Speaker Johnson removes Mike Turner as Intel Committee Chairman

Ohio Republican Rep. Mike Turner has been removed as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and will not serve in that powerful role in the new Congress.

Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday he declined to reappoint Turner to the committee chairmanship, saying the committee "needs a fresh start" and downplaying the role of President-elect Donald Trump in his decision.

“This is not a President Trump decision. This is a House decision," Johnson said. "And this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman. He did a great job."

In a statement, Turner, said he was "very proud" to have served as chairman of the panel, which made him part of the "Gang of Eight" -- the top leaders in Congress, who are briefed on classified intelligence matters by the White House.

“Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security," he said in a statement. "The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations.

Turner, who has represented Ohio's 10th District since 2013, said he’ll serve on the Armed Services Committee and Oversight Committee this Congress.

It's unclear who Johnson will select to lead the committee, but he told reporters he would make an announcement on Thursday.

In a statement, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the ranking member of the committee, said Turner's removal as chairman "makes our nation less secure and is a terrible portent for what's to come."

Earlier Wednesday, Himes told ABC News that Turner leaving the committee was a "huge blow" to the panel's work, calling the former chairman "fair minded" and someone who had "demonstrated a willingness to be independent."

Turner had previously publicly criticized President-elect Donald Trump calling his storage of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago "of grave concern." He later said he was similarly concerned about President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents.

During the campaign Turner, who represents Springfield, Ohio, told CNN that Trump's claims that Haitian immigrants were eating dogs and cats were "tearing the community apart."

Turner is also an ardent supporter of Ukraine.

Last February, Turner faced blowback from several of his Republican colleagues after he released a cryptic statement warning of a "serious national security threat" that caused public concern and prompted the house speaker to say there was "no need for public alarm."

Sources later told ABC News Turner's warning was about Russia's desire to launch nuclear capabilities into space to be used against satellites.