Opinion: Trump plays a dangerous game in weakening the top intelligence job
Admittedly, the law is imperfect, granting the DNI broad responsibilities but only limited authorities over budgets, personnel and operations. The DNI must possess a nuanced understanding of intelligence and policy, as well as an ability to forge personal relationships, devise unified strategies and imbue disparate organizations with a common sense of purpose. That is in part why the complex legislation requires the DNI to have “extensive national security expertise.
The selection of Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, as acting DNI is an accomplished fact, and nothing anyone says is likely to change it. But it is critical that whoever is chosen to fill the position permanently can reliably uphold the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act’s requirement that the DNI provide intelligence that is “timely, objective” and “independent of political considerations.
Unvarnished, nonpartisan intelligence is essential to making sound national-security decisions. Even the appearance of politicization undermines public trust in the dedicated men and women who serve in the intelligence community, often at great personal risk. Any effort to silence analysts or punish perceived critics damages the DNI’s credibility as principal intelligence adviser to the president, Cabinet secretaries, senior military commanders and Congress.
To strengthen the DNI position, Congress also should consider creating a multiyear fixed term for the job, as with the Federal Reserve chairman or the director of the FBI. Doing so would help restore confidence in the DNI and insulate the role from political interference. The U.S. intelligence community is by no means flawless, but the current system, forged in the aftermath of 9/11 and the revelation of flawed pre-war Iraq weapons assessments, cannot sustain another wholesale reorganization. The president’s efforts to weaken the DNI threaten to turn back the clock on intelligence reform and risk increasing America’s vulnerability to strategic surprise. We urge him to restore the DNI to the standing Congress intended in 2005 when the position was created.
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