CNN
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House Speaker Mike Johnson has removed Republican Rep. Mike Turner from his position as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for the 119th Congress.
Although the president has the power to appoint committee members, the move marks a significant change in the leadership of a key oversight committee, just days before Donald Trump is sworn in as president for the second times.
The speaker denied Wednesday that the president-elect had urged him to remove Turner as panel chairman, telling reporters they would learn Thursday who he would choose to replace the Ohio Republican.
“This is not a decision by President Trump. This is a decision of the House, and it is not at all an offense to our outgoing president. He did a great job,” Johnson said. “The intelligence community and everything related to it (the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) needs a fresh start. And that’s what it’s all about. Nothing else.
A source familiar with Johnson’s thinking told CNN that the speaker wanted to bring in his own committee chairman, just as then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy did in initially nominating Turner to the post. Turner was not told during the meeting that it was Trump’s decision to impeach him, the source added.
In a statement, Turner said he was “very proud to have served” as president.
“The Committee has excellent members and I am honored to have served with them,” Turner said. “Under my leadership, we have restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its primary purpose: national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations.
The removal was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Calling Turner a “good man,” Johnson said Wednesday that the congressman would continue to be his “designated representative on all things NATO.”
“It’s a new Congress. We just need some fresh horses in some of these places, but I’m a Mike Turner fan. He did an excellent job. He performed valiantly in a difficult time and under difficult circumstances,” Johnson said. “I only have positive things to say.”
The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Jim Himes, said he was “extremely concerned” about the developments, telling reporters, “I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone as impartial” as Turner.
The change, he said, would be a significant blow to the committee’s ability to provide oversight under the new Trump administration. And even though the two men disagreed, Himes said, he trusted Turner.
“I have ice going down my spine right now because this would totally change the dynamic of surveillance,” the Connecticut congressman told reporters.
Himes later said in a statement that “the impeachment of President Turner makes our nation less secure and is a terrible omen of what is to come,” adding: “The Constitution requires that Congress function as a check and balance on the executive branch.” , and not to meet the needs of the executive branch. to his requirements. »
Asked if Turner had antagonized Trump in any way to get Johnson to make the decision, Himes said he didn’t know. “I’m not the person to answer that. One of the reasons I had confidence in Mike’s ability to exercise oversight was because, you know, he wasn’t quick to bend the knee,” he said.
Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Republican Rep. Mike Waltz, deferred to the speaker when CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked him about the change, saying “congressional leadership decisions belong to » Johnson.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Kaanita Iyer and Ali Main contributed to this report.
