Trump picks former intel director John Ratcliffe to head the CIA

John Ratcliffe, who served as President-elect Trump's principal intelligence advisor during his first presidential term, will serve as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency when Trump moves back into the White House.  

Ratcliffe is one of several appointees announced in the past week who will fill key positions during Trump's second term. 

"From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI’s abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public," Trump said in a statement. "When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People."

Trump honored Ratcliffe in 2020 with the National Security Medal, the highest honor for distinguished achievement in the field of intelligence and national security.

Ratcliffe previously served under Trump as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). 

"In that role, Ratcliffe served as the leader of the U.S. intelligence community and principal intelligence advisor to President Trump. Before that role, Ratcliffe served in Congress for over five years as the U.S. representative for the 4th Congressional District of Texas.