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Trump's CIA Nominee John Ratcliffe Pledges Focus on China, No Political Litmus Tests at Senate Hearing

Jan 15, 2025, 05:37 PM

John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for CIA Director, faced a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Ratcliffe, who previously served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, emphasized the need to refocus the CIA on its core mission of collecting foreign intelligence, particularly in response to global threats. He pledged to prioritize the threat posed by China, describing it as the top national security threat to the United States, and praised the recent creation of the CIA's China Mission Center. Ratcliffe assured senators that he would not impose political litmus tests on CIA employees or force them to prioritize loyalty to Trump over the country. He also committed to expanding the agency's use of technology and human intelligence to stay ahead of adversaries, mentioning the ideal recruit as 'a Ph.D. who could win a bar fight.' Ratcliffe highlighted the importance of addressing emerging technologies and threats from transnational criminal organizations, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Iranian regime, North Korea, and issues at the southern border. He promised a renewed effort to investigate the causes of the mysterious health incidents known as Havana Syndrome. Ratcliffe's nomination is part of a rush by the Republican-led Senate to confirm Trump's nominees before Inauguration Day.