November 12, 2024 Mar-a-Lago, FL – Former President Donald J. Trump announced today the appointment of John Ratcliffe as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), making Ratcliffe the first individual in U.S. history to have held both the positions of Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and CIA Director.
Ratcliffe, a seasoned national security official and a strong Trump ally, previously served as the sixth DNI, overseeing the U.S. intelligence community and advising President Trump on key security matters. He is recognized for his high-profile stance on intelligence issues, including challenging the narrative around alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election, and questioning the conduct of the FBI in the handling of FISA surveillance.
“From exposing fake Russian collusion as a Clinton campaign operation to catching the FBI’s abuse of civil liberties, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for truth and honesty with the American public,” said Trump in his statement. He highlighted Ratcliffe’s dedication to transparency, noting that Ratcliffe was one of the few officials who publicly spoke out against claims made by 51 intelligence officials regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop.
Trump awarded Ratcliffe the National Security Medal in 2020, recognizing his contributions to intelligence and national security. Now, Trump expressed confidence that Ratcliffe would “ensure the highest levels of national security and peace through strength” as CIA Director.
Ratcliffe’s background in Congress, where he represented Texas’s 4th Congressional District, laid the foundation for his career in intelligence. During his tenure, he focused on national security policy as a member of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees and served as Cybersecurity Chairman on the Homeland Security Committee.
With Ratcliffe’s appointment, Trump aims to install a leader who aligns closely with his vision of transparency in intelligence and a staunch defense of constitutional rights.
