Sunday shows: Homeland Security chief hits the circuit after Manchester attack

Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly will hit most of the networks on the Sunday show circuit this week. Kelly will likely answer questions about terrorism and U.S. safety as authorities in the United Kingdom continue their investigation into the Monday attack in Manchester that killed 22 people.

Kelly will appear on ABC’s “This Week”, NBC’s “Meet the Press”, and “Fox News Sunday.”

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In the wake of Monday’s bombing at a concert arena, which was claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq & Syria (ISIS) the following morning, Kelly said the United States has “some vulnerabilities” in its security apparatus.

“The reality is, they’re attempting everything all the time,” Kelly told “CBS This Morning” on Friday.

“Thus far, we’ve been successful in keeping an attack from overseas coming here, but we have some vulnerabilities.” 

He cited America’s “free and open society” as one of the vulnerabilities.

The weekly live news shows air as President Trump returns from his first trip abroad as commander-in-chief Saturday evening. Trump was overseas on a 9-day tour he hailed as a success in a speech to service members at Sigonella Naval Air Station in Italy, his last stop before departing for the trip home on Air Force One.

Addressing members of the military two days before Memorial Day, Trump spoke of the terrorist threat facing the United States and thanked the men and women for their service.

“Our travels took us to some of the holiest sites in the three Abrahamic religions and to gatherings of both America’s oldest and newest friends. We traveled the world to strengthen long-standing alliances and to form a new partnership among nations devoted to the task of eradicating the terrorism that plagues our planet,” Trump said.

During the first stop on his trip, Trump gave a speech in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he implored members of the Muslim world to drive out extremism. 

While Trump returns to the United States after staying on message throughout his trip, he returns to mounting intrigue and a steady flow of leaks over the FBI’s probe into Russia’s meddling in the presidential election. The investigation includes potential ties between Trump campaign staff members and Russia. Thursday reports said Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, is under scrutiny by the bureau in its investigation, while a Friday report from The Washington Post said Kushner sought a private channel of communications with Moscow.

All of these topics could turn up as Sunday show questions.

Here is the full lineup:

“Fox News Sunday”: Kelly will be on the show this week, as will Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

CBS’s “Face the Nation”: Secretary of Defense James Mattis will be on the CBS show this week.

ABC’s “This Week”: Kelly will also be on ABC, as will Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, which is leading the probe into Russia’s meddling in the United States election.

CNN’s “State of the Union”: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) will be on the show, as will Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). 

NBC’s “Meet the Press”: Kelly will be on the show Sunday, as will former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will also be on the show.