President Donald Trump named U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as the acting director of national intelligence this week, but the man Trump had his sights set on as a possible permanent option for the post said he’s not interested.
Grenell will replace acting intelligence chief Joseph Maguire, and while his selection does not require a Senate confirmation, a permanent pick would have to be approved by the upper chamber.
The president told reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One he was considering Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., for Director of National Intelligence, but the Trump loyalist was on the Fox Business Network later in the day and declined any consideration.
“What an honor to have this distinction that President Trump would like you to be the new head of the DNI,” host Maria Bartiromo told the lawmaker.
(Source: Fox Business)
“It is humbling. It’s amazing to have the president think that much of you, to mention my name among others to be this position,” Collins said.
“Let me tell you right now, I know the problems in the intelligence committee. It’s not a job that would interest me, not one that I would accept because I’m running a Senate race down here in Georgia,” he added.
Collins is running against incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., in an upcoming special election. The primary challenge has resulted in unwanted tension the party could do without, with the congressman questioning Loeffler’s support of Trump.
Had he been tapped to replace Grenell, this controversy would have been avoided.
“Everybody knows I’m a supporter of the president,” Collins said. “They know how much I have supported this president through the sham impeachment and everything else. But I’m running against a senator who was just newly appointed who decided to support the president three weeks before she got the appointment.”
As the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, Collins played a central role in defending Trump in the partisan impeachment inquiry by House Democrats.
He cited polling to say that in Loeffler, they have “a candidate down here that could actually put the seat in jeopardy because of the flaws she has.”
“Look, I’m very humbled by this president. I’m a supporter of this president,” Collins said. “I’ll continue to fight for this president in the House this year and we’ll be in the Senate next year, because this intelligence community has to get right and I’m sure the president will pick somebody appropriate for that job.”
Collins stressed that he was the person President Trump wanted to get the Senate appointment that Loeffler received.
“The people of Georgia have been coming to us and they’re thanking us for being in the race,” he said. “Because they know I’m a supporter of the president, I’m the one that he actually wanted to be appointed to this job. And we’re looking forward to continuing the Senate race.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee sees it differently, denouncing the decision by Collins to primary Loeffler.
NRSC Executive Director Kevin McLaughlin called it “a selfish and shortsighted decision.”
“Doug Collins’ selfishness will hurt David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, and President Trump. Not to mention the people of Georgia who will stand to bear the burden of it for years to come. All he has done is put two senate seats, multiple house seats, and Georgia’s 16 electoral votes in play,” McLaughlin said in a statement
NEW statement from @NRSC ED @KevinMcLaughlin on Doug Collins’ selfish and shortsighted decision to enter the GA Senate ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BizAEPW0Yv
— Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) January 29, 2020
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Tom@bizpacreview.com
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
- Did Sunny Hostin just admit on air to breaking the law by voting for her son? - November 8, 2022
- Stacey Abrams justifies trailing in the polls by suggesting black men are too stupid to back her - November 7, 2022
- Kevin McCarthy has message for Pelosi telling Dems to ‘change the subject’ away from inflation - October 24, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
