On Monday's edition of CNN's "OutFront," former CIA analyst Phil Mudd warned that President Donald Trump's pick to replace Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX), is likely to value loyalty to the president over national security.
"He still has to make his case that he's going to be independent," conceded Trump adviser David Urban in the segment. "I think people see the video [of him defending Trump in the Mueller hearing]. They hear the narrative, and they want to know: 'Are you going to be independent? And do you believe the Russians interfered?' I think if he answers those questions in the affirmative, he'll sail through."
"What do you say?" anchor Erin Burnett asked Mudd. "Obviously Coats had 20 years in Congress, congressman, ambassador, senator. Ratcliffe obviously doesn't have that same depth of experience, but if you hear David, he's laying it out, right? Prosecutor, terrorism prosecutor. Is he qualified?"
"I don't think that's the question I would ask," replied Mudd. "I'm almost, almost — and this is miraculous — halfway with David. Look, he's got some experience. It does not match people like James Clapper in terms of people who've had this position before. It's not even close. But look, you can learn the job. From the inside that is not the question I would have."
"The question I would have is, given the partisanship of this member on the issues the intel community has with the president — North Korea, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia — can you guarantee that this individual will not only speak the truth to the president? I'm not sure I would believe that," said Mudd.
"But also, there'll be public situations," added Mudd. "The FBI director doesn't speak that much publicly. The CIA director doesn't. This job does. Will this person go out in public and say, 'Regardless of what the president says about North Korea and Russia, I've got a different view?' I'm not sure."
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