Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe as CIA Director Amid Scrutiny

The U.S. Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence, as the new CIA Director. Despite concerns about political bias, Ratcliffe assured he wouldn't fire employees over political views. He plans to address U.S. relations with Russia and China and investigate 'Havana Syndrome' incidents.

In a significant move, the U.S. Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as the new Director of the CIA on Thursday. Ratcliffe, a former House member and previous Director of National Intelligence, received approval with a 74-25 vote, securing support from 20 Democrats and one independent.

The Republican-led Senate has prioritized confirming President Trump's nominees swiftly, starting with Ratcliffe, amidst discussions about political neutrality within the intelligence community. During his nomination hearing, Ratcliffe assured the Senate Intelligence Committee that he would maintain apolitical standards and not dismiss employees based on their political views.

Ratcliffe intends to focus on countering threats from Russia and China while promising to investigate the 'Havana Syndrome' affecting U.S. personnel. His agenda also includes developing offensive cyber capabilities to bolster the country's national security strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)