A former director of the FBI and CIA is questioning whether Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard — Donald Trump’s picks to be director of the FBI and of national intelligence, respectively — are qualified for the posts.
William Webster, the only person ever to head both the FBI and the CIA, urged senators on Thursday to “weigh the critical importance of nonpartisan leadership and experience” as they evaluate the controversial choices.
“The safety of the American people ― and your own families ― depends on it,” wrote Webster, who is 100 years old, and who served under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, in a letter addressing the president-elect’s picks.
Webster joined a number of current and former FBI officials who have expressed concerns about Patel, a “deep state” conspiracy theorist and fierce Trump loyalist who served as chief of staff to acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“While Mr. Patel’s intelligence and patriotism are commendable, his close political alignment with President Trump raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity,” wrote Webster, according to a press release.
“His record of executing the president’s directives suggest a loyalty to individuals rather than the rule of law ― a dangerous precedent for an agency tasked with impartial enforcement of justice,” he went on.
Webster also argued against the choice of Gabbard ― a Democrat-turned-Republican and former U.S. representative from Hawaii with no formal intelligence experience ― whom critics have slammed for her sympathetic comments about Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and her apparent sympathy for ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
“Gabbard’s profound lack of intelligence experience and the daunting task of overseeing 18 disparate intelligence agencies further highlight the need for seasoned leadership,” wrote Webster.
“Effective management of our intelligence community requires unparalleled expertise to navigate the complexities of global threats and to maintain the trust of allied nations,” he wrote. “Without that trust, our ability to safeguard sensitive secrets and collaborate internationally is severely diminished.”
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Webster emphasized the need for “independence, integrity and experience” in decision-making, as well.