The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate panel overseeing North Korea policy chastised the State Department on Tuesday for avoiding a public hearing on the issue, ignoring requests for a Trump administration witness, and instead sending a top official -- deputy special representative for the DPRK Alex Wong -- to a friendly thank tank where he will not have to face questions from lawmakers.

The Senators, Republican Cory Gardner from Colorado and Democrat Ed Markey from Massachusetts, opened their remarks at an otherwise relaxed hearing on U.S.-North Korea relations with blunt words for the Trump administration and its North Korea team.