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Intel agencies push to close Congressional security threats hearing after Trump outburst
Last edited Thu Jan 16, 2020, 01:51 PM - Edit history (1)
Link to tweet
Ken Dilanian ✔ @KenDilanianNBC
NBC News has learned that intel officials have quietly asked the House and Senate intelligence committees NOT to hold open threats hearings this year, after the spy chiefs last year angered Trump by undercutting his past statements. First reported by Politico.
11:55 AM - Jan 16, 2020
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/intel-agencies-threats-hearing-trump-099494
Intel agencies push to close threats hearing after Trump outburst
By MARTIN MATISHAK
01/15/2020 07:18 PM EST
The U.S. intelligence community is trying to persuade House and Senate lawmakers to drop the public portion of an annual briefing on the globe’s greatest security threats — a move compelled by last year’s session that provoked an angry outburst from President Donald Trump, multiple sources told POLITICO.
Officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, on behalf of the larger clandestine community, don’t want agency chiefs to be seen on-camera as disagreeing with the president on big issues such as Iran, Russia or North Korea, according to three people familiar with preliminary negotiations over what's known as the Worldwide Threats hearing.
The request, which is unlikely to be approved, has been made through initial, informal conversations at the staff level between Capitol Hill and the clandestine community, the people said.
At the last such threats briefing a year ago, the chiefs presented findings that diverged from the president’s statements on the longevity of Islamic State terror group, as well as Iran and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. He blistered them on Twitter the following day, labeling them “passive” and “naive” while writing that “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!"
</snip>
Intel agencies push to close threats hearing after Trump outburst
By MARTIN MATISHAK
01/15/2020 07:18 PM EST
The U.S. intelligence community is trying to persuade House and Senate lawmakers to drop the public portion of an annual briefing on the globe’s greatest security threats — a move compelled by last year’s session that provoked an angry outburst from President Donald Trump, multiple sources told POLITICO.
Officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, on behalf of the larger clandestine community, don’t want agency chiefs to be seen on-camera as disagreeing with the president on big issues such as Iran, Russia or North Korea, according to three people familiar with preliminary negotiations over what's known as the Worldwide Threats hearing.
The request, which is unlikely to be approved, has been made through initial, informal conversations at the staff level between Capitol Hill and the clandestine community, the people said.
At the last such threats briefing a year ago, the chiefs presented findings that diverged from the president’s statements on the longevity of Islamic State terror group, as well as Iran and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. He blistered them on Twitter the following day, labeling them “passive” and “naive” while writing that “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!"
</snip>
So, because Dan Coats and other Intel heads contradicted Trump last year, Trump's telling them NOT to appear before Congress because he doesn't want to be contradicted again this year???
This is VERY VERY fucked up!
