When it was recently announced that Dan Coats, Director of the Office of National Intelligence, would soon be resigning from the Trump administration, Sue Gordon, principal deputy Director of National Intelligence, was considered by a number of figures in the political establishment as a good choice to succeed Coats.
However, Trump announced on Thursday that Gordon will not be the next DNI — she will be resigning and leaving office on the same day as Coats, August 15.
Sue Gordon resigning on August 15
President Donald Trump wrote in a pair of tweets, “Sue Gordon is a great professional with a long and distinguished career. I have gotten to know Sue over the past 2 years and have developed great respect for her.”
“Sue has announced she will be leaving on August 15, which coincides with the retirement of Dan Coats. A new Acting Director of National Intelligence will be named shortly,” he added.
….coincides with the retirement of Dan Coats. A new Acting Director of National Intelligence will be named shortly.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
Joseph Maguire nominated as acting DNI
Less than an hour later, Trump announced in a pair of tweets, “I am pleased to inform you that the Honorable Joseph Maguire, current Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will be named Acting Director of National Intelligence, effective August 15th.”
“Admiral Maguire has a long and distinguished career in the military, retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2010. He commanded at every level, including the Naval Special Warfare Command. He has also served as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University. I have no doubt he will do a great job!” the president added of his new nominee.
….career in the military, retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2010. He commanded at every level, including the Naval Special Warfare Command. He has also served as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University. I have no doubt he will do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
Nomination clears up speculation
Fox News reported that there was quite a bit of disappointment among Democrats and establishment Republicans over the news that Gordon would be resigning alongside Coats. But Trump had already made it clear that Gordon was unlikely to be his pick.
Instead, Trump had initially nominated Republican Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, to be the acting director. Ratcliffe withdrew himself from consideration just days later after being excessively smeared as “unfit” for the job by Democrats, the media, and even some Republicans.
As for Maguire, who previously served as leader of all U.S. Navy SEALs and took command of the counterterrorism center in 2018, nothing untoward has been said of him yet.
It is noteworthy that Coats himself appeared to offer his blessing on Maguire’s nomination with a statement heralding Maguire’s “long, distinguished career.”
There had been rumors that Gordon, like so many others in Washington D.C., is part of the “deep state” establishment opposing President Trump’s agenda. But those concerns are moot now that it has been made official that she will not be the next leader of the Office of National Intelligence.