• Why Jihad Watch?
  • About Robert Spencer and Staff Writers
  • FAQ
  • Books
  • Muhammad
  • Islam 101
  • Privacy

Jihad Watch

Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Fighting for willful ignorance: Obama allies working to undermine Trump’s national security team

Jan 21, 2017 2:03 pm By Robert Spencer

As I noted here, the attempt to restore sanity and truth to the U.S. response to the jihad threat is going to encounter fierce resistance from the forces of obscurantism and willful ignorance.

“Obama Allies Working to Undermine Trump’s National Security Team,” by Adam Kredo, Washington Free Beacon, January 21, 2017:

Democrats loyal to former President Barack Obama are waging a behind-the-scenes effort to undermine President Donald Trump’s national security team by blocking key appointees, according to multiple sources familiar with the outgoing administration’s efforts.

The centerpiece of this obstruction is the recent refusal by Senate Democrats to quickly confirm incoming CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Democratic leaders—including Sens. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), and Patrick Leahy (Vt.)—postponed Pompeo’s confirmation, claiming they need more time to debate the pick, which is widely supported by a majority of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

The decision to stall Pompeo’s vote, a move that will leave the critical post of CIA director vacant as Trump takes office, is part of a wider effort by the outgoing administration and its allies to hamstring Trump on the national security front, according to multiple sources, including those close to the Trump administration.

Gen. Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who served under former Presidents George W. Bush and Obama, told the Washington Free Beacon that he is “puzzled by the objections recently raised” by Senate Democrats.

“It’s hell being the political football,” Hayden said Saturday afternoon, ahead of a visit by both Trump and Pompeo to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.

Democrats cited Hayden’s role under Bush and Obama as a precedent for Pompeo’s holdup.

“Just as Director Hayden served as a bridge between the Bush and Obama presidencies eight years ago, Director [John] Brennan could play the same role for the incoming and outgoing administrations, if the President is willing to keep him on,” Matt House, a Schumer spokesman, said in a recent press statement.

Democrats opposing Pompeo have expressed concerns about his desire to combat terrorism by boosting the collection of personal data in the United States. They also have raised concerns about Pompeo’s stance on enhanced interrogation techniques.

Hayden dismissed these concerns, saying Democratic talking points on the matter are unconvincing.

“With regard to interrogations and surveillance, Congressman Pompeo said that he would follow the law. If his intelligence professionals advised him that current law denied him intelligence opportunities that would be otherwise available, he would so advise the Congress so that they could discuss and debate whether changes in the law might be indicated,” Hayden said. “That is the essence of a professional carrying out his duty within the American political context.”

There is nothing abnormal about Pompeo’s desire to potentially strengthen the interrogation techniques available to the U.S. military, Hayden said.

“No one could reasonably argue that the current army field manual exhausts all legally available interrogation techniques,” he explained. “If director Pompeo and his professionals judged that America was measurably less safe because of the current limitations, their duty would be to inform the president and the Congress of that judgment. They of course would live with the decision of their political and policy masters.  What could possibly be controversial about that?”

The campaign to delay Pompeo’s confirmation appears to be just one piece of a larger effort aimed at undermining Trump’s national security team, multiple sources told the Free Beacon.

There is evidence Obama’s outgoing administration took steps to complicate and delay the building of Trump’s new team, according to one veteran foreign policy insider who has been in close contact with Trumps’ national security transition team.

“Something strange is going on,” the source, who is not authorized to speak on the record, said. “The Trump folks keep loading up accounts and looking at specific jobs, and they’re not finding anything like what should be there. It’s like the Obama national security team went out of their way to cripple the transition on the way out.”…

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Follow me on Facebook

Filed Under: Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Featured Tagged With: Chuck Schumer, Mike Pompeo, Patrick Leahy, Ron Wyden


Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Comments

  1. John C. Barile says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    The Party of Treason at work. Let’s turn them out of office–thin the heard–of these obstructionists in the next two to four years.

    • John C. Barile says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 2:22 pm

      That’s “thin the herd,” rather.

      • Alien Republican says

        Jan 21, 2017 at 3:01 pm

        That’s ok. They’re deaf of sorts.

        • John C. Barile says

          Jan 22, 2017 at 10:57 pm

          Touche.

