Jan. 16 (UPI) — House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Mike Turner who had been a strong defender of NATO and aid for Ukraine in defending itself against Russia.
Johnson, R-La., confirmed the decision on Wednesday as he tried to downplay the move of the high-profile House committee, saying that he will have the replacement for Turner, R-Ohio, named by Thursday.
“[Turner’s] done a great job,” Johnson told reporters. “He performed valiantly in difficult times under difficult circumstances. So, I have nothing but positive things to say about my friend and colleague.
“This is not a President Trump decision. This is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman.”
It was perceived that Turner was out of step with Trump and his supporters on intelligence issues along with reports that the president-elect had urged Johnson for months to take action on Turner. He defended his time on the committee in a statement.
“Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security,” Turner said, according to Politico. “The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations.”
