The White House plans to prevent a top intelligence official from taking over as acting spy chief when Dan Coats steps down later this month, upsetting Democratic leadership.
Sue Gordon, who is principal deputy director in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, would step in as acting director until a nominee is confirmed, per a federal statute. The White House, however, has other plans, the New York Times reported Friday.
President Trump tweeted Sunday announcing he would nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe to replace Coats. Trump also said he would name an acting director soon, indicating that he could circumvent Gordon.
The White House requested the intelligence agency create a list of top officials who have worked for the agency, in what some saw as another sign Trump was looking at options beyond Gordon to temporarily take over.
Trump did not allow Gordon, who has served for more than 30 years in intelligence posts, to deliver a recent intelligence briefing at the White House, a person familiar with the matter said. A spokeswoman for the agency said Gordon was not prevented from attending any recent briefing but did not elaborate on what happened.
Gordon has not been told by the White House that Trump wants someone else serving in the role, and she plans to retire if informed that the president wants someone else in her current role who could then rise to serve as acting director until the Senate confirms a nominee, sources said.
Still, after the report was published, Trump told reporters he liked Gordon and did not rule out allowing her to become acting spy chief.
“I like Sue Gordon. Sue Gordon is there now, and I like her very much. I’ve always liked her,” he said.
Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said, “the plain language of the law requires that [Gordon] be elevated to that role once Dan Coats steps down.” The California Democrat argued that if the Trump administration bypasses her, it will be “further evidence of Trump’s intent to politicize the Intelligence Community to serve his partisan aims.”
.@RepAdamSchiff: “Sue Gordon is superbly qualified to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence – and indeed, the plain language of the law requires that she be elevated to that role once Dan Coats steps down.” pic.twitter.com/itIU1qoZRl
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) August 2, 2019
Trump announced Friday he was dropping Ratcliffe as his pick for spy chief amid scrutiny over his credentials.
