Washington Divided on National Security as CIA Issues Frightening Warning

CIA Director John Brennan gave an urgent and frightening warning on Capitol Hill Thursday. The Islamic State has the capabilities to conduct more Orlando-style terrorist attacks in the days ahead.

"We judge that ISIL is training and attempting to deploy operatives for further attacks. ISIL has a large cadre of Western fighters who could potentially serve as operatives for attacks in the West," Brennan told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

He said the Islamic State is exploring a variety of means for infiltration – like joining the flow of refugees into Western countries, using smuggling routes and commercial travel.

Democrats and Republicans want to prevent future terrorist attacks in the United States, but they are miles apart on how to do that. Democrats want tougher gun laws; Republicans want the president to take tougher action against ISIS and Islamic extremists.

President Barack Obama's critics say his open border approach to immigration and poor foreign policy decisions are to blame for terrorist attacks like the Orlando massacre.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the president was "directly responsible" for the mass shooting because he withdrew all U.S. troops from Iraq in 2011. That led to the rise of ISIS. McCain later backed off from the statement, saying the president's policies led to the attack.

Meanwhile, the Senate is set to vote on new gun control legislation Monday. Democrats are advocating for a policy called "no fly, no buy" meaning that anyone on a terror watch list should be banned from purchasing a weapon. 

"There's no reason a suspected terrorist ought to be able to buy a firearm that can kill so many innocent people," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said. 

But under current law the FBI is already notified when terror suspects try to buy weapons. House Republicans say they don't plan to consider new gun legislation.

"Is going after the second amendment how you stop terrorism? No! " said house Speaker Paul Ryan.

Speaking to supporters in Dallas Thursday, Donald Trump criticized the president, vowing that he'll protect American gun rights. 

"To a large extent he's blaming guns and I'm going to save your Second Amendment folks. I'm going to save your Second Amendment," Trump promised.

Earlier in the week the presumptive GOP nominee said if more people at the Orlando nightclub had guns, fewer people would have died.

But during his visit to Orlando Thursday, Obama scoffed at that suggestion. 

"The notion that the answer to this tragedy would be to assure that more people in a nightclub are similarly armed to the killer defies common sense," said the president. 

And as the president and vice president placed flowers at the Orlando memorial, a Christian from Illinois drove 1,200 miles to place 49 crosses at the site -- the name of a victim on each one.

Greg Zanis explained, "My message today is love your brother, love your neighbor. Don't judge them... (I'm) just offering hope in a very hopeless situation."