John Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Trump's first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA.

The US Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe as the new CIA Director, with a significant 74-25 vote. With a history of prioritizing national security and intelligence reforms, Ratcliffe aims to enhance America’s global strength and leadership in intelligence operations.

The former Texas lawmaker and prosecutor was Trump's national intelligence director in his first term. He vowed to reject White House political pressure

John Ratcliffe will lead the Central Intelligence Agency under President Donald Trump after the Senate confirmed him to the position by a 74-25 vote on Thursday.Twenty-four Democrats voted alongside their Republican counterparts to confirm Ratcliffe.

Texans have been tapped to run the CIA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture.

WASHINGTON — Former Texas congressman John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, vowed to make the agency more muscular while keeping its work apolitical during his nomination hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.

No president has ever exercised this constitutional power, but "this remains a significant possibility in the eyes of the White House," one source said.

President Donald Trump says his administration will move to suspend the security clearances of the more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.

Pam Bondi was pressed about the 2020 election and Trump's influence over the Justice Department, while Marco Rubio struck a more measured tone on the Russia-Ukraine war.

During his confirmation hearing on January 15, Ratcliffe emphasized his commitment to merit-based hiring and promotion within the CIA, distancing himself from political influences

Ratcliffe, the former director of national intelligence in the final months of Trump’s first term, drew controversy over perceived politicization of intelligence assessments.

The Upper Chamber on Thursday voted 74-25 to approve the nomination of Ratcliffe, who served as Trump's Director of National Intelligence for the last eight months of his first term, Xinhua news agency reported.