President Trump nominated Allen Souza on Wednesday, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Ca), to serve as the Inspector General of the U.S. Intelligence Community, where he wold replace an official the president ousted in April.
Trump notified Congress in a letter in April that he was firing Michael Atkinson, saying he had lost confidence in him. The move prompted widespread outrage among Democrats.
Trump later told reporters that he believed Atkinson did a “terrible job” with respect to the handling of the whistleblower complaint about his phone call with Ukraine’s president and suggested Atkinson was working to harm him politically.
Souza currently works on the White House National Security Council as a principal deputy senior director for intelligence programs. He served as staff director for Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, including during the lower chamber’s impeachment inquiry last fall, before moving to the White House in more recent months.
In order to be confirmed, Souza will need to sit through a confirmation hearing and receive a vote from the Senate. Thomas Monheim is currently serving as intelligence community inspector general in an acting capacity.
For additional information visit our friends at THE HILL.
