Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) expressed strong concerns Thursday about President-elect Donald Trump’s growing influence over the House of Representatives, particularly in the aftermath of Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to oust Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) as chair of the House Intelligence Committee.
The move, reportedly made under pressure from Trump, has sparked debate over the committee’s independence. “I think he didn’t pass the test at Mar-a-Lago,” Schiff said during an interview on MSNBC, directly linking Trump to the decision. “Trump is really already having his way in choosing to change the character of that committee.
So, I think we’re seeing Donald Trump both as president-elect and, in some sense, as an alter ego for the speaker, exerting extraordinary influence over the House.” Schiff criticized the new direction of the committee, noting that Speaker Johnson appears to be “doing the bidding of Donald Trump.” He pointed to the addition of staunch Trump allies, such as Reps, told The New York Times.
Ronny Jackson (R-TX) and Scott Perry (R-PA), are examples of a shift toward partisanship. “These are not folks that we can have a lot of confidence in upholding that responsibility on that committee,” Schiff said. The senator emphasized the dangers of such loyalty-driven appointments, warning that they could undermine the committee’s critical role in providing oversight.
“You have to be willing to push back and probe,” said Schiff, who chaired the committee from 2019 to 2023. “If you have nothing but sycophants for the administration on that committee, it can’t do its job.” Schiff also raised concerns about the impact on international intelligence-sharing.
He cautioned that foreign intelligence agencies might hesitate to share sensitive information with the United States if they perceive the committee as partisan or untrustworthy. “They’re already less likely to share key information because they have some distrust of the incoming president,” he said.
The reshuffling of the House Intelligence Committee under Johnson’s leadership and Trump’s influence has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue that the changes could weaken oversight and compromise national security. Schiff’s remarks underscore broader concerns about Trump’s influence over key government institutions even before his inauguration, raising questions about the committee’s ability to function independently in the coming years.