Donald Trump appoints former intelligence chief John Ratcliffe as CIA director

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump named his former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Before being appointed by Trump, Ratcliffe was a member of the Republican House of Representatives from Texas. From his seats on the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, Ratcliffe has been a strong defender of Trump. Some political observers viewed Ratcliffe as a candidate to become the next attorney general.

“I look forward to John becoming the first person to ever hold both of our nation's highest intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday, which also included attacks on Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and former intelligence officials over Hunter Biden's death infamous laptop went.

The announcement comes as Trump fills his Cabinet and other top posts in preparation for his second term, which begins Jan. 20.

Democrats accused Ratcliffe of politicizing his intelligence post by contradicting career officials about Russian election interference on Trump's behalf. But he had assured senators at his confirmation hearing that he would not “shade” the intelligence community's assessments to suit the president's views or policies.

“I will deliver the unvarnished truth,” Ratcliffe said in May 2020.

Ratcliffe served as U.S. attorney for East Texas in 2007 and 2008. He served five years in the House of Representatives before Trump appointed him director of national intelligence in his final year in office.

Between Trump administrations, Ratcliff served as co-chair of the Center for American Security, a security think tank. The center is part of the America First Policy Institute, which served as an advocacy platform for numerous alumni of the first Trump administration.

Ratfcliffe earned his bachelor's degree from Notre Dame and his law degree from Southern Methodist University.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump names former intelligence chief John Ratcliffe as CIA director