A former director of the FBI and CIA is questioning whether Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard — Donald Trump’s picks to be director of the FBI and national intelligence, respectively — are qualified for the posts.
William Webster — the only person to head both the FBI and the CIA who served under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — urged senators on Thursday to “weigh the critical importance of nonpartisan leadership and experience” as they evaluate the controversial choices.
“The safety of the American people - and your own families - depends on it,” wrote Webster, who is 100 years old, in a letter addressing the president-elect’s picks.
Webster joined a number of both current and former FBI officials who haveexpressedtheir concerns with Patel, a “deep state” conspiracy theorist and fierce Trump loyalist who served as chief of staff to acting Secretary of Defence Chris Miller during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Patel has expressed interest in closing the FBI’s DC headquarters to replace it with a “deep state” museum and has vowed to prosecute Trump’s enemies, a pledge that has led some Republicans to question whether he will actually “come after” Trump’s foes.
“While Mr. Patel’s intelligence and patriotism are commendable, his close political alignment with President Trump raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity,” wrote Webster, according to a press release.
He continued, “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.”
He also argued against the choice of Gabbard, the former Democrat-turned-Republican with no formal intelligence experience that critics have slammed for her pro-Putin views and her apparent sympathy for ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
“Gabbard’s profound lack of intelligence experience and the daunting task of overseeing 18 disparate intelligence agencies further highlight the need for seasoned leadership,” wrote Webster on the DNI job.
He added, “Effective management of our intelligence community requires unparalleled expertise to navigate the complexities of global threats and to maintain the trust of allied nations. Without that trust, our ability to safeguard sensitive secrets and collaborate internationally is severely diminished.”
Webster emphasised the need for “independence, integrity and experience” in decision-making, as well.
