Committee Chairman Rand Paul, who has made probing the pandemic’s origins a central theme of his oversight agenda, convened the session as part of that broader effort. Supporters framed the appearance of an active CIA officer as overdue transparency. Critics saw a made-for-TV confrontation.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Dan Caine will testify before a Senate Appropriations Committee panel on Tuesday morning about the ongoing conflict in Iran and