Today the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will consider President Trump’s nomination of Congressman John Ratcliffe to serve our nation as director of national intelligence. I’ve had the privilege of serving in Congress with John, and I know him to be a man of integrity who is committed first and foremost to the security of our nation and our citizens. John Ratcliffe has an incredible depth of knowledge and experience, and has demonstrated the kind of judgement and temperament that America needs in its national intelligence director.
For the past 15 years, John has been involved in protecting the security of our nation, from his time working in the Department of Justice to his time as a Representative in Congress. During his years as a federal prosecutor as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and as the Chief of Anti-Terrorism and National Security for the Eastern District of Texas, John proved his commitment to the non-partisan defense of the rule of law. He also laid down a proven track record of leadership success in the intelligence field as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, in which capacity he addressed dozens of national security and terrorism related matters.
John currently serves with me on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. From that vantage point, he’s had a front row seat to the dangers of the politicization of the Intelligence Community (IC). He saw these problems firsthand in our investigation of severe abuses of the FISA court system, and he’s been instrumental in discovering the facts about those abuses so they cannot happen again.
John understands the threats our country faces at every level. His work on the Intelligence Committee’s Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness has equipped him in helping the IC address emerging threats in new spaces and with new technologies – from 5G to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing. His experience will help the IC address workforce issues and operate more cohesively to combat the disparate threats we face from malicious actors ranging from nation states to individual hackers and terrorists. He also has deep knowledge of emerging threats and related issues from his tenure as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee.
John’s years of dedication to our national security demonstrate an unwavering passion for securing the safety of the American people. He is the right person at the right time to ensure that the President and policymakers get the unvarnished, critical insights they need to make informed decisions. His deep relationships in Congress will help him to keep America’s lawmakers informed about what threats we face and what we are doing to address them – and to do so focused on facts, not personal preferences.
I firmly believe that President Trump made a strong choice in selecting John Ratcliffe as his ideal candidate for director of national intelligence. John’s experience suits him perfectly to help President Trump ensure that every American is safe and secure.
Congressman Devin Nunes represents California’s 22nd District and serves as Ranking Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.