Report: CIA Deputy Director Appoints Himself Top Lawyer

The CIA's deputy director has unexpectedly demoted the agency's top lawyer and temporarily appointed himself to the role, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, reports the New York Times. Michael Ellis will continue to act as the CIA's No. 2 leader while also serving as chief legal officer, per the Times' sources. NYU legal ethics professor Stephen Gillers describes the arrangement as "bizarre," warning that it violates the basic principle that legal advisers should remain independent. He notes it would be unethical for Ellis to advise himself on whether his own policy actions were lawful.

The CIA did not comment on the reason for the switch, but stated that the move is temporary as the Senate considers President Trump's nominee, State Department lawyer Joshua Simmons, for permanent general counsel. Simmons' confirmation hearing is set for Wednesday. Ellis's dual role is said to have been approved by career agency attorneys, and the recently demoted lawyer—who has not been publicly identified—remains at the agency as a deputy.

Ellis, 40, is a Yale Law graduate and former House Intelligence Committee staffer under Rep. Devin Nunes who Trump appointed to the National Security Council during his first term. He became NSA general counsel in January 2021 but was placed on leave on the day President Biden took office, amid concerns over the handling of classified documents. He's played a background role in numerous high-profile episodes—from the Trump-Obama wiretapping claims to Congress' first impeachment investigation into Trump and the legal fight to block John Bolton's memoir, the Times reports. He also helped write the intelligence chapter of Project 2025. He was initially slated to be CIA general counsel before he was announced as deputy director in February, per the Washington Post.