(WASHINGTON) — On Thursday, the Senate officially confirmed John Ratcliffe as the new director of the CIA, making him the second nominee from President Donald Trump’s administration to secure Senate approval for this critical position.
Ratcliffe, who previously held the title of director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, becomes the first person to hold both this role and the leadership of the CIA. A Texas Republican, he has a background as a federal prosecutor and gained prominence for his vigorous defense of Trump during the impeachment proceedings that unfolded during the earlier part of the president’s term.
The Senate vote concluded with a count of 74-25, indicating a notable level of opposition from Democratic senators regarding Ratcliffe’s nomination.
In his Senate confirmation hearing last week, Ratcliffe underscored the importance of enhancing the CIA’s technological capabilities, particularly in harnessing artificial intelligence to counter threats from adversarial nations such as Russia and China. He stressed the necessity for the U.S. to strengthen its intelligence operations while still upholding the civil liberties of its citizens.
If confirmed, Ratcliffe intends to promote the CIA’s use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, alongside a renewed focus on human intelligence collection.
“We’re not where we need to be,” Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Some Democrats expressed concerns regarding Ratcliffe’s ability to lead the CIA impartially, while Republican senators lauded his extensive experience and demonstrated eagerness to confirm other national security nominees from Trump’s administration.
Earlier in the week, Marco Rubio, a former senator from Florida, was confirmed as secretary of state, marking him as the first member of Trump’s Cabinet.
While the director of the CIA has not always held a Cabinet-level position, President Joe Biden elevated this role to Cabinet status under the previous director, William Burns. Ratcliffe is included in the Cabinet lineup of the Trump administration.
Trump and several Republican lawmakers have criticized the CIA and other intelligence agencies for what they perceive as an excessive focus on matters like climate change and diversity initiatives.
These calls for significant reform have raised alarms among current and former intelligence officials, who worry that such changes could jeopardize national security.
Ratcliffe has identified China as the foremost geopolitical threat to the United States, while also acknowledging risks from Russia, Iran, North Korea, as well as various criminal organizations, hacking groups, and terrorist networks.
He is a proponent of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the government to collect communications from non-U.S. citizens abroad without a warrant. This practice has sparked debates about potential violations of civil rights, particularly when those communications may involve American citizens.
Similar to many of Trump’s other nominees, Ratcliffe has shown unwavering loyalty to the president. Beyond his defense of Trump during impeachment proceedings, he aggressively interrogated former special counsel Robert Mueller during his testimony concerning the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
During his tenure as director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe was tasked with overseeing and coordinating the operations of over a dozen intelligence agencies, with responsibilities that included directing efforts to combat foreign influence in U.S. politics.
Initially nominated by Trump for this role in 2019, Ratcliffe withdrew his name after lawmakers expressed skepticism about his qualifications. However, he was ultimately confirmed by a divided Senate after Trump resubmitted his nomination.
During his service, Ratcliffe faced criticism from Democrats for allegedly politicizing intelligence, especially when he declassified information concerning Russian activities that suggested potentially damaging implications for Democrats, despite acknowledging the questionable accuracy of that intelligence.
Before Ratcliffe’s confirmation vote, Democrats raised questions about whether he would place his loyalty to Trump above his duties as CIA director, resulting in a two-day delay in the voting process.
Looking ahead, Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence for his second term, is anticipated to encounter a more challenging confirmation process. The former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii has faced bipartisan criticism due to her previous supportive remarks about Russia and her meetings with Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017.
Gabbard’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee is scheduled for January 30.
