Trump nominee for intelligence director job withdraws

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, the man who Trump said Sunday would take over for outgoing national intelligence director Dan Coats, was withdrawing from consideration for the job.

On Twitter, Trump blamed the “Lame Stream Media” for treating Ratcliffe unfairly and said that Ratcliffe decided to remain in Congress to avoid “months of slander and libel.”

But on his way to his summer home in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump told reporters, “You’re part of the vetting process. I give out a name for the press and they vet for me. We save a lot of money that way.”

“Thank goodness,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “Rep. Ratcliffe never should have been considered in the first place. … The next director of national intelligence must be someone who is nonpartisan, sees the world objectively and speaks truth to power.”

Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, who has been tracking Trump turnover for the Brookings Institute, said the chaos could be avoided if Trump hewed to a traditional vetting process.

“Time and time again, the president fails to appreciate that appointing individuals to the most senior jobs in American government requires adherence to a process,” Tenpas said. “Doing so would avoid future embarrassment, loss of political capital and dwindling credibility with Congress and the citizenry.”

Tenpas also noted the speed with which Ratcliffe was anointed on Sunday, just as Coats’ departure was announced, only to exit from consideration for the post before the end of the work week.

While Democrats had been quick to reject Ratcliffe for the job, key Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, were lukewarm after Trump’s announcement Sunday.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.