Amid Reports That Coats’ Days Are Numbered, Collins Throws Him Support

on January 13, 2014 in Washington, DC. — WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: (L-R) Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN) and Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) talk with reporters in the U.S. Capitol January 13, 2014 in Washington, DC. The Senate is set for proce... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: (L-R) Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN) and Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) talk with reporters in the U.S. Capitol January 13, 2014 in Washington, DC. The Senate is set for proceedural votes Monday on an $18 billion extension of the long-term unemployment insurance program and the nomination of Robert Wilkins to be U.S. circuit judge for the D.C. Circuit. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS

February 20, 2019 9:30 a.m.

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) threw Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats her support Wednesday after the Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump is looking to dump his intelligence chief.

DNI Dan Coats is a good friend, former Senate colleague, and leader of integrity who has always served our country well. We are fortunate to have a person of his ability and candor to lead our intelligence community.

— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) February 20, 2019

Per the Post, Coats has never been one of Trump’s favorites, and he has raised Trump’s ire after making public pronouncements on national security threats in direct contradiction with the President’s statements.

Trump is also reportedly harboring a grudge from Coats’ onstage reaction at a security conference last summer to the news that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet for a summit: “Okaaaay,” Coats said, to laughter. “That’s going to be special.”

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