President-elect Donald Trump is considering appointing former Republican primary rival Carly Fiorina, who chaired the CIA’s civilian external advisory board during the George W. Bush Administration, Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
The possible appointment of the former Hewlett-Packard executive, first reported by the New York Times, has been described as an unexpected move by some news outlets, such as the New York Post.
Fiorina visited President-elect Trump at New York’s Trump Tower Monday and praised her formal rival after meeting with him.
“It was such an honor to meet with the president elect,” she declared.
“The high quality of people that he’s named already says so much about his executive abilities,” Fiorina also told reporters, praising Trump for appointing “fantastic people” to serve in his administration.
She noted that she spoke to the incoming commander-in-chief about the ability to “reset” the way Americans interact with their government and the role that the United States plays across the world.
Fiorina will have to be confirmed by the Senate before she officially becomes the next DNI.
The Bush administration created the DNI position in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. homeland.
On its official website, the Office of DNI describes its mission as “lead Intelligence integration and forge an Intelligence Community that delivers the most insightful intelligence possible.”
The ODNI vision is identified as “a nation made more secure because of a fully integrated Intelligence Community.”
According to the U.S. government, “The DNI also acts as the principal advisor to the President and the National Security Council for intelligence matters related to the national security; and oversees and directs the implementation of the National Intelligence Program.”
It is no secret that Trump clashed with Fiorina as he did with nearly all other contenders during the contentious presidential primary debates.
In what has been described as “a bizarre twist to the race,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the last man to stand between Trump and the GOP nomination, named Fiorina as his vice-presidential “running mate” while he was still trailing behind the president-elect.
However, Fiorina endorsed the eventual winner Trump on September 8, two months before the election, telling a Washington state Republican dinner, “We must have President Trump. We can’t have President Clinton.”
Although she has never been elected to any government office, Fiorina served as chair of the CIA’s civilian external advisory board, and worked with the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Defense after the 9/11 attacks.
Citing a transition source, the New York Post notes, “Trump aides had discussed Fiorina as a possible secretary of state pick… But reports suggest the president-elect has instead settled on Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for that job.”
The Post learned from Fiorina’s chief of staff that the meeting with Trump had been “positive and productive.”
“Carly and the President-Elect discussed issues ranging from America’s strategic interests and national security challenges abroad to the geopolitical climate across the world and in China,” added the chief of staff.
Fiorina sparred with President-elect Trump during the campaign over controversial comments Trump allegedly made about her during a Rolling Stone interview.
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