Trump names counterterrorism chief as acting director of national intelligence

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

POLITICS AUGUST 8, 2019 / 6:32 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

Trump names counterterrorism chief as acting director of national intelligence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Joseph Maguire, the current chief of the National Counterterrorism Center, will become the acting director of national intelligence.

Trump’s announcement on Twitter came after the deputy director of national intelligence, Sue Gordon, resigned. She said in a note to Trump that stepping down was not her “preference,” but added, “You should have your team.”

Trump said Maguire will take over the acting post on Aug. 15, when Dan Coats, the current director of the agency overseeing civilian and military intelligence, steps down.

“Admiral Maguire has a long and distinguished career in the military, retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2010,” Trump said on Twitter.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-intelligence/trump-names-counterterrorism-chief-as-acting-director-of-national-intelligence-idUSKCN1UY2UJ

[PSPS]

1. Not that it matters, but I thought this particular position had a codified order of succession.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Gordon would have been the acting director, which is why Trump forced her out on the same day

that Coats will go. Whether the "order of succession" is codified beyond that, I don't know - it's quite possible they never allowed for a megalomaniac president who would throw a tantrum over a non-partisan woman being in temporary charge, so they never thought beyond 'what happens if there's a resignation'.

On edit: Wikipedia does point to a list of succession:

Section 1. Order of Succession. Subject to the provisions of sections 2 and 3 of this memorandum, and to the limitations set forth in the Act, the following officials of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during any period in which the DNI and the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence have died, resigned, or otherwise become unable to perform the functions and duties of the DNI:
(a) Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Intelligence Integration;

(b) Director of the National Counterterrorism Center;

(c) National Counterintelligence Executive; and

(d) Inspector General of the Intelligence Community.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/09/25/2013-23545/designation-of-officers-of-the-office-of-the-director-of-national-intelligence-to-act-as-director-of

So that would appear to be Edward Gistaro as DDNIII.

On edit: except that has an exception to that, so that Trump can do what he wants:

Link to tweet

[FirstLight]

2. Ok, this is getting really creepy...

Dismantling specific areas of govt by forcing or firing and then having "fill-ins " really destabilized any hierarchy and is the perfect way to really get ones hands on all the power they want.

Trump studied Hitler...he never studies anything...this is not good at all...

[murielm99]

4. Yes. Scary.

He is getting all his fascists in place.