Trump to nominate John Eisenberg to head Justice’s national security division

Trump to nominate John Eisenberg to head Justice’s national security division
President Donald Trump intends to nominate John Eisenberg — who served as a legal advisor on the National Security Council in Trump’s first term — to head the Justice Department’s National Security Division, the agency said Wednesday.

Eisenberg was a major figure in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry due to his handling of the July 25, 2019, phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Trump sought to pressure him into launching investigations into Joe Biden and his son.



Eisenberg reportedly directed that the call’s transcript be moved to a highly classified server to limit its accessibility, viewed as an attempt to restrict access and limit potential leaks. He also faced scrutiny for his decision to withhold a whistleblower complaint about the call from Congress, and for his refusal to testify before House committees during the impeachment proceedings.



As head of the national security division, he would oversee various cybersecurity and surveillance authorities, including Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a controversial spying power designed to target foreigners abroad without the need of a warrant. 



Eisenberg — who also held several past Justice Department positions and was a partner at law firm Kirkland & Ellis — will have to be confirmed in a Senate vote. It’s likely his handling of the Ukraine call and views on Section 702 will arise in his confirmation hearing.


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