Editor’s note: This piece is part of a series presenting questions for Senators and journalists to ask President-elect Trump’s nominees for senior government positions.
Former Republican congressman John Ratcliffe is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). A former Republican member of Congress from Texas, Ratcliffe was a controversial choice to serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the first Trump administration, and was confirmed in a party line vote. As CIA Director (DCIA), Ratcliffe would have extraordinary power over a range of intelligence activities – collection, analysis, covert action, counterintelligence activities, and managing foreign liaison relationships, among others.
We asked intelligence experts and former members of the IC for questions they would ask Ratcliffe in Wednesday’s hearing. Ratcliffe’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee is on January 15, 2025 at 10:00am ET.
Analytic Integrity, Politicization, and Workforce Protection
- What actions will you take to protect the Agency workforce from politicization and enable it to “tell it like it is?” (Doug London)
- The wall at CIA Headquarters carries an inscription from the Bible (John 8:32) “And Ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Set You Free.”
- What does that inscription mean to you?
- Will you commit to seek the truth; speak truth to power; and obtain, analyze, and provide intelligence objectively? (Alex Joel)
- The intelligence that the Agency collects, and the analysis that officers provide, both demand objectivity. Will you protect operations officers who collect intelligence from assets that are critical of the President and his policies? Will you protect analysts who write assessments that conflict with the policy views of the President? Will you commit to us today that you will not censor their work if their best objective assessment does not conform with the policy preferences of the President? (former intelligence official)
- Do you plan to use a “warrior board” system of retired CIA officers or other outside individuals to vet promotions and assignments like President Trump is thought to be considering for the military? (Doug London)
- Section 102(c) of the National Security Act gives the Director of the CIA the authority to terminate the employment of any officer or employee of the Agency, whenever the Director “shall deem such termination necessary or advisable in the interests of the United States.” It is our understanding that this power has been used sparingly, primarily in cases of espionage or criminal behavior where immediate termination is necessary to protect critical Agency interests. Do you intend to use this power against employees who in their private capacity did not vote for Trump? Will continued employment require a loyalty test beyond fidelity to the Constitution? (former intelligence official)
Misuse of Intelligence Information
- In October 2020, shortly before the election, you declassified a Top Secret CIA memo that appeared to be based on intelligence the United States collected from Russia that mentioned Hillary Clinton. It’s clear from the memo that we had a clandestine source of some sort in Russia — whether it be a human source or collection platform — that relayed this information.
- You would agree that Russia is one of our top adversaries?
- And you would agree that Russia is a hard target, meaning that it’s tremendously difficult to place human sources or technical collection in Russia?
- Then why would you expose and burn a sensitive intelligence source in Russia, only for the purpose of damaging a U.S. political figure shortly before an election?
- The CIA opposed this release, did it not? Because it didn’t want to expose this sensitive source? And you didn’t care?
- I’m extremely troubled by you using sensitive intelligence we collect on our adversaries to deliberately harm US persons, especially in the midst of a presidential campaign. How can you possibly defend engaging in such partisan activity while serving as the DNI, especially when it would harm national security? And how can you assure us that you won’t do the same thing as CIA Director? (former intelligence official)
Section 702 of FISA
- Section 702 is coming up for reauthorization in April 2026. You previously signed a letter that you supported reauthorization through RISA because the authority is so valuable, and RISA makes the changes needed to address concerns with misuse of that authority.
- Will you support 702’s reauthorization in April 2026? Do you believe further changes are needed? If so, what are those changes?
- Will you commit to providing as much transparency regarding its implementation, value, and compliance record as is feasible without unduly harming national security? (Alex Joel)
CIA Mission and Organization
- Why would or wouldn’t you retain former CIA Director Brennan’s “modernization” reorganization creating mission centers? (Doug London)
- Do you plan to protect the role of the CIA’s foreign field Chief of Station as also serving as the Director of National Intelligence Representative and therefore senior intelligence officer at post? (Doug London)
Internal and External Oversight and Compliance with the Law
- When Congress passed the IRTPA in 2004, it established the position of the analytic ombudsman “to be responsible for ensuring that finished intelligence products produced by any element or elements of the intelligence community are timely, objective, independent of political considerations, based upon all sources of available intelligence, and employ the standards of proper analytic tradecraft.” [Section 1019 of IRTPA]. In 2020, Congress enacted a requirement for the CIA Director to assign a senior officer from with CIA to act as the CIA’s Analytic Ombudsman [50 USC 3525]. The Analytic Ombudsman is charged with implementing procedures for CIA officers to submit “a complaint alleging politicization, bias, lack of objectivity, or other issues relating to a failure of tradecraft in analysis conducted by the Agency,” investigate those complaints, and report findings to the intelligence committees.
- Do you commit to support the work of these officials in ensuring the objectivity and integrity of intelligence analysis, as laid out in ICD 203, Analytic Standards? (Alex Joel)
- Will you commit to supporting the work of the Inspector General to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse? Will you commit to supporting the Inspector General’s functions in enabling whistleblowers to lawfully and properly report misconduct through appropriate channels, without fear of reprisal? (Alex Joel)
- Ensuring that the Agency complies with the law is an essential responsibility of the DCIA.
- Do you agree?
- Will you commit to supporting the work of intelligence professionals who help ensure that Agency activities comply with the law and that they respect privacy and civil liberties?
- Will you support the work of oversight entities such as the Intelligence Oversight Board and the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board as they conduct their oversight mission? (Alex Joel)
Presidential Immunity and Unlawful Conduct
- Last summer the Supreme Court provided complete immunity to the President for illegal acts conducted as President. How will you proceed if the President instructs you to engage in behavior (for instance, conducting covert actions without notifying the oversight committees) that your General Counsel tells you is contrary to law? If the CIA is instructed to engage in illegal behavior, will you report that to the Congress? Will you protect whistleblowers who provide such information to the oversight committees consistent with statutory protections? And if you decide to proceed with a directed activity that violates US law or the Constitution, will you seek immunity from prosecution (i.e. a preemptive pardon) if the President’s instructions require individual Agency officers to violate U.S. criminal law? (former intelligence official)