**Trump Appoints John Ratcliffe as His Pick for CIA Director**

President-elect Donald Trump has announced his decision to appoint John Ratcliffe as the next CIA director. This announcement came on Tuesday in a statement from Trump's team.

Ratcliffe, a Texas conservative, has previously held significant roles under Trump's administration. Notably, he served as the director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, during which he became a controversial figure. Critics alleged that Ratcliffe’s actions were politically motivated to benefit Trump, particularly when he released unverified information regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election—a move that faced opposition from several members within the intelligence community.

Before this appointment, Ratcliffe was high on the list of potential candidates for attorney general, according to sources from CNN. Currently, he serves as a co-chair at the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank closely associated with Trump.

During the tumultuous 2020 presidential election and the subsequent transition period, Ratcliffe maintained his position and assured Trump and his allies that there was no substantial evidence of foreign election interference or widespread voter fraud. His tenure drew further scrutiny, leading him to provide testimony to a federal grand jury as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the events following the 2020 election.

The decision to appoint Ratcliffe to lead the CIA underscores Trump’s continued reliance on loyalists who have demonstrated steadfast support through contentious times.