A former director of the CIA and FBI penned a letter expressing concerns over President-elect Donald Trump’s picks of Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel to lead intelligence agencies.
William Webster, a 100-year-old Republican, is the only person to have led both the CIA and FBI, serving under the administrations of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. In a letter to senators on Thursday, Webster expressed concern about Gabbard becoming the next director of national intelligence and Patel being the next FBI director, arguing they do not meet the needs of such posts.
“While Mr. Patel’s intelligence and patriotism are commendable, his close political alignment with President Trump raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity,” Webster wrote. “Statements such as ‘He’s my intel guy’ and his record of executing the president’s directives suggest a loyalty to individuals rather than the rule of law — a dangerous precedent for an agency tasked with impartial enforcement of justice.”
Webster’s concern with Gabbard is less about devotion to Trump and more about an alleged lack of experience.
“Effective management of our intelligence community requires unparalleled expertise to navigate the complexities of global threats and to maintain the trust of allied nations,” Webster wrote. “Without that trust, our ability to safeguard sensitive secrets and collaborate internationally is severely diminished. … This is no time in world history for a novice in the field to learn this role.”