US intelligence community 'running amok,' Trump says
Iran Press TV
Wed Jul 31, 2019 01:36AM
US President Donald Trump says the American intelligence community has "run amok," voicing hope that his pick for the spy chief would "rein in" the agencies.
Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he hopes his nominee to replace Dan Coats, John Ratcliffe, would do a better job, once he is approved by Congress.
"I think that John Ratcliffe is going to do an incredible job, if he gets approved," said the US president. "I think we need somebody like that that's strong and can really rein it in. As you've all learned, the intelligence agencies have run amok. They've run amok."
Since he showed in office, Trump has been accused of attempts to politicize the intelligence and military communities.
"The president's comments are certainly alarming, overt and direct, even for him," a former intelligence official who served during the Trump administration told CNN.
"If Ratcliffe goes into the DNI position and tries to undertake some kind of action to 'rein in' the intel community or engages in overt politicization, it won't be well received within the intelligence community and would undermine his ability to do that job," the official added.
Another former CIA official and Trump critic, who currently works for the think tank National Security Action, accused the president of disregarding "facts."
"President Trump is attacking the intelligence community because he wishes to attack objective facts," said Ned Price. "The intelligence community has a habit -- and for President Trump, it's an unwelcome habit -- of speaking truth to power. So we've seen President Trump try to undermine everything top intelligence officials say that contradicts his policies and statements."
Trump has asserted that he does not have any conflict with Coats, though acknowledging that some of the public statements "were a little confused."
"I like Dan. He's a friend of mine. I think he's a terrific person. I like him a lot. And there really wasn't conflict. I think it was confusion more than conflict. Dan made statements, and they were a little confused. But that was not conflict," Trump said.
The Texas GOP congressman replacing Coats has been touted as inexperienced in the field.
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