A majority of the U.S. Senate on Thursday backed President Donald Trump's nominee John Ratcliffe, a former House of Representatives member who served as Director of National Intelligence during Trump's first term, as director of the CIA. The Senate voted to confirm Ratcliffe by 74-25, as 20 Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in backing the nomination. Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee questioned Ratcliffe closely during his nomination hearing last week about whether he would fire or force out employees for their political views or opinions about Trump, who frequently has attacked the the premier U.S. intelligence agency and its assessments. Ratcliffe was Director of National Intelligence, the country's top spy, from May 2020 until Trump left office in January 2021.
Ratcliffe also told his hearing he was confident the U.S. can counter Russia and China, pledged to look into whether U.S. personnel afflicted by "Havana Syndrome" ailments were targeted by an adversary and develop offensive cyber tools.