Top intelligence director Ezra Cohen-Watnick fired amid White House shake-up

“General McMaster is confident that Ezra will make many further significant contributions to national security in another position in the administration,” a White House official said, without giving any further details as to what the new assignment of Cohen-Watnick is going to be.

Cohen-Watnick was part of the Trump Transition team and he joined the National Security Council of the White House along with Trump’s first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who left the administration in the first few weeks.

According to CNN, Cohen-Watnick, along with White House national security lawyer Michael Ellis, are believed to be the two individuals involved in assisting GOP Congressman Devin Nunes in gathering the intelligence materials. Nunes is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

The White House did not give any reason for Cohen-Watnick being fired.