A former FBI official slammed the Trump administration on Tuesday for appointing a loyalist of the president to a high-ranking office within the bureau.
Andrew McCabe, a former deputy director of the FBI, made the comments on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper," which was hosted by Pamela Brown. He argued that the Department of Justice's appointment of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to serve as co-deputy director with MAGA firebrand Dan Bongino would further hinder the department's credibility.
"This is exactly what the FBI does not need right now, which is another high-ranking official with no law enforcement experience, other than he was at the General Counsel's office at the Department of Corrections before his time as AG," McCabe told Brown. "But no federal law enforcement experience; no significant leadership experience, and no understanding of the FBI."
Bailey is being appointed at a time when President Donald Trump's Justice Department is trying to address multiple challenges. For instance, the Department has been heavily criticized for its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Bongino also had a spat with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the files, according to media reports.
McCabe argued that the FBI needs leaders who understand the bureau's culture, which is something that Bailey does not.
"What they're getting is an active political operative, someone who has clearly proven his loyalty to President Trump," McCabe said.
