3 weeks ago
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Speaker Mike Johnson is replacing Rep. Mike Turner arsenic president of the House Intelligence Committee aft a debacle that started with a informing astir Russian abstraction atomic exertion past year, a root acquainted with the determination confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Johnson, R-La., was unhappy with Turner, R-Ohio, aft a seemingly unexpected informing helium issued astir the request to declassify accusation astir Russian anti-satellite technology.
A hawk by nature, Turner sometimes went up against the Trumpist helping of his Republican Party connected matters similar enactment for Ukraine assistance and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The determination to regenerate Turner took galore by surprise. Though Johnson had not officially named him arsenic chairman, Turner attended a meal of House GOP committee chairs with President-elect Trump implicit the weekend.
"Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its ngo to its halfway absorption of nationalist security. The menace from our adversaries is existent and requires superior deliberations," Turner said successful a connection aft the news.
Turner volition nary longer service connected the Intelligence Committee astatine all, but helium volition proceed to service connected the Armed Services and Oversight committees.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the apical Democrat connected the Intelligence Committee, told reporters the removal of Turner arsenic president "sends a shiver down my spine," adding that Turner was not the benignant to "bend the knee" to Trump.
Last February, Turner warned of a "serious nationalist information threat" that helium was urging President Biden to declassify accusation on.
"I americium requesting that President Biden declassify each accusation relating to this menace truthful that Congress, the Administration, and our allies tin openly sermon the actions indispensable to respond to this threat," helium added.
Johnson was past near to quell the nationalist alarm.
Johnson said helium "saw Chairman Turner's connection connected the issue, and I privation to guarantee the American radical there's nary request for nationalist alarm."
HOUSE INTEL CHAIR TURNER WARNS OF 'SERIOUS NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT,' URGES BIDEN TO DECLASSIFY
"I'm not astatine liberty to disclose classified accusation and truly can't accidental overmuch of that, but we conscionable privation to guarantee everyone, dependable hands are astatine the wheel, we're moving connected it. There's nary request for alarm," helium added.
In the days that followed, details of the Russian menace soon began to filter done to the press, coating a representation of an adversary susceptible of disabling U.S. subject satellites and different captious space-based infrastructure.
Turner has astatine times passim the years been unafraid to basal up to Trump. In September, helium criticized the rumors astir Haitian migrants eating pets that were amplified by Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
"This is incredibly tragic and wholly untrue. This should not person happened, it’s been tearing the assemblage apart," Turner told CNN's Jake Tapper astatine the time.
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