Democratic senator John Fetterman has expressed his fears for this year’s NFL Draft as he called for increased security amid the United States’ ongoing war with Iran.
The 2026 Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23 to 25 as the conflict in the Middle East rages on over a month after the joint US-Israel strike on Iran that sparked the war.
Amid the chaos unfolding in the Iran war, Fetterman has penned a letter to the Department of Homeland Security requesting special security accommodations for the upcoming draft.
The senator from Pennsylvania cited the Iran war as his desire for strengthened security at the high-profile event.
‘I urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to elevate the Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) for the National Football League’s 2026 Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to ensure the safety of participants and fans at the event. The NFL Draft is one of the most iconic sporting events held each year,’ he wrote, according to Fox.
‘This is the first time since 1948 that the NFL will host the Draft in Pittsburgh. It is expected to draw well over 700,000 fans to open-air events in Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, and more than 50 million viewers are expected to tune in to watch the Draft on television or online. Previously, DHS designated the Draft a Level 3 SEAR event, but I urge DHS to elevate it to a Level 2 SEAR event given the changing threat environment in the wake of the war in Iran.
Democratic senator John Fetterman has expressed his fears for this year’s NFL Draft
Fetterman called for heightened security at the event, which will take place later this month
‘A Level 2 designation would provide greater coordination and deployment of federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as counter-drone support, K9 units, and intelligence analysis and sharing. Increasing the SEAR designation for the Draft will help ensure that additional resources are deployed to keep participants and fans secure and able to enjoy the Draft without fear.’
Donald Trump vowed during an address to the nation on Wednesday night to wind down the conflict in the coming weeks.
The president declared that Iran is ‘essentially really no longer a threat,’ as he claimed that the US is going ‘to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.’
However, multiple US aircraft crashes were reported Friday, as an urgent search-and-rescue mission continues for a downed American pilot behind enemy lines.
An American F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southern Iran earlier Friday, ejecting two pilots into enemy territory.
One of the American fighter pilots has been rescued by US forces, two US officials have confirmed. A second crew member remains missing, CBS News reported.
It marked the first time a US jet has been downed by enemy fire since the start of the war 35 days ago.
Meanwhile, Newsmax reported that a US Black Hawk was hit by enemy fire while conducting rescue operations for the pilots. The crew is reportedly accounted for and is safe.
An A-10 Warthog combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday but the pilot was reportedly rescued
Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran
An A-10 Warthog combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday but the pilot was rescued, according to the New York Times.
Later Friday, Iranian state media claimed credit for the plane crash, saying Iranian defense forces struck the A-10.
Iranian state media also urged civilians to capture the pilots on the Strike Eagle, with a ‘reward’ offered by the Islamic regime.
The government is currently in a partial shutdown over the parties’ disagreements over Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Democrats refusing to agree to funding the DHS unless changes are made to immigration enforcement after two Americans were killed by border agents in Minneapolis.
On Thursday, Trump announced he would sign an executive order to have all DHS employees paid, after previously ensuring that Transportation Security Administration workers would get their paychecks amid airport chaos.
Republicans worked out a deal to end the shutdown earlier this week, but both houses of Congress remain in recess for another week.