(TheProudRepublic.com) – President-elect Donald Trump was pleased with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to remove Representative Mike Turner (R-OH) as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, which shaped the GOP’s foreign policy.
This change follows Turner’s support for aiding Ukraine, which clashes with Trump’s non-interventionist stance.
CBS’s Margaret Brennan cited “concerns from Mar a Lago ” as the driving factor in this decision.
Turner’s significant advocacy for Ukraine might have led to discrepancies with Trump’s foreign policy vision.
The House Intelligence Committee plays a crucial role in overseeing military matters and the American intelligence community.
Turner’s dedication to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia often put him at odds with the direction President-elect Donald Trump intends to take.
Turner, respected across the aisle, will remain a member of the committee, but Johnson has assured us that a successor will be named soon.
Meanwhile, concerns have arisen over the involvement of presidential politics in national security decisions, mirroring previous controversies surrounding intelligence roles under Trump’s administration.
I spoke with House intel chair Mike Turner (R-OH) who told me that Speaker Johnson has fired him as chair of the committee overseeing the intelligence community. Johnson cited "concerns from Mar a Lago" as justification for the removal.
Rep Jim Himes (D-CT) tells CBS that this…— Margaret Brennan (@margbrennan) January 15, 2025
Democrats, including Representative Jim Himes, expressed apprehension over this shakeup, citing Turner’s fair-minded approach to leadership.
Himes noted, “I’m enormously concerned because I think you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody as fair-minded.”
Despite the criticism, Johnson maintains that the “intelligence community and everything related to (the committee) needs a fresh start.”
Turner’s dismissal marks another instance of Johnson aligning committee leadership with Trump loyalists, a pattern that has raised concerns among opposition members.
However, Johnson praises Turner’s past work, emphasizing the need for “fresh horses” in a new Congress, but praising Turner as having done a great job.
“It’s a new Congress. We just need fresh horses in some of these places. But I’m a Mike Turner fan. He’s done a great job,” Johnson said.
“He performed valiantly in a difficult time under difficult circumstances. So I have nothing but positive things to say about my friend and colleague,” he added.
The broader GOP reshuffling signals a clear intent to unify the party’s approach to intelligence and international policies.
Observers now await Johnson’s next appointee, who will likely shape the committee’s direction in line with the new administration’s evolving priorities.
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