Trump’s Pick for CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, Confirmed by Senate

The Senate voted 74-25 on Thursday to confirm John Ratcliffe as President Donald Trump’s CIA director, marking another significant step in filling key positions for Trump’s second-term Cabinet. Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas and director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, received strong bipartisan support during the confirmation process.

Ratcliffe becomes the second Trump Cabinet nominee confirmed this week, following the unanimous approval of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Senate’s GOP leadership has signaled its intent to fast-track nominations amid Democratic attempts to delay the process.

During his confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe emphasized his commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the intelligence community and defending truth against political agendas.

“In 2020, when a chairman of an intelligence committee misrepresented that a laptop owned by then-candidate [Joe] Biden’s son was somehow a Russian intelligence operation … I stood alone and told the American people the truth about that,” Ratcliffe testified, referencing his efforts to counter disinformation surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop story.

The Senate Intelligence Committee advanced Ratcliffe’s nomination by a 14-3 bipartisan vote earlier in the week, reflecting widespread confidence in his qualifications and leadership.

Despite bipartisan support, some Democrats, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), attempted to delay the final vote, arguing for more time to debate Ratcliffe’s ability to remain impartial. Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) dismissed the objections as political maneuvering, accusing Democrats of dragging out the process to stall Trump’s Cabinet confirmations.

“What this is really about is trying to deny President Trump his Cabinet in a prompt and timely fashion,” Cotton remarked.

The Senate’s confirmation of Ratcliffe sets the stage for additional key votes, including the contentious nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has vowed to push forward regardless of Democrat opposition.

“As I’ve repeatedly said, Senate Republicans are ready to work as long as needed to confirm President Trump’s nominees. Nights. Weekends. Recesses,” Thune warned.

Ratcliffe’s confirmation is a victory for Trump’s second-term agenda, signaling a continuation of his firm stance on national security and intelligence. With further confirmations on the horizon, the administration appears determined to solidify its leadership team despite resistance from the Left.

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