Senate confirms Ratcliffe as CIA director

Ratcliffe will take over the CIA under President Trump.

The Senate recently confirmed John Ratcliffe as the CIA director, marking President Donald Trump’s second Cabinet member in his new administration. 

Ratcliffe has a history with Trump, having served as the Director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term and being a vocal defender of the president during his first impeachment.

The big picture: Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor and Texas Republican, is the first person to have held both the position of Director of National Intelligence and the top post at the CIA, known as the nation’s premier spy agency. 

  • He was confirmed by a 74-25 vote in the Senate.  
  • During Ratcliffe’s Senate hearing, he emphasized the potential of technology, specifically artificial intelligence, in enhancing the CIA’s capabilities to address challenges from countries like Russia and China. Ratcliffe stressed the importance of balancing intelligence enhancement with the protection of American civil rights.

State of play: Ratcliffe’s confirmation adds to Trump’s second administration’s cabinet, following the confirmation of Marco Rubio as the Secretary of State. 

  • Ratcliffe views China as the greatest geopolitical rival to the US, while also acknowledging challenges posed by Russia, Iran, North Korea, and various non-state threats like drug cartels and terrorist groups.
  • Trump and some Republicans have been critical of the CIA and other intelligence agencies, suggesting that they focus too much on issues such as climate change and workforce diversity. Calls for major organizational changes in the intelligence community have raised concerns among current and former officials regarding national security implications.
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