Trump appoints Truth Social CEO to lead intelligence advisory board
What's the story
US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Truth Social's CEO Devin Nunes as the Chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB). The appointment was announced on Truth Social, where Trump lauded Nunes for his previous work in exposing what he termed the "Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax." Interestingly, Nunes will continue to serve as the CEO of Truth Social while on this advisory panel.
Controversial figure
Nunes's controversial past and new role
Nunes, a former Republican Congressman from California, is infamous for his controversial actions during his time as the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. In 2018, he released a memo accusing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of misconduct in its probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. He will now be providing independent assessments on the effectiveness and propriety of US intelligence operations.
New appointments
Grenell appointed as presidential envoy for special missions
Apart from Nunes, Trump also appointed Richard Grenell as a presidential envoy for special missions. Grenell will deal with international issues in Venezuela and North Korea. He was the US Ambassador to Germany and Acting Director of National Intelligence in Trump's first term. These appointments come after Trump nominated Kash Patel as FBI Director, replacing Christopher Wray.
Presidential strategy
Trump's strategy and upcoming presidential term
Trump's latest appointments are in line with his plan of placing media allies in important government positions before his next term begins. He will be sworn in as President on January 20, 2025, becoming only the second US President elected to nonconsecutive terms after defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.