[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 20 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Pages 824-825]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for John D. Negroponte as Director of 
National Intelligence and Michael V. Hayden as Deputy Director of 
National Intelligence

May 18, 2005

    Good afternoon. Thank you for being here. I am honored and pleased 
to congratulate John Negroponte on becoming America's first Director of 
National Intelligence. I also congratulate General Mike Hayden on 
becoming on our Nation's first principal Deputy Director of National 
Intelligence.
    I want to thank Secretary of State Condi Rice and Secretary of 
Defense Don Rumsfeld for joining us today. I appreciate Porter Goss, 
head of the Central Intelligence Agency, for joining us, Robert Mueller, 
Director of the FBI.
    I appreciate Senator Ted Stevens, Senate President pro tem, joining 
us today, along with Senator Jay Rockefeller. Thank you both for being 
here. I want to thank Congressman Peter Hoekstra, chairman of the House 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, along with Congresswoman 
Jane Harman, ranking member. Thank you both for coming.
    I appreciate Chuck Robb, Co-Chairman of the WMD Commission, for 
joining us today. I want to thank members of the intelligence community 
who have joined us. I thank the rest of you for coming too. [Laughter]
    Ambassador Negroponte's position is one of the newest in the 
Government and one of the most demanding. Our Nation is at war, and John 
is making sure that those whose duty it is to defend America have the 
information we need to make the right decisions. He's ensuring that our 
intelligence agencies work as a single, unified enterprise. And he's 
serving as my principal intelligence adviser. These are vital and urgent 
responsibilities, and John has what it takes to fulfill them all.
    In his distinguished career, John has represented America in eight 
nations on three continents. He's served every President since Dwight 
Eisenhower. Over the past 4 years, I've come to know John's wisdom, 
intellect, and integrity. I've relied on his candid judgment to help 
solve complicated problems. I have witnessed his unique ability to bring 
people together, most recently in his historic achievements as 
Ambassador to a free Iraq. I'm grateful to John for answering his 
Nation's call. I thank his family for joining us today.
    John is fortunate to count on an experienced and capable deputy in 
General Mike Hayden. General Hayden understands the intelligence 
community from the ground up. He has a long record of wise and effective 
reform. Mike also has a clear understanding of our enemies in the war on 
terror. He'll be a superb deputy to Ambassador Negroponte. I thank Mike 
for his willingness to serve, and I'm glad to see his family as well.
    As John Negroponte and Mike Hayden carry out their new duties, 
they're relying on the thousands of dedicated professionals working in 
our intelligence community. These men and women serve America with a 
wide variety of talents and expertise. They all report to work everyday 
with the same goal, to protect our fellow citizens from harm. 
Intelligence officers work in secret and often at great risk to their 
lives. Their vigilance and bravery are vital to America's security. And 
on behalf of all Americans, I thank them and their families for their 
service in the cause of freedom.
    As Director of National Intelligence, John is taking action to help 
all who serve in the intelligence community to do their jobs more 
effectively. He has assembled a strong leadership team that reflects a 
wide range of skills and intelligence experience. He's visited a number 
of intelligence agencies. He's listened to experts in a variety of 
fields, and he's made reforms in the daily intelligence briefing. John 
recognizes and values the contributions of all who collect and analyze 
intelligence. He will ensure that they have access to the tools and 
information their missions demand.
    In the days ahead, Ambassador Negroponte and General Hayden will 
continue the structural reforms of our intelligence community that began 
after September the 11th, 2001. We've now implemented the vast majority 
of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations through Executive orders and 
the intelligence reform bill I signed last December.

[[Page 825]]

    My administration is also reviewing all the recommendations made by 
the Silberman-Robb Commission on weapons of mass destruction. We have 
already begun to implement a number of their recommendations. We will 
continue to evaluate and act on the Commission's useful blueprint to 
improve the quality and quantity of intelligence we collect and to be 
able to analyze that information more thoroughly.
    John Negroponte will also ensure the sharing of information among 
agencies and establish common standards for the intelligence community's 
personnel. I have confidence in John Negroponte and Mike Hayden to carry 
out these vital missions. Well-integrated, effective intelligence 
efforts are America's first line of defense against the threats of the 
21st century.
    I thank the Congress for creating the Director of National 
Intelligence position and for swiftly confirming two talented, dedicated 
Americans to lead our intelligence community. I look forward to working 
with this team to improve our intelligence capabilities and to use those 
capabilities to win the war on terror.
    Congratulations to both men. May God bless you and your families, 
and may God continue to bless our country.

Note: The President spoke at 1:18 p.m. in the Courtyard at the New 
Executive Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to the Commission 
on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons 
of Mass Destruction (Silberman-Robb Commission); and the National 
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 
Commission). The transcript released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary also included the remarks of Director Negroponte.