Trump names Coats as choice for intel director
WASHINGTON –– President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that former Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., is his choice to become director of national intelligence, giving the retired lawmaker oversight of the spy agencies that have drawn skepticism from Trump.
Mr. Coats probably will face close questioning by both Republicans and Democrats about how he views the intelligence community’s conclusions that Russia hacked Democratic Party computer systems to meddle in the U.S. presidential campaign, which Mr. Trump has repeatedly questioned. The current director of national intelligence, James Clapper, who briefed Mr. Trump Friday, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies now have “very high” confidence in their assessment.
Mr. Trump’s transition team had tipped Mr. Coats as Mr. Trump’s choice for the intelligence post on Thursday.
Having served as a senator, ambassador and lobbyist, Mr. Coats is a known quantity in Washington. As the intelligence director, he would oversee coordination of 17 agencies, including the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.
If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Coats will join a team expected to include retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as national security adviser, Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., as CIA director and former Gen. James Mattis as defense secretary.
“If confirmed, I will ensure our national security decision-makers have every piece of information they need to protect the American people from the threats facing our nation,” Mr. Coats said. “There is no higher priority than keeping America safe, and I will utilize every tool at my disposal to make that happen.”
As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations and Intelligence Committees, Mr. Coats in 2014 laid out what he termed a more effective strategy to fight Islamic State, calling for law enforcement to work more collaboratively with domestic Muslim communities; pushing Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf allies to cut off financial support for groups that support terrorism; and expanding bombing of Islamic State camps in Syria.
He also has made comments similar to Mr. Trump’s about the need for what the president-elect has called “extreme vetting” of people coming into the country from areas where terrorists are active. Coats said the U.S. needs to review its Visa Waiver Program, saying it might have to be eliminated for national security reasons.