President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE’s strategy in Syria and Afghanistan took a one-two punch on Tuesday, first from his own intelligence officials and then from the Senate’s top Republican.

The top intelligence officials offered a contradictory assessment of Trump’s statement that ISIS has been defeated, warning that thousands of the terrorist organization’s fighters remain in Iraq and Syria and that the group is “intent on resurging.”

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The warning was delivered by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE and CIA Director Gina Haspel in a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee and an accompanying report on worldwide threats.

While Trump last month ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria and declared the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been “defeated,” intelligence officials warned Tuesday that the group “will exploit any reduction in [counterterrorism] pressure to strengthen its clandestine presence and accelerate rebuilding key capabilities, such as media production and external operations.”

Separately on Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE (R-Ky.) announced he will introduce an amendment warning against a “precipitous” withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan.

In one of his sharpest breaks yet with Trump, McConnell said during a speech on the Senate floor that the measure would “acknowledge the plain fact” that al Qaeda, ISIS and their subsidiaries “pose a serious threat to us here at home.”

Since Trump’s initial announcement in December, administration officials have walked back Trump’s declaration of the defeat of ISIS, saying instead the terrorist group has lost nearly all of its territory.

But Trump has continued to downplay the threat posed by ISIS, saying U.S. forces have “knocked them out.”

The threat assessment on ISIS was just one of the areas where intelligence officials did not align with Trump.

Coats testified that North Korea is “unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons,” despite Trump’s continued negotiations with Pyongyang.

Coats and Haspel also testified that Tehran continues to abide by the terms of the Iran nuclear agreement negotiated under the Obama administration, statements they previously made before Trump withdrew from the deal.

“Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device,” the report reads.

Lawmakers attending Tuesday’s hearing said they stood by the intelligence leaders’ findings. But they also said they weren’t necessarily surprised by the apparent refutation of the president’s claims.

While other high-ranking members of the Trump administration will make statements in line with the president’s agenda, intelligence officials tend to avoid making political comments. And their assessments will occasionally stand in contrast to the arguments put forward by the White House.

“It’s very clear that they’re politely saying that up there at the White House with the president is kind of a fact-free zone,” said Sen. Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal Hillicon Valley: TikTok, Oracle seek Trump's approval as clock winds down | Hackers arrested for allegedly defacing U.S. websites after death of Iranian general | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat MORE (D-Ore.), a member of the Intelligence Committee.

“Obviously the president is commander in chief but it’s not helpful, this difference of opinion,” he added.

Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr Richard Mauze BurrRep. Mark Walker says he's been contacted about Liberty University vacancy Overnight Defense: Trump rejects major cut to military health care | Senate report says Trump campaign's Russia contacts posed 'grave' threat Senate report describes closer ties between 2016 Trump campaign, Russia MORE (R-N.C.) pushed back on the idea that Tuesday’s testimony contradicted Trump.

“The president said that they have dismantled the caliphate, and I think that’s in fact what the witnesses said today,” Burr said. “The president’s ISIS comments have been toward Syria and then numbers in Syria. We were talking about a global ISIS presence today.”

Other lawmakers sitting on the panel noted that this wasn’t the first time the chiefs have butted heads with the administration’s statements.

“What part of that was surprising?” asked Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerIntelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats MORE (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee.

“Those folks have been generally — in almost all the presentations — they’ve generally been very truthful,” he continued.

And Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Florida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll MORE (R-Fla.) said it “wouldn’t be the first time an administration, for policy reasons that are broader than just that assessment, have made decisions.”

Still, Rubio, who has been an outspoken opponent of the president’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria, noted that it was the same assessments “that have led me to most of the policy positions I’ve taken.”

“I think it’s clear to everyone the president overstated the case when he said that ISIS has been defeated,” Sen. Angus King Angus KingShakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president Angus King: Ending election security briefings 'looks like a pre-cover-up' MORE (I-Maine) said.

“They don’t control territory but they’re still a grave danger to the region,” he added.

Defense and intelligence officials have long warned that ISIS would continue to pose a serious threat even after it loses all of its territory and that it would return to its roots as a guerilla insurgency.

But officials have taken care not to directly contradict Trump since he announced the Syria withdrawal last month.

While Coats and Haspel were testifying before the Senate on Tuesday, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan Patrick Michael ShanahanHouse Armed Services chairman expresses confidence in Esper amid aircraft carrier coronavirus crisis Boeing pleads for bailout under weight of coronavirus, 737 fallout Esper's chief of staff to depart at end of January MORE told reporters at the Pentagon that ISIS has lost “99.5 percent” of its territory.

“Within a couple of weeks it’ll be 100 percent,” he added.

Shanahan also said the withdrawal will be done in a “deliberate, coordinated, disciplined” manner, the latest indication that Trump’s initial desire for a speedy withdrawal is being slowed.

Coats, meanwhile, acknowledged the U.S. has “defeated the caliphate with a couple of little villages” remaining.

Still, he said that Americans “should not underestimate the ability of terrorist groups, particularly ISIS and affiliated groups with al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.”

“ISIS will continue to be a threat to the United States, and we’re going to have to continue to keep our eyes on that … as the realization that this terrorism threat is going to continue for some time,” Coats told the committee.