Sunday shows - Administration officials grilled on Trump's Iran claims

Top administration officials were questioned on Sunday about President TrumpDonald John TrumpBiden campaign slams Facebook after thousands of ads blocked by platform's pre-election blackout Mnuchin says he learned of Pelosi's letter to him about stimulus talks 'in the press' Harris to travel to Texas Friday after polls show tie between Trump, Biden MORE's comments that the U.S. killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani to avert an imminent attack on four U.S. embassies, a claim lawmakers say was never mentioned in a briefing.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiMnuchin says he learned of Pelosi's letter to him about stimulus talks 'in the press' On The Money: Trump makes a late pitch on the economy | US economy records record GDP gains after historic COVID-19 drop | Pelosi eyes big COVID-19 deal in lame duck Pelosi challenger calls delay on COVID-19 relief bill the 'privilege of politics' MORE also discussed the latest on the Democrats' impeachment effort against President Trump. She said late last week that she would transfer the House-passed articles impeachment to the Senate this week ahead of a trial.

Read The Hill's complete coverage below.

Pentagon chief says he 'didn't see' intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack four US embassies By REBECCA KLAR   Secretary of Defense Mark EsperMark EsperOvernight Defense: Trump campaign's use of military helicopter raises ethics concerns | Air Force jets intercept aircraft over Trump rally | Senators introduce bill to expand visa screenings Trump campaign event use of Marine Corps helicopter raises ethics questions The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Smart or senseless for Biden to spend time in Georgia, Iowa? MORE said on Sunday that he did not see intelligence that supported President Trump’s comments that the Iranian commander killed in a U.S. drone strike was plotting attacks against four U.S. embassies. Read the full story here

Esper: Gang of 8 'did not think' further intelligence on Iranian threat should be shared with Congress By REBECCA KLAR   Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday that the top congressional intelligence committee members did not think that information shared with them about a potential Iranian plot to attack the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad should be shared with other members of Congress.  Read the full story here

Fox's Wallace presses O'Brien on contradiction between Trump embassy threat claims and administration briefing By ZACK BUDRYK   Fox News’s Chris WallaceChristopher (Chris) WallaceTrump calls Fox 'disappointing' for airing Obama speech Fox News president, top anchors advised to quarantine after coronavirus exposure: report Republican National Committee chair warns of 'most progressive, radical takeover of our country' if Biden wins MORE on Sunday grilled White House national security adviser  Robert O’Brien on President Trump’s claims that the U.S. killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani to avert an imminent attack on four U.S. embassies, which lawmakers say was never mentioned in a briefing by representatives of the Trump administration. Read the full story here

O'Brien defends 'exquisite' intelligence justifying Soleimani killing By ZACK BUDRYK   “We had exquisite intelligence and the intelligence showed that they were looking at U.S. facilities throughout the region and that they wanted to inflict casualties on American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, as well as diplomats,” White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien told NBC’s Chuck ToddCharles (Chuck) David ToddNBC moves Texas to 'toss-up' in presidential race Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' Outgoing Va. Republican: Two-party system is failing Americans MORE on "Meet the Press." Read the full story here

National security adviser: US embassies not evacuated because 'we're not going to cut and run every time somebody threatens us' By JUSTINE COLEMAN   National security adviser Robert O’Brien said Sunday that U.S. embassies were not alerted or evacuated due to the “imminent threat” of an attack because “we’re not going to cut and run every time somebody threatens us.” Read the full story here

Democratic senator: Trump told Laura Ingraham more about Soleimani killing than we heard in briefing By ZACK BUDRYK   Sen. Chris CoonsChristopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsWhat a Biden administration should look like Bitter fight over Barrett fuels calls to nix filibuster, expand court Ocasio-Cortez: Republicans don't believe Democrats 'have the stones to play hardball' MORE (D-Del.), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, on Sunday decried what he called a lack of meaningful information presented to members of Congress about the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, saying President Trump provided more detail in an interview with Fox’s Laura IngrahamLaura Anne Ingraham'Drink water and don't be racist': Ocasio-Cortez gives Republicans upset over Vanity Fair outfit 'pointers' on how to look better Trump calls Fox 'disappointing' for airing Obama speech Fox's Ingraham: 'Biden-COVID ticket' using 'virus panic button' to 'scare old people into voting' MORE. Read the full story here

Paul: US 'drifting away from' founders' desire that it be 'difficult to go to war' By ZACK BUDRYK    Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulTrump says ex-staffer who penned 'Anonymous' op-ed should be 'prosecuted' CIA impeachment whistleblower forced to live under surveillance due to threats: report Rand Paul rips 'leftwing media' for focusing on COVID-19 cases: 'Mortality rates are plummeting' MORE (R-Ky.) said Sunday that Congress must re-assert its authority over whether or not the U.S. engages in acts of war in the wake of the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, saying the authority had slowly been usurped over several decades dating back to the Korean War. Read the full story here

Pelosi: No 'second thoughts' on delaying transmission of articles of impeachment to Senate By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she did not regret her decision to delay sending the articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate. Read the full story here

Dismissing impeachment case would be a 'cover up,' Pelosi says By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the Senate dismissing the impeachment case against President Trump would amount to "a cover up." Read the full story here

Pelosi: Every 'knock' from Trump is a 'boost' By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday responded to President Trump’s recent attacks on her by saying “every knock from him is a boost.” Read the full story here

Bennet: 'Many people would say' Iraq War support was not Biden's 'finest hour' By ZACK BUDRYK    Sen.  Michael BennetMichael Farrand BennetLobbying world Senate Democrats hold talkathon to protest Barrett's Supreme Court nomination Cotton mocks NY Times over claim of nonpartisanship, promises to submit op-eds as test MORE (D-Colo.) said Sunday that his fellow presidential candidate former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHarris to travel to Texas Friday after polls show tie between Trump, Biden Florida heat sends a dozen Trump rally attendees to hospital Harris more often the target of online misinformation than Pence: report MORE’s support for the war in Iraq was “not his finest hour” in the eyes of some voters. Read the full story here

Steyer says 'grassroots organizing' in Nevada, South Carolina got him on debate stage By REBECCA KLAR    Democratic presidential candidate Tom SteyerTom SteyerLate donor surges push election spending projections to new heights New voters surge to the polls Trump leads Biden in Texas by 4 points: poll MORE pointed to his grassroots organizing efforts to explain how he made it onto next week’s debate stage amid accusations that the billionaire philanthropist is buying his way into the event.  Read the full story here