John Ratcliffe, Tapped By Trump To Lead The Cia, Will Face Questioning In The Senate

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday will question President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the CIA on his vision for America's premier spy agency.

John Ratcliffe , who served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, is a former federal prosecutor and conservative member of Congress representing a district in Texas. He was a fierce defender of Trump during his first impeachment proceedings in the House.

His hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee is part of a weeklong marathon as the Republican-led Senate rushes to have some of Trump's nominees ready to be confirmed by the full Senate as soon as Inauguration Day on Monday.

If approved, Ratcliffe will succeed outgoing CIA Director William Burns.

Trump first tapped Ratcliffe to serve as director of national intelligence in 2019, but he quickly withdrew from consideration after lawmakers raised questions about his qualifications. He was ultimately confirmed by a sharply divided Senate after Trump resubmitted the nomination.