President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he has chosen John Ratcliffe, his former ally and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during the final months of his first term, to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Ratcliffe, who served as DNI from May 2020 to January 2021, has since co-chaired the Center for American Security, a think tank aligned with Trump’s policies, and advised Trump on national security during his 2024 campaign.
“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions. He will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans, while ensuring the highest levels of national security,” Trump said in a statement announcing the nomination.
A former member of Congress, Ratcliffe pledged during his 2020 confirmation hearing to provide “objective and timely intelligence” and to closely monitor key issues like Iran’s military activities, North Korea’s nuclear program, and foreign interference in U.S. elections.
Ratcliffe has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s Middle East policies. In a June article, he accused President Biden of jeopardizing U.S. relations with Israel by threatening to withhold weapons shipments over Gaza. He has also argued that the administration has been too lenient on Iran.
During his time as DNI, Ratcliffe became known as a hardliner on China, adopting a hawkish stance toward Beijing.