Intel Chiefs Slam Trump before the Senate

[AZJoe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1054&v=0qCDzXbWfj8

[AZJoe]

US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats addressed the Senate Intelligence Committee (https://news.antiwar.com/2019/01/29/us-intel-chief-hypes-many-threats-us-is-facing-contradicts-trump/) on … broadly contradicting President Trump on a number of issues.

Coats’ intelligence assessments singled out almost every major foreign policy issue (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/spy-chiefs-break-trump-threats-190130004337622.html), playing up the threat posed by ISIS in Syria, dismissing North Korean denuclearization, and touting Russia and China as big threats to the 2020 election.

Mostly Coats was telling Senate hawks what they want to hear. On Iraq, however, he presented the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias as the “primary threat (http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/290120191)” to the US. … The US … backing them [PMF} in Iraq … but quickly labeling them enemies if they crossed into neighboring Syria to fight against ISIS there. …

Singling out Russia and China as vague “threats” to the election doesn’t really counsel any policy changes. …

Coats’ ISIS assessment in Syria seemed to undermine the pullout by presenting them as an enduring threat. …

[Zippyjuan]

Trump says they should go back to school.

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They also seemed to undermine his claim about the border situation being a "National Security Emergency" situation.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/427618-schiff-intel-chiefs-hearing-may-undermine-trumps-ability-to-declare-emergency


Schiff: Intel chiefs testimony may ‘undermine’ Trump’s ability to declare emergency for wall


House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that new testimony from top U.S. intelligence officials could "undermine" President Trump's ability to declare a national emergency for constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The fact that none of the intel chiefs brought up a threat at the southern border as being one of the most pressing threats facing the country, that could be Exhibit A in a challenge to any kind of a declaration of a national emergency,” Schiff said on MSNBC, a day after Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA Director Gina Haspel testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee about global threats to the U.S.

The two officials discussed issues such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, China and Russia, among other things, during Tuesday's hearing.

Schiff argued that their testimony showed "that none of the intelligence agencies think" there is an "emergency" at the border, adding "both parties don’t think this is an emergency."

"I think, if anything, it is going to undermine that legal case that the president may try to make, that hearing yesterday could be a central exhibit," Schiff said.

Trump has promised since his 2016 campaign to build a border wall. During the recent partial government shutdown, which lasted a record 35 days, the president insisted on funding from Congress to build a wall.

He eventually signed a continuing resolution that temporarily reopened the government, without money for wall construction.

Trump has floated the idea of declaring a national emergency if Congress can't reach an agreement that provides wall funding. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Monday said Trump "must" take that step if lawmakers can't reach a deal with the White House.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) have both voiced opposition to using emergency powers as an option, with Rubio calling it a "terrible" idea.

[timosman]

Who runs the executive branch of the government?:confused:

[Zippyjuan]

Who runs the executive branch of the government?:confused:

I can't decide if it is Fox News or the Russians. Sometimes one, sometimes the other.

Fox was on the outs this week. But he is on the opposite of Russia in Venezuela. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/427195-trump-rips-into-fox-news-over-shutdown-border-wall-coverage


Trump rips into Fox News over shutdown, border wall coverage


President Trump on Sunday blasted a pair of Fox News reporters over their coverage of the border wall negotiations, claiming that they have "less understanding" than journalists at "fake news CNN & NBC."

"Never thought I’d say this but I think [John Roberts] and [Gillian Turner] have even less understanding of the Wall negotiations than the folks at FAKE NEWS CNN & NBC!" Trump tweeted, referring to two of the news network's top correspondents.

"Look to final results! Don’t know how my poll numbers are so good, especially up 19% with Hispanics?" Trump continued, referring to a poll published earlier this month that found a growing number of Latino adults approved of Trump's job performance.

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The Marist poll, published in partnership with PBS and NPR, found that 50 percent of Latino adults approve of Trump's job as president, up from 31 percent in December. The survey also found that just 39 percent of adults approved of Trump's job performance.


(as a side note, Hispanics were the only group Trump's rating went up among in that poll- he was down with everybody else including Republicans).

It is unclear what specific coverage Trump was referring to. Roberts filled in for Fox News anchor Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

The comments from Trump come only days after he signed a continuing resolution to temporarily reopen the government following a 35-day shutdown. The funding lapse was triggered after Congress failed to reach an agreement on a new spending bill.

Trump has repeatedly demanded that a long-term bill include funds for a border wall, which Democrats oppose. The president expressed doubts to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that lawmakers could reach an agreement on the issue.