A Trump loyalist is installed at the National Security Agency.
A Trump loyalist has been appointed as the top lawyer at the National Security Agency, a sign that the administration is trying to help its political appointees land career posts that they can stay in even after a new president is sworn in, American officials said.
The appointee, Michael Ellis, had served as a National Security Council lawyer and most recently as its senior director for intelligence. Formerly a lawyer for the Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, he gained notoriety as one of two White House aides who helped his previous boss, Representative Devin Nunes, gain access to intelligence reports in early 2017 to advance President Trump’s political goals.
Mr. Ellis was one of three finalists for the National Security Agency job. He was chosen by the general counsel for the Department of Defense, which the National Security Agency is a part of, after White House officials made clear that Mr. Ellis was their preferred candidate, according to a person briefed on the decision.
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