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Friday, February 14, 2025

John Ratcliffe Confirmed as CIA Director

Washington (TDI): A majority of the US Senate on Thursday supported President Donald Trump’s nominee John Ratcliffe, a former House of Representatives member who served as Director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term, as director of the CIA.

The Senate voted to confirm Ratcliffe by 74-25, as twenty Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in supporting the nomination.

The Republican-led Senate has been working to confirm Trump’s nominees for key positions in his administration as quickly as possible, starting with his national security team.

Former Republican Senator Marco Rubio was confirmed as Secretary of State on Monday, the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Senate leaders scheduled a procedural vote on Trump’s nomination of former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense for later on Thursday.

Also Read: US Senate Confirms Marco Rubio as Secretary of State

Last week, Senate Intelligence Committee members questioned Ratcliffe during his nomination hearing about whether he would dismiss employees over their political views or opinions on Donald Trump, who frequently has criticized the top US intelligence agency and its assessments.

Ratcliffe pledged not to do so, and the committee supported him by 14-3 at a meeting on Monday, clearing the way for consideration by the full Senate.

Also Read: Xi, Putin Discuss Ties with Trump, Other Issues

Ratcliffe was Director of National Intelligence, the country’s top spy, from May 2020 until Donald Trump left office in January 2021.

Ratcliffe expressed confidence in the US Countering China and Russia during his hearing and vowed to investigate whether “Havana Syndrome” ailments of the American personnel were caused by an enemy and develop offensive cyber tools.

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