Ratcliffe Begins CIA Leadership With Sharp Rebuke Of Brennan’s Tenure

Following his confirmation and swearing-in by Vice President JD Vance, newly appointed CIA Director John Ratcliffe wasted no time in addressing what he considers the failures of past leadership. He criticized former CIA Director John Brennan, describing his time at the helm as one of the most damaging periods in the agency’s history.

Ratcliffe took aim at Brennan’s involvement in the now-debunked narrative surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop, which was falsely dismissed as Russian disinformation by Brennan and 50 other intelligence officials ahead of the 2020 election. He accused them of misleading the public and weaponizing intelligence for political purposes.

During his first interview in his new role, Ratcliffe stressed that his primary focus will be returning the CIA to its core mission — intelligence gathering and national security. He stated that public trust was severely eroded when intelligence agencies were used to pursue political objectives, citing examples from the 2016 election cycle, including the surveillance of Trump’s campaign.

President Donald Trump recently stripped Brennan and several former intelligence officials of their security clearances. Ratcliffe supported the decision, arguing that those responsible for using their positions for political gain should not have access to sensitive information.

Ratcliffe emphasized the importance of restoring credibility to the agency by ensuring intelligence is free from partisan influence. He pointed to recent failures in global intelligence assessments as evidence that a shift in focus is necessary to meet growing national security challenges.

Moving forward, Ratcliffe said his goal is to rebuild confidence within the intelligence community and to ensure the agency remains dedicated to its mission of safeguarding the nation from foreign threats.

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