John Ratcliffe was confirmed to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Thursday, making him the ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet.

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to confirm John Ratcliffe as the next CIA director under President Donald Trump, approving the second high-level appointment for the new administration.

Ratcliffe faced a brief delay to his nomination from Democrats questioning his independence from President Donald Trump.

He has offered a vision for a more aggressive spy agency, and his focus on the threat from China is widely shared by Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Ratcliffe, Trump’s former director of national intelligence, sought to reassure senators that he would remain apolitical in his role as CIA director.

The Senate is poised to confirm John Ratcliffe as CIA director on Thursday as Republicans work to approve officials to the top posts in his administration amid delays by Democrats.

A former federal prosecutor and Texas Republican, Ratcliffe gained prominence as a congressman as a staunch defender of Trump.

The Senate voted 74 to 25 to confirm John Ratcliffe, President Trump’s former intelligence director, as director of the C.I.A.

The former Texas lawmaker and prosecutor was Trump's national intelligence director in his first term. He vowed to reject White House political pressure ...