# Trump Taps Campaign Lawyer and Pardon Adviser for Top U.S. Intel Agency

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/trump-taps-campaign-lawyer-and-pardon-adviser-for-top-u-s-intel-agency/
- Published: 2026-11-12T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T10:22:24+00:00
- Original publisher: The Intercept (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://theintercept.com/2026/11/12/trump-lawyer-lawkowski-pardons-odni/
- Topics: Elections, Politics

## Key points

- Trump nominated Gary Lawkowski as ODNI general counsel.
- The job involves interpreting laws governing intelligence work.
- Critics question his experience and warn against politicising the agency.

## Summary

Donald Trump has nominated Gary Lawkowski, a campaign lawyer and White House pardon adviser, to become general counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The role matters because the agency’s lawyer helps interpret surveillance law and can influence whether intelligence agencies’ actions are permitted or challenged.

The article says Lawkowski has no publicly established national security experience and highlights his work on Trump’s 2024 campaign and in the White House clemency process. The ODNI coordinates intelligence work across agencies including the CIA and NSA; under former director Tulsi Gabbard, it also took a prominent role in declassifying material concerning Trump’s political opponents and other contentious issues. A progressive group has urged senators to reject the nomination, while the timing of a confirmation hearing remains unclear.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.