JOHN RATCLIFFE

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe expressed concerns about China-Russia relationship and warned of a shift in global power dynamics on "Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy."

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe was "troubled" by the restored ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, blasting President Biden's foreign policies.

Former DNI John Ratcliffe responds to James Clapper's claim that Politico "distorted" the letter he signed dismissing Hunter's laptop as Russian disinformation.

Former Trump National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe dissected the Biden administration's response to foreign objects invading U.S. airspace on 'America's Newsroom.'

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe reacts to the Biden administration's highly controversial handling of China's spy balloon.

The House Jan. 6 committee has interviewed former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and is in negotiations to talk to several other former members of Donald Trump’s Cabinet.

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said a raft of documents he provided to special counsel John Durham supports additional charges in his criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation.

The former staffer thought others would be outraged by what he’d heard. He was wrong.

UFOs exist that appear to display technology the United States does not possess and lacks the ability to defend against, according to a former intelligence chief.

Lieutenant Commander Alex Dietrich is, by her own admission, a highly rational person. A US Navy fighter pilot who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, she has landed a supersonic F/A-18 jet on an aircraft carrier hundreds of times, and now teaches at the US Naval Academy. She has also had one of the most famous close encounters with a UFO, or Unidentified Flying Object. On November 14, 2004, Lt Cdr Dietrich was stationed off the coast of southern California on the USS Nimitz carrier, when numerous flying objects were picked up by ship radar - see the final silent clip in the video below. The objects had descended impossibly fast, dropping a distance of 80,000ft in less than a second.

The director of National Intelligence and secretary of defense were tasked with creating the upcoming report for Congress, expected by June 1.

Chief of Space Operations at U.S. Space Force Gen. John Raymond speaks at a ceremony to commemorate the first birthday of the U.S. Space Force at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – The U.S. intelligence community got larger on Friday with the addition of the U.S. Space Force. The Space Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Enterprise became the 18th member of the intelligence apparatus. For the military, Space Force answers a need to more effectively organize for the defense of U.S. interests in space — especially satellites used for navigation and communication. Space Force is not designed or intended to put combat troops in space.

President Donald Trump released a new national space policy Wednesday (Dec. 9), laying out the fundamental principles of, and chief priorities for, the United States' diverse space activities going forward. The newly issued national space policy recognizes that "space is and should be a priority intelligence domain," Ratcliffe added. "If our adversaries challenge us in space, they will face a truly united national security space team," he said. The new national space policy, a 40-page document, is similar in many ways to the official policy issued in 2010 by President Barack Obama. It's unclear, however, how much of an impact the newly issued national space policy will have.

WASHINGTON – China poses the greatest threat to America and the rest of the free world since World War II, outgoing National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe said Thursday as the Trump administration ramps up anti-Chinese rhetoric to pressure President-elect Joe Biden to be tough on Beijing. “It offered nothing new but repeated the lies and rumors aimed at smearing China and playing up the China threat by any means," Hua said at a daily briefing on Friday. Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist who has been accused of politicizing the position, has been the nation's top intelligence official since May. Ratcliffe said he has shifted money within the $85 billion annual intelligence budget to address the threat from China. Biden has announced that he wants the Senate to confirm Avril Haines, a former deputy director of the CIA, to succeed Ratcliffe as the next national intelligence director.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)WASHINGTON – U.S. officials said Thursday that Russian hackers have targeted the networks of dozens of state and local governments in the United States in recent days, stealing data from at least two servers. “However, the actor may be seeking access to obtain future disruption options, to influence U.S. policies and actions, or to delegitimize (state and local) government entities,” the advisory said. He said the alert was issued in regard to the scanning of county networks for vulnerabilities, not specifically to the targeting of elections. As of October 1, the advisory said, the hackers have exfiltrated data from at least two servers. Hultquist said he does not think Energetic Bear has the ability to directly affect the U.S. vote but fears it could disrupt local and state government networks proximate to the systems that process votes.

