Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump praised his pick for acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, as an "excellent" choice and a "very talented man" Friday, but it remains unclear where the new acting spy chief stands on some of the most pressing national security issues facing the country today.

A long-time Navy SEAL who served as leader of the National Counterterrorism Center prior to Trump's announcement Thursday elevating him to acting DNI, Maguire remains somewhat of an enigma despite his impressive military credentials and counterterrorism experience.

"Adm. Joe Maguire will be a superb acting DNI. He has both the operational experience and the intelligence background to provide the President the best advice possible about the threats facing the United States. He will not be shy about speaking truth to power and he will ensure all the facts are on the table," a former national security official who worked with Maguire told CNN.

But while Trump has made clear his desire to bring to heel the US intelligence agencies -- which have produced evidence he disagrees with on Iran, North Korea, Russia's interference in US elections and other issues -- Maguire has offered little on-the-record insight into his views despite successfully navigating the Senate confirmation process when nominated for the National Counterterrorism Center job.

A former senior intelligence official who talked to Maguire recently said that if he has spoken to the President it was likely only a handful of times, mostly because the administration never established a tempo of having regular counterterrorism briefings.

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