Ohio Representative Michael R. Turner was demoted from his position as head of the House Intelligence Committee by Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday.

This change was a shakeup that he made to show he plans to bring the crucial National Security Council closer to Trump's administration, as The Daily Beast reported.

Someone familiar with Turner's movements said that he was instructed by Johnson that his removal was due to a request from Trump's estate. Turner looked irate as he emerged from Wednesday afternoon's meeting with the speaker.

Over the years, the soon-to-be president has harbored suspicions about the intelligence community, accusing its members of being aligned with a politically motivated "deep state" plotting political moves against him.

Turner's Values

It appeared that Johnson was clearing the way for the president-elect to have more authority over the committee that reviews intelligence affairs by removing a Republican who was perceived as not being in support of Trump's cause.

Turner has been a southwestern Ohio representative for almost 20 years and is a moderate conservative. He has been skeptical of Trump's policies on occasion.

He voted to confirm President Joe Biden's 2020 election on January 6, 2021, going against the grain of his party.

Moreover, he has broken with the president-elect and many in his party by advocating for assistance for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

From Johnson

According to Punchbowl, Johnson denied on Wednesday that Trump was involved in the decision to remove Turner as chairman.

“This is not a President Trump decision; this is a House decision,” Mr. Johnson told reporters on his way out of the Capitol on Wednesday evening, adding that he had “nothing but positive things” to say about Turner.

He asserted that the panel “needs a fresh start, and that’s what this is about — nothing else.”

A representative for the company chose not to reveal his plans for Turner's replacement, though news could come soon.

The Result

Johnson essentially removed Turner from the committee when he removed him as chairman. This was due to the fact that his ten years on the panel were longer than the six years allowed for regular members.

He joined the Intelligence Committee in 2022 and quickly rose through the ranks to become its senior Republican. In 2023, after the Republicans took control of the House, he became its chairman.