Washington (CNN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday paid tribute to former acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, and would not respond to questions from reporters about whether he supports Richard Grenell, whom President Donald Trump has appointed to serve as the new acting DNI despite not having experience in intelligence.

In a speech on the Senate floor, McConnell described Maguire's "career in public service," including his service in the US Navy. "Admiral Maguire retired from the Navy in 2010, but it was not long before public service came calling again," he said noting that he went on to serve as director of the National Counterterrorism Center and "took on an even more challenging assignment last summer when he agreed to follow our former colleague Senator Dan Coats and act in the role of DNI."

Following his floor speech, McConnell ignored a question from reporters about whether he supports Grenell, a staunch loyalist to Trump and current US ambassador to Germany, as acting DNI. He did not respond to a follow-up question asking if he is concerned at all about Grenell being seen as a political operative.

Maguire formally resigned last week from US government service after Trump made it clear he would not be nominated for the full-time intelligence chief job, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Trump announced that Grenell will serve as the new acting DNI.

As of Monday afternoon, intelligence officials had yet to hear from the new leadership at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Five days into the job, Grenell had yet to send an ODNI-wide message to employees, according to two sources.

Read More