Officials say Russia and Iran have obtained some voter registration data, aiming to interfere in the November election. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File)WASHINGTON – U.S. officials have accused Iran of being behind a flurry of emails sent to Democratic voters in multiple battleground states that appeared to be aimed at intimidating them into voting for President Donald Trump. Iran sent spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters and sow unrest and also distributed a video that falsely suggested voters could cast fraudulent ballots from overseas, Ratcliffe said. Though Democratic voters were targeted, Ratcliffe said the spoofed emails were intended to harm Trump, though he did not elaborate how. “These emails are meant to intimidate and undermine American voters’ confidence in our elections,” Christopher Krebs, the top election security official at the Department of Homeland Security, tweeted Tuesday night after reports of the emails first surfaced.

Iran and Russia have obtained voter registration information and are sending disinformation to Americans ahead of election day, the leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies including the FBI warned on Wednesday night. John Ratcliffe, the national intelligence director, said Iran and Russia want to “cause confusion, sow chaos and undermine your confidence in American democracy.”“These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries,” he added. “Our election systems are resilient, and you can be confident that your vote is secure,” he said. Voter registration information is often publicly or commercially available, so there’s no indication that hacking was involved in the operations mentioned by U.S. officials. Moscow is generally believed to have the most active election meddling effort, and intelligence officials say it is spreading disinformation to undermine Biden.

Iran and Russia have both obtained information about American voter registrations and are trying to influence the public about the upcoming U.S. presidential election, national security officials said Wednesday night. "Iran and Russia have taken specific actions to influence public opinion related to our elections," said Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe at a hastily scheduled press conference. "First we have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran and separately by Russia," Ratcliffe said at the briefing, which comes less than two weeks before Election Day. "Although we have not seen the same actions from Russia, we are aware that they have obtained some voter information just as they did in 2016," Ratcliffe said. This action I do not believe was aimed ... at discrediting President Trump," Schumer said in the interview.

BOSTON – U.S. officials accused Iran on Wednesday of being behind a flurry of emails sent to Democratic voters in multiple battleground states that appeared to be aimed at intimidating them into voting for President Donald Trump. Iran sent spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters and sow unrest and also distributed a video that falsely suggested voters could cast fraudulent ballots from overseas, Ratcliffe said. Wray and Ratcliffe did not describe the emails, but officials familiar with the matter said the U.S. has linked Tehran to messages sent to Democratic voters in at least four states, including battleground locations like Pennsylvania and Florida. Though Democratic voters were targeted, Ratcliffe said the spoofed emails were intended to harm Trump, though he did not elaborate how. The operation represented something of a departure in cyber-ops for Iran, which sought for the first time on record to undermine voter confidence.

Top intelligence officials announced Wednesday evening that Iran and Russia have taken actions to try to compromise the U.S. election and have obtained some voter registration data. Get Breaking News Delivered to Your InboxRatcliffe said Iran had also distributed other video content implying people could cast fraudulent ballots, "even from overseas." The information in the video is not true, Ratcliffe emphasized, adding that Americans can be assured the election is secure. "These accusations are nothing more than another scenario to undermine voter confidence, & are absurd." Ratcliffe said the intelligence community had not seen Russia take the same actions as Iran, even though Moscow has obtained U.S. voter information as it did in 2016.

Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, has been working to declassify details about the Russia investigation, which culminated in the 2019 report by former special counsel Robert Mueller. (Gabriella Demczuk/The New York Times via AP, Pool)WASHINGTON – The Russia probe is back in the political spotlight. Moreover, intelligence professionals blasted John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence and a Trump loyalist, for going along with the declassification, saying it was a flagrant example of using intelligence for political purposes. Trump remains irritated by the Russia probe because he thinks it de-legitimizes his presidency. Trump detractors dismissed the intelligence as Russian disinformation, although Ratcliffe insisted it was not.

The hearing was part of a review of the Russia probe by the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee. Though Comey acknowledged the FBI’s shortcomings in the surveillance of Page, he also described that aspect of the probe as a “slice” of the broader Russia investigation, which he defended as legitimate and valid. The inspector general report, and documents released in recent months, have raised questions about the reliability of that research. Comey defended the investigation, which was opened after a campaign adviser boasted that he had heard Russia had damaging information about Clinton. But Republican lawmakers have seized on the critical aspects of the watchdog report to cast broader doubt on the Russia investigation.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has agreed to provide in-person briefings on threats to the November election to key members of Congress, backing down from a decision last month to provide that information only in writing. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has agreed to provide briefings to the Senate and House intelligence committees, according to the heads of those panels. A person familiar with the briefing said Ratcliffe’s office had accepted an invitation to brief the panel behind closed doors. Democrats said that would prevent members from asking followup questions and allow the administration to limit what information it allows. He said in the statement that he had shared with them his proposal on how the intelligence community will share election updates in the future.

