House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., removed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, as chair of the House Intelligence Committee. President-elect Donald Trump backed the move, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that he “directly weighed in on the decision.”
However, shortly after the decision, a reporter asked Johnson if Trump had an opinion on the matter. Johnson responded, “This is not a President Trump decision. This is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman. He did a great job.”
Johnson added with a newly sworn-in Congress, “We just need fresh horses in some of these places.” He praised Turner for serving valiantly under difficult circumstances.
People close to Trump told The Journal that Turner often held traditional foreign policy views that clashed with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Turner has been a strong advocate for sending aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, something the incoming president has been critical of—he instead wants the fighting to end.
The House Intelligence Committee oversees the U.S. intelligence community, ensuring that intelligence agencies and operations are effective, lawful and aligned with national interests. The committee has the authority to investigate intelligence-related matters, including abuses of power, intelligence failures, or concerns about the transparency of intelligence operations.
The committee’s work often requires members to handle classified information and work closely with executive agencies. Despite being removed as its chair, Johnson said he hopes Turner remains a member of the Intelligence Committee.
It is unclear who will replace Turner, but Johnson said a successor would be named on Thursday, Jan. 16.
