The Trump White House has been embroiled in an intelligence controversy since Gen. Michael Flynn was asked to resign from his position as the president's National Security Advisor. Flynn had lied earlier on about his communications with a Russian ambassador in December and was asked to resign amidst a series of intelligence leaks.
In response, President Trump will soon assign a close ally to lead "a broad review of American intelligence agencies," the New York Times reports. One name being floated for the position is New York billionaire Stephen A. Feinberg, who co-founded the financial institution, Cerberus Capital Management.
According to the New York Times, for a White House ally to lead the review is worrisome for many in the intelligence community. The Times notes it "could curtail their independence and reduce the flow of information that contradicts the president’s worldview."
Trump wasn't happy about the "un-American," writing a series of tweets on Wednesday morning.
Thank you to Eli Lake of The Bloomberg View - "The NSA & FBI...should not interfere in our politics...and is" Very serious situation for USA— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1487161717.0
The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by "intelligence" like candy. Very un-American!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1487164390.0
The Times noted, "Bringing Mr. Feinberg into the administration to conduct the review is seen as a way of injecting a Trump loyalist into a world the White House views with suspicion. But top intelligence officials fear that Mr. Feinberg is being groomed for a high position in one of the intelligence agencies."
