Posted on 01/05/2017 2:50:26 PM PST by SeekAndFind
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday picked former Indiana Senator Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, two sources briefed on the decision told Fox News.
The official announcement is expected later this week, according to the AP, as Trump makes final decisions on some of the major positions he needs to fill before he is sworn in on Jan. 20.
Coats, a Republican, served as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee before retiring from Congress last year. He also served as U.S. ambassador to Germany.
As director of national intelligence, Coats would oversee an office created after 9/11 to improve coordination of U.S. spy and law enforcement agencies.
Coats is very much beloved in the Senate, a source told Fox News, and is considered to be an interesting balance to some of the other personalities such as Gen. Michael Flynn and Rep. Mike Pompeo.
The senator was banned from visiting Russia back in late 2014 for his participation to punish Russia because of Moscows move to annex the Crimea region of Ukraine, which he seemed to enjoy at the time.
While Im disappointed that I wont be able to go on vacation with my family in Siberia this summer, I am honored to be on this list, he said after Russias announcement, according to The Indy Star.
The choice comes amid Trump's questioning of the U.S. intelligence community's assessments that Russia interfered with the election on his behalf, and one day before the president-elect is briefed by senior intelligence officials on the Russian hacking allegations.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
DJt to The Clap tomorrow:
You’re fired
Better than Lugar as far as Indiana Senators go. Maybe not a Quayle. Much more of a listening man than a scene maker from what I’ve read/heard.
My question is does he have the energy at his age to take the job on. I think he was pressured into coming back into the Senate.
Doesn’t statements like that mean we don’t want Pence as president after Trump? Reagan/Bush all over again ;(
Yep—many reasons to pray for Trump’s good health and long life.
Huh? Dan Coats?
Baffled by this one.
Bingo....not a hill to die on. This must be a favor to Pence.
I think Coats is ok. I think he is there primarily to dismantle it.
Imho, there are too many federal agencies gathering intelligence. Military, foreign and domestic.
5.56mm
The position needs to be eliminated and DHS needs to be destroyed.
Well, hoosiermama?
Your thoughts?
Admittedly, I have scant knowledge about your Mr. Coates.
"Russia, Russia, RUSSIA!"
It's getting tedious, media.
Appointing a NeoCon as DNI is stupid.
The main job of DNI seems to be testifying to Congress. Trump is trolling McStain, Grahamnesty, etc. big time with this pick. LOL.
It’s not an important job. Window dressing basically.
“Yuckanother Priebus/Pence pick in a key position.”
Starting to look like Priebus has more clout than Bannon. Wonder what the art of the deal with Priebus was...
Wasn’t it Coats that conducted the Mark Rich pardon-gate hearing....could be trouble for Hillary...
RINO. Held my nose and voted Couldn’t believe it when they brought him out of mothballs !
He’s been on intelligence committee forever and has become an “expert” thus the appointment
It’s interesting that Priebus was said to (and he didn’t deny this when asked) told Trump he should drop out when the tape came out, but Trump has never had anything bad to say about him and gave him a position in the White House.
Regardless- I would like to know who pushed for him and why he was chosen.
Inside negotiations are intrguing to me. This guy just doesn’t strike me as a good fit.
I imagine Trump figures he needs Priebus and Pence to keep Ryan and McConnell on board to at least get his initial agenda and appointments through. So some compromises and buy offs are in order.
But this seems like a key spot to not want a RINO hack filling.
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