U.S. Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe as CIA Director
Second Trump Cabinet Member Confirmed After Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense Also Passes First Senate Hurdle
John Ratcliffe, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), attended the CIA Director's inauguration ceremony held on the 23rd (local time) at the Vice President's Reception Room in Washington, USA. (EPA·Yonhap News)
On the 23rd (local time), the U.S. Senate passed the confirmation of John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), marking the second Trump cabinet member confirmed after Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, who faced allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, also barely passed the Senate's first hurdle, signaling a positive outlook for the appointments.
Ratcliffe was confirmed as CIA Director with 74 votes in favor and 25 against in the U.S. Senate confirmation vote. The New York Times (NYT) reported, "All Republican senators present, along with 20 Democratic senators, supported his appointment," and evaluated that "Ratcliffe is considered a suitable candidate for the position. His views on national security issues closely align with the Senate Republican majority's stance."
Ratcliffe is regarded as one of the prominent 'Trump loyalists.' A former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he served as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during Trump's first term and last year co-chaired the U.S. Security Center at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a pro-Trump think tank, during the presidential election.
Ratcliffe pledged to make the CIA a more aggressive intelligence agency. Earlier, at the Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on the 15th, he identified China as the greatest threatening competitor to the U.S., and mentioned North Korea, Russia, and Iran as forces threatening U.S. security.
Pete Hegseth, the nominee for Secretary of Defense who was once at risk of being ousted due to excessive drinking and sexual misconduct, passed the first hurdle for Senate confirmation on the 23rd (local time). The photo shows nominee Hegseth meeting with U.S. Senator John Cornyn at Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., last December. (Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News)
Among other nominees appointed by President Trump, some have caused unexpected turns. Pete Hegseth, who once faced a crisis of withdrawal due to sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, is a representative case.
Hegseth passed the Senate's first confirmation hurdle. The Senate, in a full session, voted 51 to 49 to invoke cloture on the debate regarding Hegseth's nomination. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), voted against the nomination alongside Democrats. Only the final confirmation vote remains for Hegseth's nomination.
Before the vote, Senator Murkowski posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Character is the most important quality required for the Secretary of Defense, and nominating Hegseth to that position raises significant concerns that cannot be overlooked," expressing her opposition.
Additionally, Tulsi Gabbard, nominee for DNI Director, faces difficulties in confirmation due to past pro-Russia remarks, and Robert Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, faces challenges due to past vaccine skepticism.
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