Thread by @DavidPriess

THREAD: How do the experiences of new acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell compare to those of the five former confirmed DNIs?

Let’s take a quick look:

1/7

John Negroponte had four decades in the Foreign Service, including as assistant secretary of state and ambassador to the UN and to several countries. He served as a deputy national security adviser to Reagan, often briefing the president on the President’s Daily Brief.

2/7

Mike McConnell spent almost 40 years in the US Navy, reaching vice admiral. During the first Gulf War, he was the Pentagon’s J2 (chief of intel), working with SecDef Dick Cheney and Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell. He was Director, National Security Agency for four years.

3/7

Dennis Blair served more than three decades in the US Navy, culminating as commander in chief, US Pacific Command. His career included an intelligence community leadership role: an assignment as the first associate director of central intelligence for military support.

4/7

James Clapper finished more than 30 years in US Air Force intel with four years leading the Defense Intelligence Agency. After his military retirement, he worked as director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and as undersecretary of defense for intelligence.

5/7

Dan Coats had four congressional terms under his belt before moving to the Senate, where he ultimately served 16 years, including three years on the Senate intel committee. He spent almost four years as US ambassador to Germany and was on Bush 43’s shortlist to be SecDef.

6/7

Richard Grenell, by contrast, was spokesman for US ambassadors to the UN for some seven years, after which he ran a public rejections firm until being nominated as Ambassador to Germany. He’s been in that position since 2018. He’s also been a Fox News contributor.

/end