Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) grilled National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers on Wednesday after he repeatedly refused to answer the Senate Intelligence Committee's questions about his conversations with President Trump regarding the Russia probe. After Rogers declined to provide details on his private talks with Trump, King demanded an explanation. "Why are you not answering these questions? Is there an invocation by the president of the United States of executive privilege? Is there or not?" King asked.
Rogers insisted there was no invocation of executive privilege, but said he was staying mum because he felt it was inappropriate to answer the questions. "What you feel isn't relevant, admiral," King responded, arguing that if there was no legal justification for silence then Rogers ought to answer the questions.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
National Intelligence Director Dan Coats and acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe were also subjected to King's brutal line of questioning for their similar refusals to talk about their discussions with Trump. When King pressed Coats for the legal basis of his refusal, Coats admitted, "I'm not sure I have a legal basis." McCabe similarly struggled to explain his legal reasoning for not answering.
Watch King's questioning below. Becca Stanek
-
Trump’s poll collapse: can he stop the slide?Talking Point President who promised to ease cost-of-living has found that US economic woes can’t be solved ‘via executive fiat’
-
Codeword: December 7, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Crossword: December 7, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
