Kokomo Tribune
It was two years ago in January that President-elect Donald Trump selected former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Along with Trump’s pick of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice president, the Hoosier State was well represented in the White House after Inauguration Day.
The director of national intelligence post itself was recommended by the 9/11 Commission Report, which was co-authored by former Indiana Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, in order to facilitate communication between the various intelligence agencies.
This position — then, and now — is more important than ever given the swirling maelstrom both at home and abroad — not the least of which includes Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election, which the intelligence community now agrees on as settled fact. (Not that Trump is convinced, mind you.) And there’s the rub.
The Washington Post reported last week that the president, “enraged” by his director of national intelligence’s testimony before Congress on national security threats last month, is considering removing Coats from that position.
Trump even has gone as far as discussing replacements for Coats, the report said.
Coats was a strong pick for this most important job as director of national intelligence. His long track record of government service and skepticism about Russian President Vladimir Putin was a welcome change from several of his co-workers.
“As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Coats wrote President Obama after Russia annexed Crimea in 2013, urging Obama to impose sanctions against a Russian weapons exporter,” reported National Public Radio’s Brian Naylor. “Coats also sponsored an amendment to a Ukrainian aid bill in the Senate that would prohibit the U.S. government from doing any business with the exporter, a company called Rosoboronexport.
“… In 2014, Coats also called on organizers of soccer’s World Cup to move the tournament, scheduled for Russia in 2018, somewhere else. All of which won Coats the honor of being banned from Russia, along with five other lawmakers, including Armed Services Chairman and 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, and three Obama administration staff members.”
A steady hand and incredulous eye toward authoritarian leaders is desperately needed in this Trump White House. Let’s hope Coats’ voice on these matters is continuously heard.
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