Climate change left off list of threats to military personnel, bases
WASHINGTON (WAVY) — Lost in a contentious Monday Senate hearing over the leaking of battle plans was an issue of concern to miliary members and bases in Hampton Roads — climate change.
Warner demands answers after Middle East attack plan leaks to journalist before it happened
The hearing was the platform for the Annual Threat Assessment, the list of major threats to national security compiled by the intelligence community.
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Intelligence Committee for 13 years, wanted to know why climate change was omitted from this year's assessment for the first time in 12 years.
'Every single one of these [previous 11 assessments] has mentioned global climate change as a significant national security threat except this one,' King said as he questioned Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, in charge of the assessment. 'Has something happened — has global climate change been solved?'
'This assessment has been focused directly on the threats that we deem most critical to the United States and our national security,' Gabbard said in response. 'Obviously, we're aware of occurrences within the environment and how they may impact operations.'
The Pentagon has studied the effects of climate change on military bases and operations for years. In 2021, the Department of Defense reported that , with a forecast of as much as three more feet by 2050.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, said President Trump knows that climate change is a threat.
'It was in this document every year that Trump was president the first time,' he said in a Wednesday morning conference call with reporters. Warner said climate change and sea level rise have already forced some costly, but necessary changes here in Hampton Roads.
'We spent millions of dollars a year raising the piers in Norfolk so the fleet can still appropriately dock there,' Warner said. 'If anybody thinks sea level rise has gotten better, or we're not seeing extreme weather events, then they're either oblivious or ignorant.'
King asked whether Gabbard directed her staff to keep climate change off the list of threats. Gabbard said she didn't recall giving that instruction.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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