Trump Announces DNI Head Dan Coats’ Exit, Taps Rep. Ratcliffe As Replacement

on March 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats answers questions during a hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee March 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Coats and U.S. Army Lt. Gen. ... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats answers questions during a hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee March 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Coats and U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, testified on worldwide threats. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats is stepping down and that he’d be nominating Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) to replace Coats.

“I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence,” Trump tweeted.

Trump’s relationship with Coats has been on the rocks for months now, with the two men arguing over Trump’s comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President’s questionable attempts to get North Korea to denuclearize.

On the other hand, Ratcliffe spent his time during special counsel Robert Mueller’s House Judiciary hearing on Wednesday vigorously defending Trump’s honor, an act of loyalty that Trump frequently gravitates toward.

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