On Thursday, the source within the Trump transition team confirmed that the President-elect had selected former Senator Dan Coats of Indiana to be the next Director of National Intelligence. The former Senator would be filling the role currently held by James Clapper. Coats will need to obtain confirmation by the Senate for the position.
Coates, 73, visited the President-elect at Trump tower at the end of 2016 but stated at the time that he was not seeking a position.
Coates was first elected to Congress in 1981 as a representative for Indiana’s fourth Congressional District. He went on to serve in the Senate from 1989 to 1999, and again from 2011 until announcing in 2015 he would not run for reelection in 2016. During his time in office he was on the Select Intelligence Committee. He was also Ambassador to Germany in the George W. Bush Administration.
Coats is known for the “Waste of the Week” speeches he started giving in 2015 where he spoke of all of the wasteful spending he found in the federal government.
The Department of National Intelligence was created in response to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Act of 2004 which followed recommendations by the 9/11 Commission Report which was created after September 11, 2001. The office was created as a means of organizing the intelligence gathering and analysis groups.
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