(Rithvik Hari / Fourth Estate)
Senator Warner warns of growing politicization in the intelligence community during a discussion moderated by CNN’s Jim Sciutto
BY RITHVIK HARI, STAFF WRITER
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) held a discussion at the Mason Square campus in Arlington to discuss the state of the U.S. Intelligence Community and the current actions of the Trump administration. The hour-long event on Sept. 19 was moderated by CNN anchor and chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto.
During his visit to the Hayden Center, Senator Warner discussed the Intelligence Community, raising concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, the current director of national intelligence. He accused Gabbard of politicizing the intelligence community.
He said that since Gabbard has taken over as director of national intelligence, senior intelligence officials have been removed from their positions and stripped of security clearances.
Warner said current intelligence officials are endangering national security by hiring and appointing people who are unqualified for these positions. He noted that asking about the outcome of the 2020 election as a vetting question for those in the Intelligence Community is inappropriate.
He emphasized a growing concern in Washington that political interference within the Intelligence Community will have a negative impact on the country’s national security.
Expanding his concerns beyond the Intelligence Community, Warner expressed his unease about the current administration for what he described as “attacking career prosecutors.”
He pointed to the abrupt resignation of Christopher Kavanaugh, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Va., as well as Eric Siebert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Va. who resigned before being fired.
Both were recommended for their former positions by Democrat Va. senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
“Let me be clear, but it appears that both of our choices met that criteria and by meeting that criteria, they’ve lost their jobs.” Warner said. “You cannot take all these incidents in isolation together without drawing a conclusion.”
After addressing domestic political issues, Warner shifted focus to foreign affairs; particularly Russia’s ongoing war in Eastern Europe.
Warner said there is bipartisan support to “punish” Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the recent news of Russian drones in Polish airspace.
He discussed during the event that “Putin is clearly testing NATO,” and added that NATO should be prepared. He noted that additional senior intelligence officials were dismissed after the so-called “red carpet summit” with Putin.
As the conversation shifted from Eastern Europe, it focused on the Democratic party’s response to the Trump administration. Warner said Democrats have had a sharpened response to the Trump administration, considering their handling of the near government shutdown in March.
He added that he hopes Democrats stay united on efforts to reopen the government — which has been shut down for more than a week — and remain aligned on the party’s broader interests.
Warner said he wants the Democrats to become a “more pro-growth and less regulation” party.
He followed by discussing the growing influence of right-wing commentator Laura Loomer on administration policies. Warner cited an incident where Loomer reportedly asked Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to cancel a scheduled congressional oversight visit to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Warner said he is concerned with Loomer’s actions and is disappointed by the lack of pushback from Republicans in Congress.
Warner concluded his talk by stressing about how safeguarding the country requires nonpartisan professionals in key roles and that both parties must work to uphold accountability at every level.
