The DNI ‘plays an important role in overseeing the 18 agencies that make up our country’s intelligence community, and the committee is looking forward to a hearing with me next week. Haines to keep, ‘they added.
It was not immediately clear whether the session would be rescheduled before or after next Wednesday’s inauguration.
Key context: Haines’ confirmation hearing would be the first for Biden’s Cabinet. Instead, Haines joins a slew of other national security choices still awaiting their chance to appear on Capitol Hill, including the proposed leaders of DHS, the State Department and the Pentagon.
The transition process has been delayed with delays because President Donald Trump has been making unfounded allegations for months that Biden stole the election. This was further complicated by double Senate runoff in Georgia that eventually upset the balance of power in the upper chamber.
A new threat to get Biden’s team in place could be Trump’s looming second indictment, which is likely to begin only next week.
Biden encouraged his old colleagues to continue with the trial while still confirming his nominees and pursuing his agenda.