After being nominated just one week ago as the next Director of National Intelligence by President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (TX-4) has decided to stay in Congress instead.
In a pair of surprise posts on Twitter this afternoon, Trump explained Ratcliffe’s reasoning, which centered around “going through months of slander and libel” by the “LameStream Media.” Senate Democrats had already begun the process of picking apart Ratcliffe’s resume, aided by their leftist media allies.
….John has therefore decided to stay in Congress where he has done such an outstanding job representing the people of Texas, and our Country. I will be announcing my nomination for DNI shortly.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019
“I do not wish for a national security and intelligence debate surrounding my confirmation, however untrue, to become a purely political and partisan issue,” Ratcliffe later stated. “The country we all love deserves that it be treated as an American issue.”
While I am and will remain very grateful to the President for his intention to nominate me as Director of National Intelligence, I am withdrawing from consideration.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) August 2, 2019
