Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe as CIA Director with 72-26 Vote Amid Thune's Threat to Extend Session

Jan 23, 2025, 02:19 PM

The U.S. Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe as the director of the CIA with a vote of 72-26. Senate Majority Leader John Thune had expressed frustration over delays by Democrats in confirming Ratcliffe and other key national security nominees, threatening to keep the Senate in session through the weekend if necessary. Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman and Trump's Director of National Intelligence, received bipartisan support in the Senate Intelligence Committee before his confirmation. The vote to confirm Ratcliffe was part of a broader effort by the Senate to approve President Trump's national security team, with additional votes planned for other nominees including Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary and Kristi Noem for DHS Secretary. Thune filed cloture on these nominations, indicating a procedural move to limit debate and expedite the confirmation process.