Posted on 07/20/2018 2:03:38 AM PDT by be-baw
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Thursday that he felt he "needed to correct the record" following President Trump's comments during the Helsinki summit with Russia President Vladimir Putin, adding that he wished Trump had "made a different statement" as it is "undeniable that the Russians are taking a lead on this."
Our thought bubble: It was a STUNNING interview ... and is already catching heat and attention among Trump loyalists. I've already had two phone calls from sources close to Trump expressing their astonishment. The fact that Trump’s own intelligence director is saying these things is extraordinary. A moment of true and startling independence. Reveals how concerned Coats is about what happened with Putin.
What we're hearing: Sources close to Trump tell Axios that they're already speculating about whether Trump ends up firing Coats. Per a source with knowledge, Trump has never had much affection for Coats.
Why it matters: All week the White House has been trying to clarify Trump's performance at the summit, during which he failed to publicly confront Putin for claiming Russia didn't interfere in the U.S. presidential election, even though the U.S. intelligence community concluded that it had.
The backdrop: Earlier this week, Coats issued a statement reinforcing the intelligence community's assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 election.
Coats said he doesn't know what happened during Trump's closed-door meeting with Putin, and asked if it was recorded by the Russians, he said: “That risk is always there.” How Trump prefers his intelligence briefings: "He likes it orally. He likes examples .... We use models. We use charts. We use a number of things." Coats said the Oval Office meeting between Trump and former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, during which Trump shared classified information, was “probably not the best thing to do." His take on Putin: "Look, I think anybody who thinks that Vladimir Putin doesn't have a stamp on everything that happens in Russia is misinformed. It is very clear that virtually nothing happens there of any kind of consequence that Vladimir Putin doesn't know about or hasn't ordered. I think we're pretty sure about that."
Dan Coats is part of the Deep State and needs to go.
“I wish TRUMP would FIRE Dan Coats & Christopher Wray!!! “
Why stop there! He needs to show Sessions and Rosenschmeckel the door too.
“Trump is either a war monger or under Putin’s thumb.”
You’re worse that Coats! Head on over to the DU where you belong.
Coats is a federal employee. As such, he should avoid making controversial or political statements. He is paid by the American people to focus on his job, not make news or take issue with the president on matters of state.
If he wants to get into the political arena he should quit his job and run for office.
He’s an OLD SLOW man who needs to retire. How did he get this job...he was a SENATOR!
When Sessions RECUSED himself ALL thigs Russia, Trump KNEW he made the BIGGEST mistake of his Presidency! Sessions SHOULD resign....SWAMP DWELLER!
Agree. Never appoint a senator to do any job that matters. They are all loud mouthed BS artists, not serious people who can be counted on to get the job done.
Trump permits way too much dissension, if not insubordination, in his administration. Just saying.
Dan Coats is part of the Deep State and needs to go.
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Trump really needs to clean house before the house cleans him.
This really is one unusual administration in this regard, beginning when Trump openly criticised his own Secretary of State, Sessions.
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Just shows how useless politicians are. They cover each others back and to hell with the citizens. Trump is an outsider and can’t be bought. THAT is their problem.
Can Coates immediately. Who the hell does he think he is?
If the Deep State weren’t trusting Coats to the level of secret comms before, they sure aren’t going to start doing that now.
When DJT leaves the political scene I will never vote for a Republican again.
I started to think, that right now, if they get rid of Trump, I’m pretty much at the point where I’ve lost all faith in the system, and will question if it’s even worth the gas to vote anymore.
The only thing blinking read on Coates is his nose.
And they’ve never RUN anything except their little offices!
That’s where I’m at. Despite DJT fighting like hell every day, the countless human lumps in the Republican party undermine his efforts. Trump broke into their system and they despise him, and us, for daring to change things. Pence does absolutely nothing for me. In fact I find him very odd.
And they’ve never RUN anything except their little offices!
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The only thing they run is their mouths.
Every day MSNBC makes me glad our cable lineup doesn’t include them.
Trump to Dan Coates .... YOU’RE FIRED!
I have wondered about this. Thanks for the information. Trump had to rely on “insiders” to get his administration under way. Many were only loyal to the Deep State.
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