Senate Intel head in the dark about Trump intelligence review

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said he is unaware of any White House plan to assign New York billionaire Stephen Feinberg to conduct a broad review of U.S. intelligence agencies.

“I haven’t seen a White House plan,” Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) told reporters Thursday. “I’ve seen a lot of press speculation. When I see a plan, I’ll be happy to comment on it.”

The New York Times on Wednesday reported that the White House is working out the details of such a review, to be headed by Feinberg. There has been no announcement about it.

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But the report comes at a particularly tense moment in President Trump’s relationship with the intelligence community, elevating fears that the review could be used to root out officials who contradict the president or his advisers.

Trump has blamed leaks from the intelligence community for the ouster of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who stepped down Monday over revelations that he misled the vice president about the content of a series of phone calls to Russia’s U.S. ambassador in December.

“We’re going to find the leakers and they’re going to pay a big price,” Trump told reporters Thursday.

Other Senate Intelligence Committee Republicans were similarly reluctant to weigh in on the reported review or the choice of Feinberg to head it, saying they didn’t know anything about it.

“I’m not aware of any such plan — you’re asking me to comment about something I’ve never heard about,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) noted that “it’s not unreasonable” for any executive to examine the efficiency of his agencies, but added, “I want to be able to see what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.”

Previous reports have suggested that Trump’s team is weighing a structural overhaul of some intelligence agencies. At one point, it was reported that the White House was considering doing away with the Office of the National Director of Intelligence, which oversees 16 agencies that make up the intelligence community.

Trump’s pick to lead that office, former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.), has yet to be confirmed; Burr said Thursday that his hearing would likely be scheduled for the end of this month.

According to The Times, Coats is angry about the review, believing it would encroach on his responsibility as director.