President Donald Trump is considering Pete Hoekstra, former Michigan congressman and current ambassador to the Netherlands, as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
Trump spoke highly of Hoekstra Friday when reporters asked about appointing him as the next director.
“I like Hoekstra a lot. He’s great. He’s doing a fantastic job in the Netherlands right now,” Trump said.
Trump added that he is working with the Senate Intelligence Committee and its chairman, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, on finding the right person for the job.
“I’m in no rush because we have a great acting director,” the president said. “I will tell you it’s a job that everybody wants . . . We have a lot of choices. A lot of people want this job.”
Hoekstra represented Michigan’s Second Congressional District from 1993 to 2011. As a representative, he was the House Intelligence Committee chairman for three years.
Last week, John Ratcliffe, Trump’s first nominee for the nation’s top intelligence adviser, had his nomination revoked. The Texas congressman faced a tough nomination process as many Senate Republicans hesitated to embrace him.
“Our great Republican Congressman John Ratcliffe is being treated very unfairly by the LameStream Media. Rather than going through months of slander and libel, I explained to John how miserable it would be for him and his family to deal with these people. John has therefore decided to stay in Congress where he has done such an outstanding job representing the people of Texas, and our Country. I will be announcing my nomination for DNI shortly,” the president tweeted.
….John has therefore decided to stay in Congress where he has done such an outstanding job representing the people of Texas, and our Country. I will be announcing my nomination for DNI shortly.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019
Current DNI Dan Coats and Deputy DNI Sue Gordon are both stepping down August 15. Coats first resigned in July and Gordon followed suit Thursday. In the wake of the resignations, Trump named Joseph Maguire acting DNI.
“I am pleased to inform you that the Honorable Joseph Maguire, current Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will be named Acting Director of National Intelligence, effective August 15,” he tweeted.
….career in the military, retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2010. He commanded at every level, including the Naval Special Warfare Command. He has also served as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University. I have no doubt he will do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News. Follow Zachery on Twitter.
