2/20/2020

INTELLIGENCE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Trump’s new acting director of national intelligence may hold the job for only about three weeks — unless the White House quickly finds a permanent nominee to offer to the Senate for confirmation. The president tapped Richard Grenell, the American ambassador to Germany, on Wednesday [2-19-20] to add the role overseeing the nation’s 17 spy agencies to his existing duties. Mr. Grenell agreed to hold the post for only a limited period of time, according to people familiar with his plan. Federal law gives the president a great deal of flexibility to appoint whomever he chooses to the position on a temporary basis while his official nominee for the job awaits confirmation from the Senate.”

Julian E. Barnes and Maggie Haberman, “Trump’s New Intelligence Director Faces a Legal Countdown Clock on His Tenure,” The New York Times online, February 20, 2020