Trump's daily intelligence preparations office faces a transformation as Gabbard discharges two key officials.
Unfiltered Scoop:
WASHINGTON'S DIRTY LAUNDRY: Here's the skinny on the recent shake-up in the intelligence community. Presenting the lowdown on the dismissal of two seasoned intel vets, Mike Collins and Maria Langan-Riekhof, by Tulsi Gabbard, our Director of National Intelligence.
The Odd Couple Out:
Gabbard's office spilled the beans that Collins, acting chair of the National Intelligence Council, and his deputy, Langan-Riekhof, were given the heave-ho due to their resistance towards President Trump. No hard evidence was provided to back this claim though[1]. The duo, with combined intel experience over half a century, had previously served under various administrations.
"The Trump Show:" Rewriting Intelligence?
This latest move comes a week after a declassified memo from the National Intelligence Council was released, challenging the Trump administration's reasoning behind deporting Venezuelan immigrants. The memo concluded that there was no collusion between Venezuela's government and the Tren de Aragua gang – a claims that has been used to invoke the Alien Enemies Act[1][2].
Feathers Ruffled:
The controversial decision prompted worry from Democrats, with Rep. Jim Himes, the lead Dem on the House Intelligence Committee, admitting he hasn't seen any solid reasons for the terminations. Himes raised concerns that the job security of all intel workers could now hinge on their ability to produce analyses that align with the President's political agenda, rather than being truthful and neutral[1].
The Juicy Scoop:
To add fuel to the fire, Gabbard has also been tight-lipped about her plans to consolidate some key intel operations. As reported by wire services, she's transferring several offices, including the National Intelligence Council and the team who prepares the President's Daily Brief, from the CIA to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)[3].
The Power Shift:
Critics argue that these moves might translate to more control for Gabbard over the intel outputs and potentially suppress any dissenting views within the intelligence community[1][3]. The question remains whether this power play is an attempt to put an end to politicized intelligence or another move towards its weaponization.
Oh, and just FYI, the intel community has been dealing with some shake-ups under Trump's orders, including scrapping diversity and equity programs and setting up a task force to consider declassifying COVID-19 related materials[3].
- In the midst of political tensions, the Toronto community is closely following the news about the dismissal of two seasoned intelligence veterans, Mike Collins and Maria Langan-Riekhof, from their positions in the government, under the guidance of Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence.
- The government's recent policy-and-legislation changes regarding war-and-conflicts have raised concerns in general-news circles, as the dismissals come shortly after a declassified memo that challenged the Trump administration's reasoning behind certain actions.
- The crime-and-justice sector is also keeping a keen eye on the controversy surrounding the restructuring of key intelligence operations, as reported in wire services, which involves the transfer of several offices from the CIA to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
- The unusual resistance towards President Trump exhibited by Mike Collins and Maria Langan-Riekhof has sparked a debate about the potential weaponization of intelligence within the community, a topic that is gaining attention in the realm of politics.
