Trump is reportedly interested in purging Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. Previous public statements from the intelligence chief have undermined Trump’s self-aggrandizing rhetoric.
“President Trump has told confidants he’s eager to remove Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, according to five sources who have discussed the matter directly with the president,” Axios reported on Friday.
Trump has reportedly been plotting Coats’ removal “for months” the outlet noted, quoting a source who said the action will happen “sooner rather than later.”
Trump has repeatedly purged the government of officials as part of his chaotic and unpopular leadership style. Most notoriously he fired then-FBI director James Comey after Comey would not vouch for him while the Mueller investigation was underway.
By removing Coats, Trump would get rid of someone who has shown the American public and the world the corrupt underbelly of Trump’s approach to foreign affairs, along with the impotence of his diplomacy.
Last year in Helsinki, Trump stood next to Russia’s Vladimir Putin and attacked U.S. law enforcement for investigating Russian involvement in the 2016 election.
After Trump’s broadside, Coats told reporter Andrea Mitchell that he “needed to correct the record” and said he wished Trump had “made a different statement.” Coats noted that Russia was “taking a lead on this,” as Trump took their side in the diplomatic dispute.
Coats also said the Oval Office meeting in which Trump shared classified information with Russia’s ambassador and foreign minister was “probably not the best thing to do.”
When it comes to North Korea and Kim Jong Un, Trump has repeatedly made up stories about the rogue nation denuclearizing. The blatant falsehoods have emerged alongside Trump’s embarrassing praise for the dictator.
In January, Coats testified before Congress and let the air out of Trump’s case.
North Korea “will seek to retain its WMD capability and is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capability,” he testified, showing that Trump’s efforts have not made the world safe.
After embarrassing Trump, it isn’t too surprising that, instead of correcting course and getting back on track with these key issues, Trump simply wants to get rid of the official.
Published with permission of The American Independent.
