Salazar keeps House seat after break with Trump on immigration

Democrats in the US House of Representatives plan to investigate former President Donald Trump's handling of US spy agencies, according to US Representative Jim Himes. Himes, who will become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee in January, said the investigations would focus on alleged retaliatory dismissals of intelligence analysts. He cited evidence of a decline in morale within the intelligence community due to pressure from the administration.

During Trump's second term, the Republican-controlled Congress had little scrutiny of the intelligence community, allowing hundreds of officers to be fired or forced out, disrupting analysis production on key issues like Iran. Himes said the investigations would delve into "retaliatory firings," targeting "patriots who were fired because they said something that was inconsistent with what the president wanted to be true."

Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's office reportedly cut her agency's staff by about 40% and publicly pledged to reduce the workforce further. The cuts included the firings of longtime intelligence analysts and high-ranking officers, some involved in assessments contradicting the White House's policy on Venezuela. Gabbard's actions allegedly created tensions and a breakdown in intelligence sharing within the community.

Himes emphasized the need to declassify internal intelligence community reports to underscore the impact of the firings and politicization. The committee will also investigate the administration's relationships with defense and intelligence contractors and covert overseas efforts.