Trump Announces John Ratcliffe As CIA Director Pick

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday afternoon that he will tap former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to direct the CIA within his second administration. [Related: See How Trump’s Administration is Shaping Up]

Since winning the 2024 presidential election last Tuesday, Trump has begun to announce who will be included within his upcoming administration. On Truth Social, the former president released a statement highlighting Ratcliffe’s accomplishments over the past few years and said he will be a “fearless fighter” for the American people.

“From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI’s abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public. When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People,” Trump said.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump’s statement continued. “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.”

The announcement of Ratcliffe comes on the heels of the former president tapping Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as White House national security advisor, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan as the new “border czar” and former Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.