Washington, D.C. – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has named John Ratcliffe, his former Director of National Intelligence (DNI), as his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) once Trump returns to office in January. If confirmed, Ratcliffe, 59, will assume leadership of the CIA, an agency that experienced a strained relationship with Trump during his initial term.
Ratcliffe, who previously served as a Republican congressman from Texas, is expected to focus on addressing national security threats from adversarial nations, particularly China and Iran. As CIA Director, he will work closely with intelligence operatives to strengthen U.S. intelligence gathering and counterespionage efforts.
Background of Tension with U.S. Intelligence Agencies
During Trump’s first term, he repeatedly expressed skepticism of U.S. intelligence agencies, especially after findings that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election to support his candidacy. This led to accusations of a “deep state” working against his administration. Notably, at the 2018 Helsinki summit, Trump publicly doubted U.S. intelligence conclusions, instead siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin—a decision that drew widespread criticism.
Commitment to “Peace Through Strength”
In a statement, Trump described Ratcliffe as a “fearless fighter” committed to protecting Americans’ constitutional rights while ensuring national security. “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,” Trump said.
Ratcliffe’s experience as DNI under Trump lends him deep insight into current threats, which he has vowed to counter effectively if confirmed.
