WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to confirm John Ratcliffe as the next CIA director under President Donald Trump, approving the second high-level appointment for the new administration.

Ratcliffe faced a brief delay to his nomination from Democrats questioning his independence from President Donald Trump.

John Ratcliffe was confirmed to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Thursday, making him the second of President Donald Trump's cabinet picks to secure their position.

He has offered a vision for a more aggressive spy agency, and his focus on the threat from China is widely shared by Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet.

Ratcliffe, Trump’s former director of national intelligence, sought to reassure senators that he would remain apolitical in his role as CIA director.

The Senate is poised to confirm John Ratcliffe as CIA director on Thursday as Republicans work to approve officials to the top posts in his administration amid delays by Democrats.

A former federal prosecutor and Texas Republican, Ratcliffe gained prominence as a congressman as a staunch defender of Trump.

The former Texas lawmaker and prosecutor was Trump's national intelligence director in his first term. He vowed to reject White House political pressure ...

Former Congressman John Ratcliffe is the nation's new CIA director after the Senate voted 74-25 in favor of his confirmation on Thursday.