Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has named Nicholas Kass, a longtime intelligence analyst and outspoken supporter of President Trump, as acting chair of the National Intelligence Council (NIC), the intelligence community’s key strategic assessment body that advises top U.S. officials on major national security decisions.
Gabbard’s decision follows her recent shake-up at the NIC, where she removed the council’s top two leaders and shifted the office from the CIA to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She also imposed a more stringent internal review process to address concerns over past politicization.
Kass, whose 30-year career has spanned senior roles at the CIA, State Department, National Security Council, and the NIC, is known for his expertise on Russia, the Middle East, and Europe. He has publicly voiced strong admiration for Trump and harsh criticism of Democrats, including in a November 2024 post on X, where he described Trump’s election victory as “a thorough public repudiation of the Deep State and its authoritarianism, operations, puppets and supporters, and ideological pretensions.”
The NIC chair role does not require Senate confirmation, and it remains unclear whether Kass is being considered for the position on a permanent basis.
