Divided Senate confirms Ratcliffe as intelligence chief

WASHINGTON — A sharply divided Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence on Thursday, with Democrats refusing to support the nomination over fears he will politicize the intelligence community’s work under President Donald Trump.

All Democrats opposed Ratcliffe, making him the first DNI to be installed on a partisan vote since the position was created in 2005. The tally was 49-44.

Ratcliffe will take over the agency as the nation faces threats from Iran and North Korea, Russian disinformation campaigns to interfere in the U.S. elections, and tensions with China over rising competition and the spread of the coronavirus. At the same time, Trump has viewed the intelligence agencies with distrust and ousted or fired multiple officials.

The Texas Republican seemed unlikely to get the position when Trump in February announced plans to nominate him, as he had been selected for the job last year and withdrew after Republicans questioned his experience. But senators warmed to him as they grew concerned about the upheaval in the intelligence community and wanted a permanent, confirmed director.

Ratcliffe will replace Richard Grenell, the current acting director, who has overseen some of the personnel changes. Grenell, U.S. ambassador to Germany, has a thin intelligence background and is seen as a loyalist to Trump.

Grenell made personnel changes and ordered reviews of the national intelligence director’s office that critics feared were an attempt to clean house.