Richard Blumenthal

Admiral Tidd, what percentage of Hezbollah fundraising is derived from drug trafficking and what are the other major sources of profit?

What are you doing to address the threat--including Hezbollah's terrorist activities, money laundering, and drug trafficking?

Hezbollah has long been known for its support and activity--noticeably money laundering, terrorist attacks, and drug trafficking--in South America.

I can't tell you how upset I was when I pulled the RFF and shortly thereafter was told there would be a delay in the program. That's just unacceptable to me.

How does Russia's violation of the INF Treaty impact efforts to renew New START?

How can we best protect our troops and allies from these deployed missiles without escalating the situation?

Russia has deployed two brigades of ground-launched cruise missiles that United States officials say violate the INF Treaty.

I welcome your focus on this issue, and if there is anything I can do or I hope the committee can do...

I am extremely alarmed by this violation of the INF Treaty and what it represents strategically in that part of the world.

Have you made recommendations as to what we should be doing about it?

That is because, as you put it well in your testimony, it increases Putin's asymmetric options as this missile capability is built.

I take it, speaking of ballistic missiles, that you would agree with General Selva who testified earlier this week during the House Armed Services Committee that Russia is violating the INF Treaty.

Israel is an extremely close ally of ours, a special ally.

This facility will be an operations base.

We have concerns about China's increasing presence in Djibouti.

Djibouti is a strategic location for China, with half its oil imports passing through the Mandeb Strait providing a potential choke point.

To defeat ISIL, do you believe we need a more robust ground presence?

Secretary Mattis presented a classified plan to the White House to defeat ISIL, as requested by President Trump in an Executive Order earlier this year.

General Votel, Marines have arrived in Syria to establish an outpost near Raqqa to fire artillery in support United States-backed forces fighting to retake Raqqa from ISIL.

United States forces in Syria are authorized to operate to train, assist, and advise coalition partners to defeat ISIL.

What steps are you taking to counter the threat posed by Hezbollah?

It is a significant concern.

Iran's continued and disturbing malign influence and actions over the last several weeks remain a key concern of mine.

I want to focus on Iran.

I think we have to contest their revolutionary ideology, and it is not just the United States, but it has to be those in the region.