Vice President Kamala Harris said Avril Haines, the new director of national intelligence, "will be dedicated to keeping the American people safe," she tweeted this afternoon following the swearing-in ceremony.
"Earlier today, I swore in our first Cabinet member, Avril Haines, after her confirmation by the Senate last night. As the Director of National Intelligence, Director Haines will be dedicated to keeping the American people safe," Harris tweeted today.
In a statement, Haines called her appointment "the honor of a lifetime."
“From my time in government, I know that those who serve in the Intelligence Community are the very best this country has to offer. The men and women of the IC are patriots of extraordinary talent and expertise, who work tirelessly to protect our nation, advance its security and prosperity, and defend its freedoms and values," she said.
More details: Haines is the first woman to lead the US intelligence community; her role was approved in the Senate by 84 to 10.
Haines takes over an intelligence community that was repeatedly disparaged and sidelined by former President Trump throughout his four years in office. The director of national intelligence is the president's top intelligence official and leads an agency that coordinates the entire intelligence community, a total of 17 agencies and organizations.
Read the tweet: