Sen. Angus King (I-ME) criticized a recent report in the Wall Street Journal that suggested President-elect Donald Trump will move to weaken the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
“Congress created the DNI based on the careful study of intelligence coordination failures that led to the terrorist attacks on 9/11,” King said. “This a perilous moment in history, and it would be a serious mistake if we moved toward less coordination, when, in reality, increased coordination is needed now more than ever before. Like many, I am open to considering reforms, but dismantling or weakening the DNI would be a truly dangerous decision.”
King, along with Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), sent a letter to the President-elect in November, urging him to prioritize the nomination of the next DNI. They said the incoming President should select an experienced, collaborative candidate who can advise on the nominations of other incoming intelligence officials.
King and Lankford also emphasized in their letter how a successful DNI makes the intelligence community “more efficient, more collaborative, limits redundancies, and advances seamless information sharing across the country’s intelligence agencies.”