The Trump administration is eyeing changes to its policy on drone strikes that would give the Central Intelligence Agency broader authority to conduct strikes in several countries, according to a report.
The possibility of additional policy changes comes after the White House gave the CIA more independence to decide when and if it should launch drone strikes, including in Yemen. There, the U.S. military oversees most airstrikes, four U.S. officials told NBC News.
President Trump’s push to let the CIA have more autonomy on drone strikes began after the president visited the CIA’s headquarters in January, NBC News reported. During the tour of the agency, Trump was shown the floor where officers direct drone strikes targeting those suspected of terrorism. Afterward, the president told CIA Director Mike Pompeo and other intelligence officers he wanted the CIA to be more aggressive in its drone strikes.
Since then, the CIA has been conducting drone strikes that may not have been given the go-ahead under former President Barack Obama. Some of those strikes were carried out in Syria, where the military has conducted most of them. – READ MORE
[contentcards url=”http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-looks-to-broaden-cias-authority-on-drone-strikes-report/article/2634814″ target=”_blank”]