President-elect Donald Trump’s team is throwing cold water on the idea that former Rep. Mike Rogers is in line to lead the FBI.
Mr. Rogers lost his bid this month for the U.S. Senate against Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, but his name has since been bandied about as a candidate for FBI director.
“Just spoke to President Trump regarding Mike Rogers going to the FBI,” Dan Scavino Jr. said on social media. “It’s not happening — in his own words, ’I have never even given it a thought.’ Not happening.”
Mr. Rogers, who previously served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, secured Mr. Trump’s endorsement in his Senate race.
However, the MAGA movement has never fallen in love with Mr. Rogers, whom some call a “deep state” Republican.
Also, some on the right haven’t forgiven him for critiquing the former president after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol to protest the results of the 2020 election.
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Mr. Trump recently announced that Mr. Scavino, one of his most trusted aides, would be returning to the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff.
Mr. Scavino was a senior adviser to Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign.
Mr. Rogers is a former FBI special agent who specialized in organized crime. He was thought to be on the short list of contenders for the FBI’s top post and met with Mr. Trump last week.
Speaking Friday on “Fox & Friends,” Mr. Roger said the FBI has “lost the confidence of the American people,” partially because of the Biden administration’s lenient approach to illegal immigration.
“This is where the FBI should be applying its resources. It should not be engaged in politics,” he said, adding, “You can cure the cancer without killing the patient. You have to change the culture at the top.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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