National Intelligence Council Acting Chair and Aide Fired

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the acting chair of the National Intelligence Council and his top aide. The firings are reportedly a response to an intelligence assessment that runs contrary to the immigration policy of President Donald Trump.

A spokesperson for Gabbard told The Washington Post that National Intelligence Council acting chair Michael Collins was fired, along with his deputy, Maria Langan-Reikof.

The Post reported that the focal point is Trump's position on the use of the Alien Enemies Act as the foundation for deporting people accused of being gang members.

The firings follow the release of a partially declassified council report that indicated the Tren de Aragua's (TDA) criminal enterprise inside the U.S. does not appear to be directed by the government of Venezuela.

That runs contrary to the position of Trump, who said the gang had moved into the U.S. under orders from the Venezuelan President.

The FBI, however, indicated that TDA members were indeed working as "proxies" of the Venezuelan government. A key line from the memo in question indicated the Venezuelan government "probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA."

The firings are also happening, reported the Post, while director Gabbard is moving the offices of the National Intelligence Council from the CIA to the National Intelligence Office building in McLean, Virginia.

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