Trump named US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as acting director of national intelligence

• Trump named controversial US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as acting director of national intelligence on Wednesday.
• The ambassador would become the first openly gay member of Trump's cabinet.
• He will take over from Joseph Maguire, a retired admiral who served as previous acting DNI when the whistleblower complaint that served as the impetus of Trump's impeachment was filed.
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President Donald Trump named controversial US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as acting director of national intelligence on Wednesday.

Grenell will take over from Joseph Maguire, a retired admiral who served as the previous acting DNI. Grenell would become the first openly gay member of Trump's cabinet. By law, Maguire had to step down from his position as acting DNI by March 12.

"I am pleased to announce that our highly respected Ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, will become the Acting Director of National Intelligence," Trump tweeted Wednesday. "Rick has represented our Country exceedingly well and I look forward to working with him."

Conservatives rallied behind Grenell following the resignation of Nikki Haley, who served as the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations. They urged Trump to replace Haley with Grenell, but Trump appointed Kelly Craft to the post.

The soon-to-be acting DNI rose to headlines after he gave a controversial interview with Breitbart suggesting he wants to "empower" conservatives in Europe. German politicians accused Grenell of breaking diplomatic protocol with his comments.

Since he was appointed as an ambassador in 2018, the US ambassador has been a Trump ally, just like his predecessor Maguire.

Maguire served as acting DNI when a whistleblower complaint was filed related to Trump's conduct with Ukraine, which served as the impetus of the president's impeachment.

• Read more:
• Trump's new ambassador to Germany caused an international incident with a controversial interview in Breitbart
• Richard Grenell takes up duties as US ambassador to Germany
• Trump seemed to know nothing about his own administration's plan to decriminalize homosexuality around the world

SEE ALSO: Conservatives are pushing Trump to tap his controversial ambassador to Germany to replace Nikki Haley at the UN

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