“I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence. A former U.S. Attorney, John will lead and inspire greatness for Country he loves,” President Trump said via Twitter.
This is the president’s second attempt to nominate the Texas congressman to serve as the principal advisor on matters of national security responsible for overseeing the U.S. intelligence community.
After announcing Ratcliffe to be Dan Coats’ replacement back in July, President Trump ultimately ended up withdrawing the nomination after concerns were raised by some Republican and Democratic lawmakers about his qualifications for the position.
Earlier this month, President Trump chose German Ambassador Richard Grenell to serve as DNI in an acting capacity, replacing Joseph Maguire as the principal overseer of the 16 federal agencies that comprise the intelligence community.
Following Coats’ resignation, the president had until March 11 to nominate a new DNI permanently.
Rep. Ratcliffe currently serves on the House Intelligence Committee, the House Committee on Homeland Security, and the House Judiciary Committee.
Referring to Rep. Ratcliffe as “an outstanding man of great talent,” the president said he “would have completed the process earlier, but John wanted to wait until after IG Report was finished.”
Following his nomination, Ratcliffe’s appointment will be subject to approval and confirmation by the Senate.
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Sarah McConnell
Sarah McConnell is a reporter for The Texan. Previously, she worked as a Cyber Security Consultant after serving as a Pathways Intern at the Department of Homeland Security – Citizenship and Immigration Services. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas A&M as well as her Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. In her free time, Sarah is an avid runner, jazz enthusiast, and lover of all things culinary.
