Trump Shocks DC After Top GOP ‘Deep State’ Lawmaker Knifed for ‘Sycophantic’ Ties to CIA, FBI: Report
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the sudden removal of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, signaling a significant shift in congressional oversight of America’s intelligence agencies just days before Donald Trump returns to the White House.
The shakeup comes as Trump prepares for his inauguration, with sources claiming the president-elect personally influenced the decision to replace Turner, who has served as committee chairman since January 2023.
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) known for his stronger MAGA alignment, will assume leadership of the crucial committee that oversees both the CIA and FBI.
Turner’s removal follows intense criticism from Trump loyalists in the House Freedom Caucus, who accused him of maintaining a “sycophantic” relationship with the CIA and FBI.
Daily Mail outlined that a source close to the situation told the Daily Beast that “Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant.”
Conservative commentator Rogan O’Handley took to social media platform X to blast Turner’s record: “House Intel Chairman Mike Turner has voted for every Ukraine spending bill. He voted to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. He initially voted against censuring Adam Schiff. He voted to raise the debt ceiling. He’s a warmongering RINO trying to send $60B to Ukraine.”
“He is Deep State.”
The committee leadership change aligns with Trump’s broader strategy to reshape the intelligence community.
The president-elect has already nominated Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Kash Patel to lead the FBI, appointments that have drawn fierce criticism from establishment figures in Washington.
Daily Mail noted that Patel, a former federal prosecutor from Trump’s first administration, authored “Government Gangsters” in 2023 and has repeatedly expressed his intention to dismantle what he terms the “Deep State.”
Gabbard has similarly demonstrated skepticism toward intelligence community operations, notably through her independent 2017 visit to former Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad on what she called a “fact finding mission.”
Turner’s tenure as chairman was marked by several controversies, including his strong advocacy for renewing FISA surveillance powers despite Trump’s vocal opposition.
“Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign!” Trump posted on social media in April 2024.
The surveillance program faced significant scrutiny after reports revealed it had been “improperly” used 278,000 times to monitor Americans, including Jan. 6 defendants and Black Lives Matter activists.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald joined the chorus of criticism, writing: “The GOP House Intel Chair removed by Speaker Johnson yesterday – Mike Turner — is a blind loyalist to and puppet of the US Security State, CIA and NSA.”
Daily Mail further reported that the FISA controversy gained particular significance following its misuse during the 2016 election to surveil Trump campaign aide Carter Page, which helped fuel years of Democratic accusations about Russian interference.
Turner also sparked controversy in 2023 by warning of a “serious national security threat” from Russia, reportedly related to efforts to place nuclear weapons in space.
The announcement prompted Speaker Johnson to later clarify that “there’s no need for public alarm.”
In response to his removal, Turner released a statement defending his leadership: “Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security.”
He added, “The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate for the military and our national defense.”
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