Trump taps new intelligence director

WASHINGTON—After withdrawing from consideration last year, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, is up for the director of national intelligence spot again. President Donald Trump announced the nomination on Friday.

Who is John Ratcliffe? A former federal prosecutor, Ratcliffe has defended the Trump administration and criticized former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. After Dan Coats stepped down from the intelligence position last year, Trump planned to nominate Ratcliffe, but the lawmaker came under scrutiny following accusations that he inflated his résumé, as well as questions about his qualifications in the intelligence realm. Ratcliffe will likely face a stiff confirmation battle.

Dig deeper: Read Hannah Harris’ report in The Sift about Ratcliffe’s first nomination.