President Trump
Donald John TrumpProfessor installs seesaws across US-Mexico border to form connection ‘on both sides’ What the world can expect from the Boris Johnson government Marianne Williamson: I am not a ‘wacky new-age nutcase’ MORE’s pick to be his next spy chief is facing a fierce political battle, injecting uncertainty into his confirmation chances.
Democrats are signaling they will oppose Rep. John Ratcliffe
John Lee RatcliffeThe Hill’s Morning Report – Crunch time for 2020 Democrats in Detroit debate Rising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief Hillicon Valley: McConnell fires back at criticism over election security bills | GOP chair vows to move ‘swiftly’ on new intel chief | Georgia awards contract for new voting machines MORE (R-Texas) to be the director of national intelligence, marking a change from previous nominees who have been confirmed with easy bipartisan majorities.
Republicans hold a 53-47 edge in the Senate, so it would take four GOP defections with unified Democratic opposition to deny Ratcliffe’s confirmation.
That seems like a high bar for his opponents to reach, though it is notable that a number of key Republicans are not offering immediate support for Trump’s nominee.
Sen. Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard PaulRand Paul says he would help pay for ticket to send Omar to Somalia The Hill’s Morning Report – Crunch time for 2020 Democrats in Detroit debate Democrats wrestle with ‘tough on crime’ histories MORE (R-Ky.) opposed current Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats’s nomination in 2017. He hasn’t yet commented on Ratcliffe’s nomination and is one potential GOP “no” vote.
Several members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have declined to weigh in on Ratcliffe. Chairman Richard Burr
Richard Mauze BurrRising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief Hillicon Valley: McConnell fires back at criticism over election security bills | GOP chair vows to move ‘swiftly’ on new intel chief | Georgia awards contract for new voting machines GOP chairman to move ‘swiftly’ on Ratcliffe nomination to intelligence post MORE (R-N.C.) said he plans to quickly move the nomination once it’s official but hasn’t offered an explicit endorsement of Ratcliffe.
Sen. Marco Rubio
Marco Antonio RubioSenators offer bipartisan proposal allowing new parents to advance tax credits The Hill’s Morning Report – Crunch time for 2020 Democrats in Detroit debate Overnight Defense: General accused of sexual assault to get confirmation hearing | Senate to vote Monday on overriding Saudi arms deal veto | Next Joint Chiefs chair confirmed | Graham tries to ease Turkey tensions MORE (R-Fla.), a committee member, praised Ratcliffe as “intelligent” and having a “great background” but signaled he’d wait to weigh in on his nomination until after the confirmation process.
“It’s one of the most important jobs in the federal government, so I certainly think he’s talented enough, but for someone who is coming before a committee that I sit on, I want to go through that process before I opine,” Rubio said.
Republicans have an 8-7 majority on the Intelligence panel, meaning a single defection could cost Ratcliffe the committee vote. That would not prevent his eventual confirmation.
Ratcliffe, a three-term congressman and former federal prosecutor, has faced a wave of criticism for his dearth of intelligence credentials, and his opponents argue he lacks the experience to fulfill the role effectively. Ratcliffe sits on the House Intelligence, Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, but has limited national security experience when compared to past nominees.
Critics have also raised concerns that Ratcliffe, a staunch Trump ally, is too political for the role and will not be an unbiased steward of the nation’s intelligence, an issue guaranteed to come up during his confirmation hearing. In public comments, Ratcliffe has aligned himself closely with Trump in their criticism of former special counsel Robert Mueller
Robert (Bob) Swan MuellerTrump calls for probe of Obama book deal Democrats express private disappointment with Mueller testimony Kellyanne Conway: ‘I’d like to know’ if Mueller read his own report MORE’s now-shuttered Russia investigation.
Ratcliffe attracted more attention last week during his stern questioning of Mueller on Capitol Hill, during which he grilled the former special counsel on his report and suggested Mueller violated Justice Department rules in explicitly declining to exonerate Trump on obstruction allegations.
Trump touted Ratcliffe as “brilliant” and “wonderful” on Tuesday and expressed hope he would “rein … in” the intelligence agencies.
“I think we need somebody like that there,” Trump said. “We need somebody strong that can really rein it in because, as I think you’ve all learned, the intelligence agencies have run amok.”
But Ratcliffe is largely an unknown quantity for the Senate Republicans he’ll need to win over in order to be confirmed.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiOvernight Defense: Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sales | Two US troops killed in Afghanistan | Senators tee up nominations, budget deal ahead of recess Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sale Poll: McConnell is most unpopular senator MORE (R-Alaska), who has voted against other high-profile nominees, told reporters she didn’t know anything about Ratcliffe, while Sen. Mike Rounds
Marion (Mike) Michael RoundsOvernight Defense: Esper sworn in as Pentagon chief | Confirmed in 90-8 vote | Takes helm as Trump juggles foreign policy challenges | Senators meet with woman accusing defense nominee of sexual assault GOP struggles to find backup plan for avoiding debt default Trump puts hopes for Fed revolution on unconventional candidate MORE (R-S.D.) acknowledged that for Senate Republicans Trump’s pick was “not someone we had heard of before.”
Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsCollins is first GOP senator to back bill requiring campaigns report foreign assistance offers to FBI Rising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief Overnight Defense: Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sales | Two US troops killed in Afghanistan | Senators tee up nominations, budget deal ahead of recess MORE (R-Maine), a member of the Intelligence Committee, said that she had a “special interest” in who succeeds Coats as director of national intelligence because she helped write the law that created the position.
“So I feel very strongly about this position and the importance of having someone with the integrity and skill and ability to bring all of the members of the intelligence together,” she said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocrats take another stab at preventing foreign election interference Collins is first GOP senator to back bill requiring campaigns report foreign assistance offers to FBI Trump says Washington Post should apologize to McConnell over ‘Russian asset’ column MORE (R-Ky.) sidestepped directly offering support for Ratcliffe on Tuesday, saying he didn’t know the congressman.
“Generally speaking, I would lean toward the president’s nominees,” he said. “[But] I would rather not address that until I’ve actually had the chance to meet him and discuss his background and qualifications.”
Sen. John Cornyn
John CornynRising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief The Hill’s Campaign Report: 2020 Democrats step up attacks ahead of Detroit debate More than 1,400 Jewish clergy call on Trump, Congress to allow asylum-seekers into US MORE (R-Texas), a member of the Intelligence Committee and adviser to McConnell, argued that the near-instantaneous opposition to Ratcliffe among Democrats was based largely on broader opposition to Trump.
“I think it’s unfair to the nominee, but it’s not really about him, it’s about the president, as most of these votes are,” he said.
Asked if he was worried Ratcliffe’s nomination would turn into a fight, he knocked Democrats, saying it “sounds like they’ve already drawn that line.”
If confirmed, Ratcliffe, who has not officially been nominated, would be the sixth Senate-approved director of national intelligence since the position was created as part of an intelligence reform law in 2004.
Coats, who is stepping down on Aug. 15 and was previously a Republican senator from Indiana, was approved by the Intelligence Committee in a 13-2 vote and by the full Senate 85-12. His predecessors, James Clapper
James Robert ClapperA brief timeline of Trump’s clashes with intelligence director Dan Coats New study suggests Trump’s 2016 poll numbers rose after increased Russian troll farm tweets Trump raises 2020 stakes by elevating North Korea, China on agenda MORE and Dennis Blair, were confirmed by the Senate unanimously. John Negroponte, the first director of national intelligence, was confirmed 98-2.
Ratcliffe’s vote is likely to be much closer, and more in line with other more recent nominees.
Trump’s picks for secretary of State, Rex Tillerson
Rex Wayne TillersonPress: Acosta, latest to walk the plank A brief timeline of Trump’s clashes with intelligence director Dan Coats What is Trump’s Iran end game? MORE and Mike Pompeo
Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoChinese official: Hong Kong protests ‘creation of the US’ Overnight Defense: Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sales | Two US troops killed in Afghanistan | Senators tee up nominations, budget deal ahead of recess Oversight: Trump confidant Tom Barrack pushed for Saudi nuclear plant construction MORE, both faced historically high levels of opposition to their nominations, while Gina Haspel
Gina Cheri HaspelRising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief The peculiar priorities of Adam Schiff A brief timeline of Trump’s clashes with intelligence director Dan Coats MORE, a career intelligence official, was narrowly confirmed as CIA director.
“It is going to be different. I tell you, you’re already hearing from a lot of professionals, intelligence professionals, that this nominee doesn’t have the background, the experience or the skill,” said Sen. Dick Durbin
Richard (Dick) Joseph Durbin Murray move raises impeachment pressure on Schumer Hillicon Valley: McConnell fires back at criticism over election security bills | GOP chair vows to move ‘swiftly’ on new intel chief | Georgia awards contract for new voting machines McConnell under fire for burying election bills in ‘legislative graveyard’ MORE (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat.
Durbin, who voted to confirm Coats, knocked Ratcliffe on Tuesday, saying that “a couple of appearances on Fox TV doesn’t qualify a man to head up the intelligence agencies of the United States.”
Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDe Blasio defends Al Sharpton amidst Trump attacks GOP chairman to move ‘swiftly’ on Ratcliffe nomination to intelligence post Sharpton: Trump has ‘particular venom’ for blacks, people of color MORE (D-N.Y.), who voted for Coats, called Ratcliffe a “partisan shill,” while Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Emiel FeinsteinRising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump’s intel chief Democrats urge Graham to back down from rules change threat Senate Democrats introduce bill to combat foreign influence campaigns MORE (D-Calif.), a former chairwoman and current member of the Intelligence Committee, said Ratcliffe “appears to lack the experience needed for the job.”
“Congressman Ratcliffe has served for four years in the House and was mayor of a small town in Texas. This isn’t a learn-as-you-go position and shouldn’t be given out to political supporters,” she added.
Even Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinHouse bill would make World Cup funds contingent on equal pay Poll: McConnell is most unpopular senator Dems open to killing filibuster in next Congress MORE (D-W.Va.), who supported other controversial Trump nominees, signaled that he has concerns about Ratcliffe based on what he’s read so far.
“I don’t know the gentleman. I really don’t. … [But] my information tells me he would be the wrong person for that job,” Manchin said, “being that partisan, being that contentious.”
