of Joe Biden’s election. Trump has since pardoned many of them.
With Kent’s confirmation hearing now on record, the investigation he acknowledged could cast fresh light, or fresh doubt, on one of America’s darkest political days. The search for accountability is far from over.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said reaching a peace agreement with the United States over the war in Ukraine remains difficult, as Moscow stands firm on its demands and vows never to return to economic dependence on the West.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Europe experienced its most extensive flooding since 2013 last year, with 30% of the continent’s river network impacted by severe floods, according to a joint report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit San Diego County on Monday, shaking homes and disrupting daily life across the region. Originating near Julian, the tremor was felt in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties, with residents noting its intensity and duration.
A sandstorm in Najaf, Iraq, has drastically reduced visibility and disrupted daily life, causing major traffic problems and challenging both residents and authorities.
France and the Netherlands faced strong condemnation at the United Nations headquarters in New York as the 4th session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent spotlighted ongoing colonialism in their overseas territories.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said reaching a peace agreement with the United States over the war in Ukraine remains difficult, as Moscow stands firm on its demands and vows never to return to economic dependence on the West.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Asian markets edged higher on Tuesday, lifted by gains in auto stocks after US President Donald Trump suggested he might ease tariffs on vehicles.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone, discussing the situations in Syria, Gaza, and efforts for a Ukraine ceasefire, according to diplomatic sources.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The death toll from the catastrophic roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo has risen to 98, with more than 160 people injured, according to Dominican authorities.
A quiet Thursday afternoon at St. Peter’s Basilica turned into something extraordinary, as visitors caught a rare glimpse of Pope Francis — not in his familiar white papal robes, but dressed in black trousers and a striped blanket.
In a dramatic about-face, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on newly implemented tariffs for dozens of countries — a move that eased market turmoil but further escalated tensions with China.
France and the Netherlands faced strong condemnation at the United Nations headquarters in New York as the 4th session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent spotlighted ongoing colonialism in their overseas territories.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said reaching a peace agreement with the United States over the war in Ukraine remains difficult, as Moscow stands firm on its demands and vows never to return to economic dependence on the West.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone, discussing the situations in Syria, Gaza, and efforts for a Ukraine ceasefire, according to diplomatic sources.
NORAD has monitored a Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, confirming it remained in international airspace and posed no threat.
France and the Netherlands faced strong condemnation at the United Nations headquarters in New York as the 4th session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent spotlighted ongoing colonialism in their overseas territories.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said reaching a peace agreement with the United States over the war in Ukraine remains difficult, as Moscow stands firm on its demands and vows never to return to economic dependence on the West.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Asian markets edged higher on Tuesday, lifted by gains in auto stocks after US President Donald Trump suggested he might ease tariffs on vehicles.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone, discussing the situations in Syria, Gaza, and efforts for a Ukraine ceasefire, according to diplomatic sources.
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