New spy chief-designate can repair airplanes and cars, studied physics
Avril Haines, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to become the director of national intelligence, told senators on Tuesday that she would restore the nonpartisan nature of the office and focus on transparency and analytic rigor.
Haines was appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing. If confirmed, she would be the first woman to head the office, which was created after the 9/11 attacks when investigations found that the CIA and the FBI had failed to share intelligence with each other.
In the four years since President Donald Trump took office, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence changed hands three times, with four directors overseeing the efforts of 18 different intelligence agencies spread across civilian and military departments. Its most recent annual budget was slightly over $85 billion. Continue reading.