[Daily Caller] A top U.S. intelligence official is being considered to take over for the very man who recommended his removal from office for administrative failures.Admiral Michael S. Rogers, director of the National Security Agency and head of U.S. Cyber Command, is expected to become the Director of National Intelligence under the next administration, the Wall Street Journal revealed. In an unprecedented move, Rogers met with President-elect Donald Trump Thursday at Trump Tower without first notifying his superiors, reports the Washington Post. Rogers’ actions reportedly agitated senior administration officials already displeased with his performance and leadership.
Current Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter recommended last month that the White House relieve Rogers of his duties as head of the NSA and Cyber Command, the Washington Post reported Saturday. Clapper and Carter have criticized Rogers’ performance in the past, citing serious security breaches as well as a failure to react to the online activities of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Rogers took control of the NSA and Cyber Command in 2014 in the wake of the Edward Snowden leaks, a glaring embarrassment to the agency that cost hundreds of millions of dollars and required major operational adjustments. Rogers was tasked with preventing follow-up incidents but was unsuccessful.