Trump chooses former intelligence director Ratcliffe as CIA director and Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – President-elect Donald Trump On Tuesday, he announced that he had nominated former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to head the Central Intelligence Agency. He also said he selected former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and long-time friend Steven Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East.

In a series of announcements, Trump also named Bill McGinley, the Cabinet secretary from his first administration, as White House counsel.

Trump broadcasts a steady stream appointees and candidates So far, his upcoming administration is running faster and as drama-free as his first transition after his victory in 2016.

Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence in the final months of Trump’s first term and led the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. He is a more traditional choice for the job, which requires Senate confirmation, than some rumored loyalists pushed by some Trump supporters.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his intended candidacy comes at a time when Trump has vowed to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests, as Israel wages war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. came. Witkoff is a Florida real estate investor who chaired Trump’s inaugural committee. He also spent time in the New York real estate world, where Trump first made his mark as a public figure.

As intelligence director, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats. Declassification in the final days of the 2020 presidential election Russian intelligence claimed, although admitted, that damaging information about Democrats during the 2016 race may not have been true.

Ratcliffe’s visibility increased as he emerged in 2019 A fierce defender of Trump during the House’s first impeachment proceedings against him. He was a member of Trump’s impeachment advisory team and vigorously questioned witnesses during the impeachment hearings.

“This is the weakest, fastest, weakest impeachment process our country has ever seen,” Ratcliffe said after the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump. He also forcibly questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller as he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“I look forward to John being the first person to serve in our nation’s highest Intelligence position,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a fearless warrior for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans while ensuring the Highest Level of National Security and PEACE THROUGH FORCE.”

Huckabee has been organizing paid tour group visits to Israel for years and frequently advertises the trips in conservative-leaning news outlets.

“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor and Faith Leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel and the people of Israel, and the people of Israel love him as well. Mike will work tirelessly to achieve Peace in the Middle East!”

David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel during his first term, said he was “thrilled” by Trump choosing Huckabee.

Witkoff is also the president-elect’s golf partner and was with him when he was the target of a second assassination attempt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September.

Trump’s transition team did not elaborate on his Middle East envoy role, but Trump said in a statement that “Steve will be a relentless Voice of PEACE and will make us all proud.”

Witkoff’s selection follows Trump’s pattern of placing people close to him in key roles in his Middle East portfolio. Eight years ago, he appointed former corporate lawyer Jason Greenbaltt as his special representative on international negotiations and relied on son-in-law Jared Kushner as his personal envoy for talks in the region.