Top Republican senators call for reform and 'consequences' following law enforcement's 'failed leadership'

Top Republican senators on Sunday criticized recent law enforcement failures by the FBI and other groups, calling on President-elect Trump's administration to enact reforms.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told NBC's “Meet the Press” that Americans have lost confidence in the FBI. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also told “Fox News Sunday” that there must be “consequences” for law enforcement failures that allowed incidents like the terrorist attack on last week in New Orleans.

“The FBI is an agency that I think needs to be reformed, and it needs a good transformation, so to speak, and probably a good housecleaning in terms of the perception that the American people have of him and of these institutions that the American people must have confidence in him,” Thune said on Sunday.

He added that Trump's nominee to head the FBI, Kash Patel, “understands the mission.”

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the FBI needs reform. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, Cassidy reacted to the news that New Orleans police had access to 48 barriers that could have prevented last week's deadly truck attack. Permanent barriers blocking vehicle access to Bourbon Street were being replaced at the time of the attack, but city officials could have deployed archer barriers designed to stop a 5,500-pound vehicle traveling 60 miles per hour.

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“There has to be leadership at the top. And if leadership fails, as you describe, then there absolutely have to be consequences. Period. End of story,” Cassidy said.

“Now I think we're going to do a sort of complete overhaul of everything from top to bottom. And if that's how it ends up completely falling apart, she should be replaced,” he added, referring to New Orleans Police Commissioner Anne. Kirkpatrick.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is calling for a review of law enforcement decisions regarding the New Orleans truck attack. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Thune and Cassidy's statements come a few days later Trump's allies criticized the FBI for its initial characterization of the truck attack as unrelated to terrorism, before the nation's top federal law enforcement agency reversed course and launched an investigation into the terrorism allegedly linked to ISIS.

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“The FBI has a no-fail mission. There is no room for error. When they fail, Americans die. It is necessary that Kash Patel be confirmed as soon as possible,” a close source said Thursday morning from Trump to Fox News Digital.

Soldiers march down Bourbon Street on Thursday, January 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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Patel is one of several new nominees to Trump's Cabinet who will need to go through Senate confirmation after Trump's inauguration later this month.

Emma Colton of Fox News contributed to this report.