Dayton Reporter

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford has commented on the recent actions taken by DNI Gabbard regarding changes in the National Intelligence Council (NIC). In a statement, Crawford addressed his longstanding concerns about the NIC's processes for developing intelligence assessments. He criticized the council for failing to produce analyses that are free from bias, whether personal, political, institutional, or ideological.

Crawford stated, "I have long expressed serious concerns about the National Intelligence Council’s inability to execute a process for developing intelligence assessments that effectively document and address all views." He noted previous instances where these issues were apparent in assessments related to anomalous health incidents and COVID-19.

Acknowledging the challenges involved in reforming such a large organization, Crawford said, "Correcting the direction of a large ship will never be easy. It’s bound to be laden with obstructions and those looking to undermine change." Despite these difficulties, he expressed support for Director Gabbard's efforts to increase accountability within the NIC.

Crawford concluded by praising Gabbard's decision-making: "I commend Director Gabbard for making the hard decisions and following through on her promises to increase accountability."