Michael Barry replaces Ezra Cohen-Watnick, a controversial official who left in August after clashing with some CIA officials. | Getty Images CIA vet replaces controversial official for national security post

President Donald Trump has placed a Central Intelligence Agency veteran in a key White House post that has been a point of friction with the CIA.

Michael Barry took over as the National Security Council's senior director for intelligence programs in recent weeks, sources in and outside the Trump administration said. He replaces Ezra Cohen-Watnick, a controversial official who left in August after clashing with some CIA officials, as well as national security adviser H.R. McMaster.


Barry’s responsibilities include helping to shape U.S. intelligence policy and decisions governing its 17 intelligence agencies. It can be an influential role given its proximity to the president. CIA, by far the most powerful spy agency in the U.S. government, prefers to see one of its own hold it.

While in the role, Cohen-Watnick — a former Defense Intelligence Agency official hired by Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn — was seen as a CIA critic. His appointment inflamed sore feelings within the CIA’s ranks toward Trump, who once likened U.S. intelligence officials to Nazis and has dismissed their conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election on his behalf.

NSC spokesman Michael Anton would not confirm or deny Barry's appointment. But two other officials in the Trump administration, two former intelligence officials and a fifth person with knowledge of Barry's new role confirmed it.

POLITICO Playbook newsletter Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletter in politics Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

One of the former intelligence officials has been in touch with current intelligence community members who described Barry's background and position to him. The former official said Barry has an Air Force background but declined to say if he has had intelligence experience.

But the other former intelligence official said he knows "for a fact" that Barry has served in the CIA. It's not clear whether Barry is still affiliated with the CIA or has formally left the spy agency. The CIA declined to comment on Barry's appointment.

A sparse LinkedIn profile that appears to be that of the correct Michael Barry says he served in the U.S. Air Force between 1982 and 1992, including as a special agent in its Office of Special Investigations. The profile indicates he was based in Europe for at least part of that time.

According to the vaguely worded profile, Barry has been a "senior executive" in the U.S. government in the years since. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Barry also lists himself as an "executive leader" in the same profile and includes the State Department under his "interests."

Terminology such as "senior executive" is often how people who have served in the U.S. intelligence or other sensitive national security government posts describe their work on platforms such as LinkedIn.

A message sent to the Michael Barry of the LinkedIn profile was not returned. A voice mail left on Barry's work line at the White House also did not elicit a response.

Although a CIA affiliation could help Barry on multiple fronts, including making it easier to obtain the agency’s cooperation, it could also inspire criticism. Some experts argue a person with no ties to the agency is likely to be more independent and offer unbiased advice about the powerful spy agency.

Barry’s predecessor, Cohen-Watnick, who is in his early 30s, formally resigned from the DIA before taking the NSC position. His critics say that, aside from not having a CIA background, he was too hawkish and too inexperienced for the NSC role. Cohen-Watnick now works for the software company Oracle.