US House speaker names Rick Crawford to chair intelligence committee

US House Speaker Mike Johnson picked Rep. Rick Crawford on Thursday to chair the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, removing Mike Turner from the seat.

"Our intelligence community and its oversight must maintain the highest levels of trust. The House Intel Committee will play a pivotal role in this work in the new Congress, and Rick Crawford will provide principled leadership as its chairman," Johnson said in a statement.

"He has earned the respect of his colleagues through his years of faithful service on the committee and his steady approach to the challenges facing our country."

Turning to Turner, Johnson said he led the committee "well during a very challenging period" in US history.

Crawford, for his part, said he will "aggressively" uphold the mandate to provide "credible and robust" oversight of the intelligence community's funding and activities.

Media reports indicate that President-elect Donald Trump played a role in Johnson's decision to ouster Turner.