    • Rob Porter says

      Jan 22, 2017 at 5:46 pm

      John, once firmly in power, Trump must really ‘stick it’ to these wretched Democratic Party scum and make them rue the day they crossed his path. He can start with the disgusting Chuck Schumer, who, evidently, is too ignorant to appreciate that given the chance any number of Muslims would slit his Jewish throat. Such pitiful ignorance from the left is in fact no longer amazing, it has become standard Democratic Party practice, the product of people who do not believe in anything much anymore other than their feckless mindlessness that afflicts their puny minds.

      • John C. Barile says

        Jan 22, 2017 at 10:54 pm

        I’ll do my part, God willing. There’s a U.S. Senator from my state up for reelection in 2018–and I’ll do whatever I can to help unseat her between now and Election Day.

  2. Arthur says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    We were all worried that Obama would refuse to leave office, when it is in actuality John Brennan, head of the Deep State, who refuses to leave. Better for the President to personally oversee the CIA than let Brennan keep access.

    • underbed cat says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 6:31 pm

      I heard Brennan resigned. Obama wants power…Micheal Moore wants his power……no surprise leftist hold the cities, islam wants the caliphate …..maybe Moore needs to understand why Trump won…not jobs……it was the protecting the U.S, against sharia and deception of the doctrine that is inherent and dangerous and very few know.

      • Arthur says

        Jan 21, 2017 at 7:06 pm

        Oh! Thanks for the good news!

    • Green McWilliams says

      Jan 22, 2017 at 7:48 am

      Not always, but often, if you want to do what is wise, just go 180 degrees opposite of whatever comes out of the mouths of the Schumers, Pelosis, Obamas, Clintons. SAD!!!

    • Rob Porter says

      Jan 22, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      Hopefully Trump will simply fire Brennan for his poorly judged criticisms that demonstrate his unsuitability to the position.

  3. Don McKellar says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 3:07 pm

    Trump should indeed continue to keep this all above board and work with the process for as long as practical. If it continues he should do what he’s so brilliant at: make a case in front of the public for what is going on. And then, if there is still trouble with these people, he must take action — with the public being fully aware of why he took action.

    • Westman says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 3:35 pm

      Agreed. Give them rope, first. Then, If necessary, the intelligence agencies should be whittled down to their knees and built back up with patriotism and “America First” as a prerequisite – much like what happened in the Air Controller’s strike.

      Put a bunch of those Mormons in the agencies – they believe in America as a God created-and-inspired institution. They didn’t have any problem with supporting the inauguration with their choir out of respect for the institution.

      The leftist seditionist-anarchist snowflakes can’t distinguish between the office and the President because they have NO RESPECT FOR EITHER.

    • Chris says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 11:54 pm

      He said that in his inaugural speech, I thought. eliminate the dead weight??

  4. somehistory says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    brennen is evil….and isn’t he moslim? He is most definitely on the side of evil.

  5. myworld2 says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 3:20 pm

    It will be YEARS before we will realize all the damage this ‘man’ and his cohorts have done to our
    country……and the people .. and I saw the first “ad” for the NEW WORLD ORDER this am so they will be working against us big time in the open NOW……HILLARY’S PAYBACK ????… action leader for ‘open borders !!!! I’m saying again WAKE UP AMERICA !!!! THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A GAME ..they are very serious about open borders as that solves most of what they want to accomplish….”ONE COLOR – ONE LANGUAGE – ONE FINANCIAL SYSTEM- AND ONE HEALTH (?) SYSTEM …AND MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM = ONE RULING GROUP – THEM !!!!!!!!
    PLEASE – EVERYONE do your research now – your life is in danger

    • Chris says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 11:58 pm

      G.R. Jeffrey wrote a book about this.

  6. Angemon says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    “Something strange is going on,” the source, who is not authorized to speak on the record, said. “The Trump folks keep loading up accounts and looking at specific jobs, and they’re not finding anything like what should be there. It’s like the Obama national security team went out of their way to cripple the transition on the way out.”

    The Obama administration acting like a petulant child, trying to storm off with the ball because they didn’t get what they wanted? Imagine my surprise…

  7. Bezelel says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    Maybe brennen just needs more time to cover his treasonous tracks. Something strange has been going on for 8yrs.

