James Comey wouldn’t take an oath of allegiance to Donald Trump. Jefferson Sessions recused himself from the investigation into connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. But over at the CIA, director Mike Pompeo is showing everyone how to stay on the good side of Trump.
As CIA director, Mike Pompeo has taken a special interest in an agency unit that is closely tied to the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, requiring the Counterintelligence Mission Center to report directly to him.
It’s sort of the opposite of recusal. Rather than stepping back from investigations into his boss, Pompeo has put a political boot on the throat of those looking into Trump’s connections to Russia. And he doesn’t hesitate to press down hard.
Officials at the center have, in turn, kept a watchful eye on Pompeo, who has repeatedly played down Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and demonstrated a willingness to engage in political skirmishes for President Trump.
A willingness to overlook Russian espionage isn’t usually the kind of property that makes a good CIA director. But it does seem to be exactly what Trump is looking for. And now the CIA is stuck in a position where one of its greatest threats is … the CIA director.
“People have to watch him,” said a U.S. official who, like others, requested anonymity to speak frankly. “It’s almost as if he can’t resist the impulse to be political.”
Both before and after taking office, Trump attacked intelligence agencies in general and the CIA in particular for their contention that Russia had directed the hack into Democratic emails and distribution of materials on Wikileaks. Trump was also angered by the agency’s role in providing evidence of connections between his campaign and the Russian government.
But rather than defend the agency, Pompeo has determined to defend Trump even in the face of evidence.
Pompeo is also known for berating subordinates, aggressively challenging agency analysts and displaying the fierce partisanship that became his signature while serving as a GOP member of Congress.
The partisan nature of Pompeo’s approach has led to the agency giving more attention to leaks and attacking its own conclusions.
When asked about Russian election interference, Pompeo often becomes testy and recites talking points that seem designed to appease a president who rejects the allegations as “fake news” conjured by Democrats to delegitimize his election win.
“It is true” that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, Pompeo said at Aspen, “and the one before that, and the one before that . . . ”
Put it together and you have a CIA director whose top concern is not relaying an accurate view of global affairs, and not fighting back against outside attempts to interfere with American institutions, but please Donald Trump—even when that means providing something less than the truth.