John
Ratcliffe
REPUBLICAN
Texas
Appointed Position:
Director of Central Intelligence Agency
Overview
Before his nomination as CIA head, John Ratcliffe served as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) for the final months of the Trump administration. Between then and his current appointment, he worked as a senior advisor to a defense contractor whose clients include firms that could benefit under his leadership.
The Facts
Since June 2022, Ratcliffe has served as a senior advisor at American Global Strategies, a firm founded by former Trump-era National Security staff. He was tapped to work with the firm’s clients across the defense, aerospace, technology, cybersecurity and private equity sectors, according to a news release announcing his start. Ratcliffe is one of eleven “senior advisors.”
American Global Strategies CEO Alexander Gray has been a consistent voice in support of U.S. intervention to counter the “malign influence” of the People’s Republic of China. Gray has also publicly supported Trump’s proposal to retake control of the Panama Canal.
Ratcliffe has other personal ethics concerns related to spending by his congressional campaign.
Ratcliffe reportedly shifted $280,500 in campaign funds to family members after leaving Congress. This included paying $44,000 to his wife, Michele Ratcliffe, as treasurer of his congressional campaign, spending $11,500 on a website promoting his personal consulting business, and cutting himself a $225,000 loan repayment check.
What is Ratcliffe’s relationship with his fellow senior advisors at American Global Strategies?
Has he spoken to any senior advisors about potential government contracts for companies they lead, including but not limited to The Levy Group; BlueWater Strategies or Antiphon Solutions?
Does Ratcliffe have any frequent contacts at L3 Technologies and Northrop Grumman, both of which were major contributors to his congressional campaigns?
Questions to Track