Trump names US ambassador to Germany as acting intelligence chief

President Trump announced Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell will serve as the nation’s acting director of national intelligence.

Grenell has been a strong supporter of Trump’s foreign policy and was expected to take a larger role in the administration.

“Rick has represented our Country exceedingly well and I look forward to working with him,” Trump said in a tweet confirming Grenell’s new post.

....for the wonderful job he has done, and we look forward to working with him closely, perhaps in another capacity within the Administration!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2020

Grenell has served as the ambassador to Germany since 2018 and was a United Nations spokesperson from 2001 to 2008.

He also was briefly a foreign policy spokesman for GOP Sen. Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. Trump’s announcement Wednesday sparked backlash from Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, co-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Warner argues that Grenell lacks enough experience for the post and that the president making him an acting director again sidesteps the Senate confirmation process for Cabinet-level appointments.

"The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges," Warner said. "Now more than ever our country needs a Senate-confirmed intelligence director who will provide the best intelligence and analysis, regardless of whether or not it's expedient for the President who has appointed him."

Trump, in his announcement, also thanked Grenell's predecessor, acting director Joseph Maguire, and said that Maguire could have a future in the administration. Maguire held the position since August 2019.

He replaced Dan Coats, the former Indiana congressman and senator who resigned in July 2019 after falling out of favor with Trump.

Coats was also a U.S. ambassador to Germany, under President George W. Bush.

In a tweet congratulating Grenell, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, highlighted the historic nature of Trump’s pick.

Fifty years ago a gay man or woman couldn’t work in the intelligence community. Today President Trump is appointing an openly gay man to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence. Congratulations, Ambassador @RichardGrenell

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 20, 2020