Nov. 12 (UPI) — President-elect Donald Trump announced his choice Tuesday for CIA Director, tapping his former intelligence chief John Ratcliffe, who he called a “warrior of truth.”
“I am pleased to announce that former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe will serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social, which included claims about Ratcliffe “exposing fake Russian collusion” in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and exposing “intelligence officials lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop.”
“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump added. “He will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional rights of all Americans, while ensuring the highest levels of national security and peace through strength.”
Ratcliffe is currently a co-chair at the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-aligned think tank for security issues.
Before being appointed by Trump during his first administration, Ratcliffe represented Texas for five years in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. Before that, he served as U.S. attorney for eastern Texas in 2007 and 2008.
Ratcliffe, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame and law degree from Southern Methodist University, was first nominated for the DNI post during Trump’s final year of his first term, but withdrew after both Republican and Democratic lawmakers questioned his qualifications.
Ratcliffe was confirmed in 2020 after Trump nominated him for a second time. Trump honored Ratcliffe with the National Security Medal, which is the highest honor for distinguished achievement in the field of intelligence and national security.
Since winning the presidential election last week, Trump has been filling his Cabinet positions and other top posts as he prepares for his inauguration on Jan. 20, and a second term in the White House.