New CIA director confirmed
A majority in US Senate has backed President Trump’s nominee John Ratcliffe
A majority in the US Senate on Thursday backed President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of the CIA, the former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe.
The Senate confirmed Ratcliffe with 74 voting for and 25 against, as 20 Democrats and one Independent joined Republicans in supporting the nomination.
The US Republican-led Senate has begun to confirm President Donald Trump's nominees for key positions in his administration, starting with the national security team. Former Republican Senator Marco Rubio was confirmed on Monday, the day of Trump’s inauguration. On Thursday, Senate leaders scheduled a procedural vote for Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.
Ratcliffe previously served as representative for Texas’ 4th congressional district and held the position of director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term. He is recognized for his vocal skepticism regarding intelligence agencies and his criticism of investigations into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In his previous role, Ratcliffe was known for supporting Trump’s stance on various national security matters and was involved in high-profile controversies over intelligence assessments.
