Report: National Intelligence Director Threatened to Quit if White House Hampered His Whistleblower Testimony: Updated

Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire reportedly threatened to resign amid concerns the White House might prevent him from testifying freely before Congress about the recent whistleblower complaint lodged against President Trump.

The intelligence director is said to have warned the White House that he was not willing to withhold information during his Thursday testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in the event that the White House asserted executive privilege over the complaint.

“In light of recent reporting on the whistleblower complaint, I want to make clear that I have upheld my responsibility to follow the law every step of the way,” Maguire said in a statement Wednesday.

“I am committed to protecting whistleblowers and ensuring every complaint is handled appropriately,” the intelligence director said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and Congress to find a resolution regarding this important matter.”

After reports that he threatened his resignation broke, Maguire denied that he had considered it.

“At no time have I considered resigning my position since assuming this role on Aug. 16, 2019. I have never quit anything in my life, and I am not going to start now,” he said in a statement. “I am committed to leading the Intelligence Community to address the diverse and complex threats facing our nation.”

The anonymous complaint, which the Trump administration has yet to release to Congress, raises the issue of Trump’s involvement in a possible quid pro quo scheme regarding U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

The White House on Wednesday released a partial transcript of a controversial July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which confirmed that Trump asked Zelensky to help investigate former vice president Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. The request for an investigation arose in response to suspicions that the former vice president used his position to help a Ukrainian energy company avoid a corruption probe soon after Hunter was appointed to its board of directors.

Maguire has found himself on the receiving end of Democrats’ frustration, lawmakers accusing him of blocking the congressional intelligence committees from gaining access to the report.

The complaint was submitted in August to the intelligence community’s inspector general and the Justice Department, which said no evidence of a campaign finance violation was evident and declined to investigate further.