Hillary Clinton Says the US No Longer Has “Eyes And Ears” in the Countries Where Extremism Is Spreading
by Jerome London · Thought CatalogUpdated 35 minutes ago, September 11, 2026
She says the remaining counterterrorism teams lack the resources and clear direction needed to track threats. Her warning comes 25 years after 9/11, with terrorist groups still active alongside threats from Russia, China and Iran.
Western Africa is one area where the US has lost intelligence reach as extremism gains ground, according to Clinton. She said federal cuts have weakened the State Department and other agencies responsible for gathering information and assessing terrorist threats.
The Trump administration eliminated thousands of federal jobs in 2025 through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, including positions at the CIA and State Department. Clinton acknowledged that dedicated staff remain at the FBI and intelligence agencies, but said they can’t adequately do their jobs without enough resources or a focused mission.
Speaking with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell at the VOICES 25th Anniversary Symposium on September 10, Clinton said the country has faced numerous close calls and some successful plots since 9/11. The former New York senator warned that thousands of extremists still wish the US harm and criticized Trump for giving his planned White House ballroom more attention than intelligence from Afghanistan.
The Department of Homeland Security told NBC News that it’s equipped to protect Americans and is recruiting, reforming and modernizing its counterterrorism work.
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