Former FBI and CIA Director William Webster Urges Senate to Reject Trump’s Intelligence and Law Enforcement Picks
Former FBI and CIA Director William Webster, who is 100 years old, has written a letter to senators urging them to reject two of President-elect Donald Trump’s selections for top law enforcement and intelligence posts. Webster criticized Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director, for his personal loyalty to Trump, which he believes could conflict with the FBI’s duty to uphold the rule of law. He also criticized Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, for her “profound lack” of intelligence experience.
Webster, who is the only person to have led both the FBI and CIA, warned senators that Patel’s record suggests a loyalty to individuals rather than the rule of law, which is a dangerous precedent for an agency tasked with impartial enforcement of justice. He also emphasized that effective management of the intelligence community requires unparalleled expertise to navigate the complexities of global threats and to maintain the trust of allied nations.
The Trump transition team defended Patel’s selection, saying that he is loyal to the Constitution and has worked under both Presidents Obama and Trump in key national security roles. They also pointed out that Webster had supported President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump.
Gabbard has been criticized for her meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017 and her refusal to call him a war criminal during her 2020 presidential campaign. However, she later called him a brutal dictator.
Webster’s letter urged senators to weigh the critical importance of nonpartisan leadership and experience, saying that the safety of the American people and their own families depends on it.