Donald Trump has moved to replace Dan Coats as US director of national intelligence after more
than two years of strained relations, saying he would nominate John Ratcliffe, a Republican ally in Congress, for the post.
Mr Coats, 76, had repeatedly challenged Mr Trump’s claims on some of America’s biggest national security matters — from Russia to North Korea and Iran — since taking the top job in US intelligence in March 2017, triggering angry reactions from the US president on several occasions.
The departure of Mr Coats, a former Indiana senator and US ambassador to Germany, could raise fears of a loss of political independence at the top of the intelligence community.
Mr Ratcliffe, a congressman from Texas, has been an ardent defender of Mr Trump, levelling harsh criticism of Robert Mueller, the special counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election, at a hearing last week.
“You wrote 180 pages about decisions that weren’t reached, about potential crimes that
weren’t charged,” Mr Ratcliffe told Mr Mueller. “I agree . . .Donald Trump is not above the law. He’s not…But he damn sure shouldn’t be below the law, which is where your report puts him.”
Mr Trump described Mr Ratcliffe as a “highly respected” former US attorney who “will lead and inspire greatness for the country he loves”. Mr Trump added that Mr Coats would leave his position on August 15. “I would like to thank Dan for his great service to our Country,” Mr Trump
wrote in a tweet.
Mr Trump’s disapproval of Mr Coats has boiled over on several occasions, most conspicuously in
January this year, after the intelligence chief told Congress that Iran was not “undertaking activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device”.
Mr Coats’ assessment was sharply at odds with Mr Trump’s view of Iran as a rapidly rising
threat to its Middle Eastern neighbours and the US. Mr Trump said “intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive” regarding Tehran, adding: “Be care ful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!”
In the same hearing, Mr Coats also warned that it was “unlikely” that North Korea would abandon its efforts to build an arsenal of nuclear weapons, even as Mr Trump was touting the success of his own diplomatic relationship with Kim Jong Un, the leader of the regime in Pyongyang.
A split between Mr Coats and Mr Trump was also apparent in July 2018, following a controversial summit in Helsinki with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.
After the meeting, Mr Trump appeared to accept Mr Putin’s denials of interference in the 2016 presidential race, which stood in stark contrast with the US intelligence community’s assessment that Moscow had attempted to sway the contest.
Mr Coats’ departure comes amid growing concern that Russia could try to interfere in next year’s presidential contest.
Mr Trump’s Republican allies in the Senate this month controversially blocked legislation passed by Democrats in the House of Representatives that would make it harder for foreign actors to
meddle in US elections.
