Republican President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint John Ratcliffe as the new director of the CIA, effective January 20, 2025. Ratcliffe, a former congressman and U.S. intelligence chief, was described by Trump as a ‘fearless defender’ of constitutional rights. However, he’s faced criticism from Democrats over allegations of mishandling classified information during his previous role, and concerns regarding the inflation of his counterterrorism experience while serving as a prosecutor in Texas.