A dramatic leadership shakeup in the House Intelligence Committee sends shockwaves through Washington's political establishment.
According to Daily Mail, House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Rep. Mike Turner as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee following pressure from Donald Trump, who accused Turner of being too closely aligned with intelligence agencies.
Turner's removal comes amid increasing tensions between Trump loyalists and establishment Republicans over the intelligence community's role in American politics.
The Ohio representative, who had chaired the committee since January 2023, faced criticism from the House Freedom Caucus for his allegedly sympathetic stance toward the CIA and FBI.
The leadership change reflects Trump's broader strategy to reshape the intelligence community as he prepares to return to the White House. Representative Rick Crawford, known for his stronger alignment with Trump's agenda, will replace Turner as committee chair. This transition occurs as Trump prepares to nominate Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Kash Patel to lead the FBI.
Conservative commentator Rogan O'Handley expressed his views on social media platform X, stating:
House Intel Chairman Mike Turner has voted for every Ukraine spending bill. He voted to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. He initially voted against censuring Adam Schiff. He voted to raise the debt ceiling. He's a warmongering RINO trying to send $60B to Ukraine. He is Deep State.
The controversy surrounding Turner's removal intensified after his public statements about potential national security threats. In February 2024, he sparked controversy by warning about a Russian "serious national security threat," which reportedly involved nuclear weapons in space.
Turner's support for renewing FISA, the controversial surveillance program, put him at odds with Trump and his allies. The program's extension faced significant opposition after reports revealed it had been used improperly 278,000 times to monitor Americans, including January 6 defendants and Black Lives Matter activists.
Following his removal, Turner released a statement defending his tenure as committee chairman. He emphasized his commitment to restoring the committee's integrity and maintaining focus on national security matters. Despite losing his position on the intelligence committee, Turner remains a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee.
The controversial decision highlights the growing divide between traditional Republican security hawks and Trump's MAGA movement. Trump's nominees for key intelligence positions, including Gabbard and Patel, have expressed skepticism toward what they term the "Deep State" and have promised significant reforms.
The removal of Turner as Intelligence Committee chairman marks a significant victory for Trump supporters seeking to reshape America's intelligence apparatus. The decision reflects growing tensions between establishment Republicans and MAGA loyalists over the direction of national security policy and oversight of intelligence agencies.
Rep. Mike Turner's departure from the House Intelligence Committee leadership position comes as Trump prepares to take office on Monday. The incoming administration's plans to restructure the intelligence community, combined with the appointment of Trump allies to key positions, suggests a major shift in how intelligence agencies will be overseen and operated in the coming years.
The controversial move to replace Turner with Crawford represents the latest development in Trump's ongoing effort to assert control over intelligence agencies he has long criticized as part of the "Deep State." As Trump's inauguration approaches, this leadership change signals his administration's intent to implement significant reforms within the intelligence community.