  8. Bill says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    The GOP is just going to have to ram the appointment through. Sessions, all of them. The Dems will howl, but as O once said when he refused to concede anything on Obamacare, “Elections have consequences”.

  9. peter says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    WOMANS MARCH AND THE HAMAS

    Linda Sarsour, one of the organizers behind Saturday’s Women’s March, being held in Washington, D.C., was recently spotted at a large Muslim convention in Chicago posing for pictures with an accused financier for Hamas, the terrorist group.

    http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/21/womens-march-organizer-recently-met-ex-hamas-operative-has-family-ties-to-terror-group/

  10. Wellington says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 6:22 pm

    As Arthur noted above, Brennan is the head of Deep State (or at least one of its heads), the entrenched higher bureaucracy, unelected, which leans very much Democratic and since the Democratic Party has lost its collective mind, people like Brennan have to go. Quick like.

    Trump must do whatever he can within the law to get rid of these Deep State fools. Sadly, I don’t think he will be aided in many instances by the Republican leadership in the House and Senate, which is part of the problem too (and which very much helps to explain why Trump captured the Republican nomination for President) and thus said Republican leadership may very well be inclined to hold up draining the Swamp which is Washington DC——but which so badly needs to be drained. Quick like.

    May President Trump succeed here. Better—-for freedom’s sake, for America’s sake, for the West’s sake, for humanity’s sake. And I will close here by saying that John Brennan repulses me. I mean the man is truly disgusting.

  11. traci94 says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    People like Obama, Clinton and all who are trying to hamper efforts to shore up our national security should come face to face with their own stupid, irresponsible policies in their real lives. Unfortunately, they probably won’t, living in gated communities and all, but I think that’s what it will take for these people to truly understand how devastating their policies really are. They are playing with the lives of the American people, and they just don’t seem to give a flying flip. It seems like it’s all a game.

    • Choi says

      Jan 21, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      ONLY TRAITORS WOULD TRY TO HURT NATIONAL SECURITY
      Hatred of the US was a criteria for working for Obama
      DAMN THE DEMOCRATS TO HELL!!

  12. gravenimage says

    Jan 21, 2017 at 10:57 pm

    Fighting for willful ignorance: Obama allies working to undermine Trump’s national security team
    ………………………….

    Yes–I already knew this was happening. Disgusting.

  13. Eric Jones says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 12:38 am

    Torture does not work. Pompeo should know this. I oppose gathering more data on all Americans. All data is no data. Again Pmpeo should know this. If Pompeo wants more survallance on certain mosque, individulas and groups that would be fine. Japan puts survallance on muslims there.

    It seems that Schumer is more afaid of the CIA than inticements of Saudi money. No John Brennan cannot stay on. He should be fired and on treason trial right now.

    The democrats supported the Confederacy during the Civil War they have never disavowed this. The democtrats are using Confederate tactics of sedition and insurrection today. They belong in the dust bin of history.

    Eric

  14. f c king says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 2:55 am

    No surprise regarding obama’s “team” hindering national security matters. They’ve been working hard to undo our security and the spread of Radical Islam. The religion of peace party isover.

  15. Ver Auger says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 3:00 am

    The CIA and NSA are only as good as their agents and officers. Is it possible that the competent and loyal espionage experts were slowly purged over the past 8 years and replaced with political partisans? I don’t know how else to explain the flagrant errors made in the compilation of Mr. Trump’s trip to Russia and the undocumented allegations of sordid behavior there, which turned out to be false.. How could our premier intelligence-gathering organizations blunder so badly?

    • Oliver says

      Jan 24, 2017 at 8:52 pm

      The Limey who did the ‘work”- supposedly an ex limey “intelligence” office who worked for years in Moscow, was paid for it by the Dems.

  16. Warren Raymond says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 8:13 am

    So ChuckySchmucky Schumer is in on it too, corrupt as…. and they would like Brennan to remain, to keep the Islamo-pandering continuing, like the fox guarding the chicken coop while the Mohammedans get everything they want. No one is allowed to mention ‘Islam’ & ‘jihad’ in one sentence, and no one must learn anything about Islamic warfare against disbelievers, etc etc…. yes, something strange is going on. Lets call it treason. High treason.

    Trump better get on top of it before they destroy him.

