Story highlights Coats said at his February confirmation hearing that Russia "definitely did try to influence campaign"

Indiana Republican served in US Senate from 1989 to 1999 and again from 2011 to 2017

Washington (CNN) Less than two months into his tenure as Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats is being thrust into the public spotlight -- asked to testify before Congress amid an investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election.

It is a potentially precarious situation for the former US lawmaker and diplomat who is now serving as President Donald Trump's principal adviser on intelligence matters and head of US intelligence efforts.

Confirmed to his new post in March, Coats is now thrust into the spotlight of an investigation looking into possible collusion between a foreign power and members of the campaign that helped elect the man who picked him for the post.

Coats stated during his confirmation hearing in February that Russia "definitely did try to influence campaign," a conclusion that was unanimously accepted by intelligence officials but one that could put him at odds with a White House that has consistently dismissed the idea.

To complicate matters further, multiple current and former US officials have confirmed to CNN that Trump asked Coats to publicly deny evidence of cooperation between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election after then-FBI Director James Comey revealed in March that the bureau had launched a probe into alleged collusion.

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