Trump reportedly plans to have Wall Street ally review intelligence agencies
Administration officials say President Trump is planning on appointing his friend Stephen A. Feinberg, the billionaire co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, to lead a review of U.S. intelligence agencies, The New York Times reported Wednesday night.
Feinberg is also close to Stephen Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. Trump has railed against the intelligence agencies since his campaign days, and on Wednesday he accused them of being the reason why Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, resigned. (Trump actually asked him to step down after it was publicly reported that he had discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. and lied about it.)
Intelligence agents told The Times they are concerned that a review conducted by a Trump ally will curtail their independence. Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.), is said to be especially angry over the move, which he views as an attempt to marginalize him before he's even confirmed. The White House has not announced the broad intelligence review and would not comment, but Feinberg did tell his company's shareholders that he is in discussions to join the administration.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Feinberg was reportedly also considered for two high-profile jobs — director of national intelligence and chief of the CIA's clandestine service, positions that are traditionally given to career intelligence officers and not friends of the president — and there is concern that this appointment is a first step toward placing him in a top intelligence position. As The Times wryly notes, Feinberg doesn't have any national security experience, but his private equity firm does have stakes in a private security company and two gun makers.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The Icelandic women’s strike 50 years onIn The Spotlight The nation is ‘still no paradise’ for women, say campaigners
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
-
Why scientists are attempting nuclear fusionThe Explainer Harnessing the reaction that powers the stars could offer a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free energy, and the race is hotting up
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
