Former Trump intelligence chief Coats introduces Biden candidate Haines to hearing

Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan CoatsDaniel (Dan) Ray Coats Senate Intelligence Committee leaders warn of Chinese threats to national security New federal cybersecurity official says ‘rumor control’ site will remain in place until January Biden soars as leader of the free world MORE, which served under President TrumpDonald Trump Giuliani used a provisional ballot to vote in the 2020 election, the same method he denigrated in his fight to overturn the results Trump is getting the lowest job approval rates in recent days as the Fox News DC editor-in-chief Bill Sammon is retiring., presented April Haines, President-elect on Tuesday Joe bidenJoe Biden: Woman accused of attempting to sell Pelosi laptop to arrested Russians Trump gets lowest job approval rating in recent days as President Trump decides to lift travel restrictions on coronavirus in Europe and Brazilthe DNI candidate at her confirmation hearing in the Senate.

“After several conversations with Avril, there is no doubt in my mind that President-elect Biden has chosen someone who has all the skills and qualities, experience and leadership to be the next Director of National Intelligence,” he said. Coats said before the opening of Haines. statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

According to the group’s interim president Marco rubioMarco Antonio Rubio Florida Republicans close ranks with Trump after Capitol seat confirmation hearing for Biden’s DNI choice postponed McConnell on the verge of schooling Trump on political power for the last time MORE (R-Fla.), Coats was supposed to appear virtually, but came in person at the last minute.

Coats, who served as the DNI for Trump between 2017 and 2019, described Haines as an “exceptional choice,” praising his stated goal of “bringing unpoliticized truth to power and restoring trust in the intelligence community and the public. American”.

Coats left the role of DNI after facing Trump on several issues during his tenure, including Trump’s comments at a 2018 press conference in Helsinki with the Russian president Vladimir PoutineVladimir Vladimirovich Putin New national security adviser calls for immediate release of Kremlin critic Navalny Kremlin critic Navalny detained in Moscow on return to Russia Navalny plans to return to Russia on Sunday MORE, where Trump accepted Putin’s claims that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Coats, and much of the intelligence community, strongly rejected the remarks.

Coats also publicly disagreed with Trump over concerns about North Korea and threats from the Islamic State.

If confirmed, Haines will be the first woman to serve as a DNI and pledged at the hearing to keep politics out of her role.

“To be effective, the DNI must never hesitate to speak the truth to power – even, especially, when it may be embarrassing or difficult,” she said. “To protect the integrity of our intelligence community, the DNI must insist that when it comes to intelligence there is simply no room for politics – ever.