More on the ODNI briefing fallout

“The Republicans [on the committee] went nuts,” over Pierson’s presentation, the member told The Daily Beast. A second source familiar with the briefing said that Republicans didn’t understand why the Kremlin would try to boost Trump, since he had been so tough on Russia, in their view. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Will Hurd (R-TX) and Chris Stewart (R-UT)—who according to The Times, has been a Trump favorite to replace Maguire—were particularly vocal in their skepticism, the member said.

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Word of the meeting trickled back to the White House. And in the wake of the briefing, Trump forced out Maguire, whose tenure was set to expire next month. Other major changes are soon to follow. According to several sources, including one former high ranking intelligence official, the DNI’S Principal Executive Andrew Hallman is departing, as is the ODNI’s General Counsel Jason Klitenic. Hallman is returning to the CIA, sources said.

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“Hallman, who is a legend and one of the most honest and truthful and experienced and acknowledged persons in the entire intelligence community system,” said the official, who is in a position to know the coordinating of the effort throughout the intelligence community. “Andrew Hallman is a national treasure.”

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The news of [Richard] Grenell’s forthcoming appointment had been circulated inside the walls of the White House for several days before the official announcement. Grenell was alerted to Trump’s final decision earlier in the week. Still, the announcement came as a surprise to current and former ODNI officials who said they were concerned about Grenell taking over the helm as acting director given his lack of experience in intelligence. One former senior intelligence official said Trump’s decision to tap Grenell was “disrespectful to the intelligence community.”

  Daily Beast

Which is why Trump appointed him.

Our national security intelligence from here on will be whatever Trump says it is

“It’s an essential role. And it calls for someone who can gather unbiased intelligence,” the former official said. “The ambassador was basically shut out of every meeting he had in Germany. He wasn’t respected by anyone. Perhaps he doesn’t understand the role … the importance of establishing intelligence relationships. It requires the person to gather true, unbiased facts of how foreign leaders think.”

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“The president said he didn’t want any more briefings like this,” the former official said. “This is four years of this. We took an oath of office, so help me God. That oath did not include it is okay to lie to the president to make him feel better.”

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“Isn’t that absolutely incredible? Predictable but incredible,” former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said in a phone interview that had been scheduled to discuss the impending Nevada Democratic caucus. “They are doing it again and I don't know if we have the tools to stop it.”

Great.