US lawmakers confirmed a key member of President Donald Trump's national security team on Thursday, with a 74-25 vote to confirm John Ratcliffe as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA.
Mr. Ratcliffe, who served as Director of National Intelligence during President Trump's first term, was sworn in about two hours later before Vice President J.D. Vance.
Vice President Vance called Mr. Ratcliffe a "great patriot" and said he has the President's trust.
The vote came three days after Mr. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and three days after a request from top Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee for a quick vote on Mr. Ratcliffe's nomination to lead the CIA.
"Our world is too dangerous for there to be Senate delays in confirming the CIA director," Senators Tom Cotton and Mark Warner said in a statement Monday.
Mr. Ratcliffe is the first director of the Central Intelligence Agency to have previously headed National Intelligence. VOA
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