White House Official: Dan Coats Resigns

Yet another close adviser to President Trump is on his way out of the West Wing.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has resigned, effective August 15th. The President made the announcement today via Twitter, saying he’ll be replaced by Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas.

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence. A former U.S. Attorney, John will lead and inspire greatness for the Country he loves. Dan Coats, the current Director, will….

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Ratcliffe, who was critical in his questioning of former special counsel Robert Mueller last week, still has to be confirmed by the Senate.

Coats’s relationship with Trump has been rocky, as they’ve clashed on how to deal with Russia, North Korea and other issues related to national security. (USA Today)

Hot Takes:

  • Coats clearly thought his job involved actual intelligence. Ha! Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.
  • Trump replaces another independent thinker with a yes man.
  • These jobs are high-stress, and there’s tons of burnout. You can’t blame it on disagreements.