President Donald Trump said on Friday he again was tapping Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to be the nation's top spy, a loyalist whose first nomination he dropped last year amid questions about a lack of experience and possible resume embellishment.
This report produced by Jonah Green.
President Donald Trump said on Friday he was tapping Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to be the nation's top spy.
It's the second time Trump nominated Ratcliffe, a loyalist whose first nomination to be director of national intelligence was dropped last year amid questions about a lack of experience and possible resume padding.
It would allow him to extend the term of his current acting DNI, Richard Grenell, another staunch supporter, while the Senate considers Ratcliffe's nomination.
The director of national intelligence oversees the 17 agencies comprising the U.S. intelligence community.
Ratcliffe was a fierce defender of the president during his impeachment in the House.
His announcement drew a lukewarm response from Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and swift condemnation from Democrats.
Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement "The last time this nomination was unsuccessfully put forward, serious bipartisan questions were raised about Rep.
Ratcliffe's background and qualifications.
It's hard for me to see that anything new has happened to change that."