“He has no experience in intelligence or in managing large organizations ― like the 17 agencies that will now report to him,” the board wrote, suggesting Grenell had only “won the president’s favor in a familiar way: by loudly praising him and his agenda on Fox News programs and social media.”
The board said his previous “sycophantic pandering to Mr. Trump suggests he will show no such independence” and doubted he will “stand up against interference by Russia or other hostile powers” unless told to do so by the president.
His appointment also drew scorn from other public figures online:
Naming Richard Grenell to head up all US Intelligence agencies is like naming Captain Kangaroo, Colonel Sanders and General Mills as our country’s military leaders. Do ANY Republicans care about our nation’s security? https://t.co/v323Aag9PN
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) February 20, 2020
Another slap in the face to my former intel colleagues. Grenell is a partisan bombthrower whose only skill is defending Trump. Trump’s decision not to nominate a permanent DNI underscores that he has no use for intel and no regard for national security. https://t.co/JDk83yBq3j
— Ned Price (@nedprice) February 19, 2020
It appears the President has selected an individual *without any intelligence experience* to serve as the leader of the nation’s intelligence community in an acting capacity . https://t.co/Yvq5UVSPpA
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) February 20, 2020
