Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, addressed the Committee on Wednesday and voiced his concern regarding national security during the second Trump administration.
Swalwell criticized Trump’s push to fire FBI agents who were involved in investigations against Trump (and who “didn’t pick” their cases), and said: “What I’m seeing from this administration is that we are taking our eye off the ball.”
Swalwell noted the terrorist attack in New Orleans in January, and voiced concern about upcoming “national security targets” including the Super Bowl (on Sunday in New Orleans), the World Cup in 2026, and the Olympics in 2028.
We are not safe. Trump released 1,600 violent cop-beaters onto our streets. He’s firing thousands of FBI agents. And he’s taking the CIA off the watch for terrorism. We are not safe. pic.twitter.com/xZ9Yfmppmh
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 5, 2025
“ISIS, Al Qaeda, other terrorist organizations want to hit us and hit us hard,” Swalwell said, “what we are seeing are actions from this administration that do not make us safe.” Swalwell added of Trump: “He’s taking the CIA off the watch for terrorism. We are not safe.”
Swalwell added: “The most basic job of government is for people to feel safe.”
Presumably, in an attempt to make people feel safe, new Secretary of Homeland Security, former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, distributed a video on Monday with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry at the Superdome in New Orleans, the location of the upcoming Super Bowl.
70,000 + people will attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans next week. We will give law enforcement every resource they need to ensure a safe event.
If you see something, say something! pic.twitter.com/m4kCHAELEe
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) February 3, 2025
In the video, Noem tells Americans: “If you see something, say something and do not quit.” Governor Landry supported Noem’s message and said: “We need the public’s help,” and repeated the phrase, “If you see something, say something.”
Noem promised the Super Bowl will be a fun and safe event and claimed: “Everybody that enters this building is a great American. Let’s go, fight, win.”
MAGA supporters are responding to the video by thanking Noem for “doing a great a job” while others note that she’s not doing anything new (“that’s the job of the department”) and detractors are criticizing Noem’s alleged lack of national security expertise.
Note: Homeland Security reported that it’s continuing a 20+ year partnership with the NFL by sending more than 690 DHS Employees to the Superdome to protect the estimated 73,000 fans attending the big game.