Speaker Mike Johnson removed Rep. Mike Turner as chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday, saying he wanted to give the panel a “fresh start” in a new Congress and with a new president.
But conservative hard-liners in the House and other Republicans loyal to President-elect Donald Trump had been pressing Johnson for months to remove the Ohio Republican. And Johnson cited Trump as a reason for the ouster when the speaker met with Turner Wednesday night, according to a person familiar with the conversation who was granted anonymity to describe it.
Turner told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan that Johnson had cited “concerns from Mar-a-Lago” as the reason for the decision.
First named to lead committee Republicans in 2022 by then-Leader Kevin McCarthy, Turner has made enemies on the MAGA right over his handling of key intelligence matters, including a major internal battle over renewing certain surveillance authorities last year.
He has also been an outspoken advocate for Ukraine funding and other hawkish national security stances.
Commenting to reporters, Johnson deflected blame away from the returning president, saying, “This is not a President Trump decision; this is a House decision.” He also said the decision was “no slight” to Turner, who had “performed valiantly in a difficult time under difficult circumstances.”
Still, the decision blindsided many members who remain loyal to Turner, including some current Intelligence panel members. Unlike most House panels, the selection of the Intel chairman is solely at the speaker’s discretion.
Turner’s support for Ukraine aid and his handling of the surveillance bill — renewing so-called Section 702 powers — sparked unrest among ultraconservatives who argued he tried to strong-arm them into backing the legislation by raising generic warnings of national security concerns.
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the Intelligence panel, spoke to reporters shortly after the news broke. He had maintained a cordial relationship with Turner, who had pledged to undertake a bipartisan reset on the panel when ascending to the top Republican spot in 2022. His predecessor, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), was a fierce Trump loyalist who had continually clashed with then-Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
“I have ice in my spine right now, because that’ll totally change the dynamic of oversight,” Himes said of Turner’s removal. He added, “I’m sure that Mike lost some friends” over his role in preserving U.S. surveillance powers last year.
Johnson said he intends to name a new chair Thursday. He named two Trump loyalists, Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), to the committee last year and could elevate one to lead it. The panel also has several Republican vacancies Johnson can fill.
Turner issued a brief statement Wednesday confirming he was leaving the committee. “Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security,” he said. “The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations.”