  17. duh swami says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 9:08 am

    They better get things done fast, befor3e Madonna blows up the White House…

  18. Carolyne says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 10:43 am

    The Constitution guarantees free speech, but draws the line at advocating the overthrow of the government by force. I believe Madonna should be arrested for threatening the President. She threatened to “Blow up” the White House. Who the hell does she think she is? She’s ugly, could never sing, and has the IQ of a cement block, not to mention the morals of a mink.

    • Oliver says

      Jan 24, 2017 at 8:53 pm

      Why insult cement blocks and minks? Cement blocks serve useful purposes, and minks make nice jackets and coats.

  19. Lorensacho says

    Jan 22, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Democratic The objection to Pompeo is that he has gone back on his pledge to oppose waterboarding and other forms of torture.

    • Oliver says

      Jan 24, 2017 at 8:55 pm

      Better waterboarding 10,000 Muslim terrorists then 3,000 dead Americans. Hell, better then ONE GOOD AMERICAN DEAD because of terrorists.

  20. bobm says

    Jan 23, 2017 at 1:11 am

    Would be nice to see them in cages in groups of 10.. Egypt style.. for treason..

  21. Oliver says

    Jan 24, 2017 at 9:00 pm

    NY, Vermont & Oregon (as i recall) did not vote for Trump.

    Why not cut off their federal money for two years?

    I think Shumer goes up for re-election in 2018-that would hurt him; don’t know when the other two go up for re-election.

    Oregon has been hurting since the econ terrorists put much of their (Oregon’s) forests out of reach due to the spotted owl- WHICH IS A DYING BREED, ANYHOW- as the females are mating with owls of a different breed.

    I read a year or so ago that over 1,000 towns and villages disappeared because of that.

    So why do the assholes, I mean citizens keep re-electing Dems?

    The Senators ( and the 70 or so Congressmen who did not go to the inauguration ) should be reminded:

    there are 3,144 counties (including parishes-Louisiana) ; Trump WON 3,084–98%. Take out 6 counties in NYC and the LA Cal area- ( both areas with large illegal alien populations) and Trump would have had the popular vote.

FacebookYoutubeTwitterLog in

Subscribe to the Jihad Watch Daily Digest

You will receive a daily mailing containing links to the stories posted at Jihad Watch in the last 24 hours.
Enter your email address to subscribe.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!
If you are forwarding to a friend, please remove the unsubscribe buttons first, as they my accidentally click it.

Subscribe to all Jihad Watch posts

You will receive immediate notification.
Enter your email address to subscribe.
Note: This may be up to 15 emails a day.

Donate to JihadWatch
FrontPage Mag

Search Site

Translate

The Team

Robert Spencer in FrontPageMag
Robert Spencer in PJ Media

Articles at Jihad Watch by
Robert Spencer
Hugh Fitzgerald
Christine Douglass-Williams
Andrew Harrod
Jamie Glazov
Daniel Greenfield

Contact Us

Terror Attacks Since 9/11

Archives

  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2005
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2004
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2003
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • March

All Categories

You Might Like

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Recent Comments

  • revereridesagain on Audio: Robert Spencer on Muslim Brotherhood influence in a Biden/Harris administration
  • SKA on New study reveals that Muslim religiosity strongly linked to hatred towards the West
  • Eva on Chief Rabbi of UK Says It’s ‘Alarming’ That 44% of Muslims Are Anti-Semitic
  • Eva on Chief Rabbi of UK Says It’s ‘Alarming’ That 44% of Muslims Are Anti-Semitic
  • Infidel on Chief Rabbi of UK Says It’s ‘Alarming’ That 44% of Muslims Are Anti-Semitic

Popular Categories

dhimmitude Sharia Jihad in the U.S ISIS / Islamic State / ISIL Iran Free Speech

Robert Spencer FaceBook Page

Robert Spencer Twitter

Robert Spencer twitter

Robert Spencer YouTube Channel

Books by Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch® is a registered trademark of Robert Spencer in the United States and/or other countries - Site Developed and Managed by Free Speech Defense

Content copyright Jihad Watch, Jihad Watch claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to their respective owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

Our mailing address is: David Horowitz Freedom Center, P.O. Box 55089, Sherman Oaks, CA 91499-1964

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.