The goal, part of the Russian playbook for decades, was to sow chaos by posting content on both sides of the racial divide. Indeed, no single group of Americans was targeted by IRA information operatives more than African-Americans, concluded a report from the Senate intelligence committee. They fear the Trump administration's decision to limit what it tells Congress and by extension the American people about election threats will allow the propaganda to spread. The intelligence statement did not offer specifics about what tactics Russia is using, but the past provides important clues. What people need to be looking for is stuff that is seemingly trying to get a rise out of them, Jankowicz said.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 5, 2020. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee voted along party lines on Tuesday to back President Donald Trumps nomination of Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to be director of national intelligence. The committee said the vote was 8-7, along partly lines, with Trumps fellow Republicans backing the nominee and committee Democrats opposed. Trump first said he would nominate Ratcliffe, a member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, to be director of national intelligence last year. Senator Marco Rubio, acting chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said he looked forward to voting for Ratcliffes confirmation.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 5, 2020. The committee said the vote was 8-7, along partly lines, with Trumps fellow Republicans backing the nominee and committee Democrats opposed. Trumps fellow Republicans hold a 53-to-47-seat majority and rarely break from the president, but Ratcliffe has not won over Democrats. Trump nominated Ratcliffe, a member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, to be director of national intelligence last year. The nomination was dropped amid questions about his lack of experience and partisan reputation but the Republican president nominated him again this year.

WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday endorsed the confirmation of U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, President Donald Trump's nominee to be the nation's top spy. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will lead the nation's 17 intelligence agencies as the director of national intelligence. Trump nominated Ratcliffe, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, on the heels of Coats' departure. Ratcliffe was elected to Congress in 2015 and also sits on the House Judiciary committee. It exists for everyone, everyone is entitled to it, including sitting presidents," Ratcliffe said during the House Judiciary hearing.

Many questions for the nominee to lead 17 U.S. intelligence agencies centered on the coronavirus and China, the country Trump has partly blamed for the devastating impact on the United States. The cavernous hearing room was eerily empty, as senators observed strict protocols to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. Trumps administration and the government in Beijing have engaged in a war of words over how the coronavirus spread. Ratcliffe said he viewed China as the greatest threat to the United States, on many fronts. Trump nominated Ratcliffe, a member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee since January 2019, to be director of national intelligence last summer.

Representative John Ratcliffe, a Republican from Texas, listens during a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. "The immediate concern that I have is getting answers," U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. "If confirmed, the intelligence community will be laser-focused on getting all the answers that we can regarding how this happened," he said. The coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million worldwide, and though many have recovered more than 254,430 have died. Ratcliffe, who if confirmed will lead the nation's 17 intelligence agencies, said that he viewed China as the greatest threat to the United States, on many fronts.

"Congress has neither authorized organizational changes at ODNI, nor appropriated funds for that purpose," Schiff wrote. Their letter, whose text included committee-sensitive information and has not been publicly released, received perfunctory acknowledgement from Mr. Grenell, according to the aide. He requested a written explanation from Grenell for the changes made to date at ODNI by April 16. He withdrew his initial nomination in August after questions arose about his national security experience. These press leaks politicizing the intelligence community must stop," Grenell wrote.

"I have been handling national security issues as far back as 2005," Ratcliffe told CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge in an exclusive interview. "I have spent four years at the Justice Department in charge of sensitive matters of national security, anti-terrorism investigations. For the last five years I have been legislating almost exclusively on national security issues." On the coronavirus, Ratcliffe said China and North Korea can't be trusted to provide accurate data, adding he is confident the U.S. intelligence community has the tools to provide the most complete picture. "I hope to bring incredible experience regarding national security and intelligence from all of the different vantage points that I have had into a modern day intelligence community to address all of these threats."

WASHINGTON, DC DECEMBER 09: Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) questions Intelligence Committee Minority Counsel Stephen Castor and Intelligence Committee Majority Counsel Daniel Goldman during the House impeachment inquiry hearings in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill December 9, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)In what amounts to a dare to a direct challenge to Senate Republicans, President Trump announced that his pick to head the intelligence community is the same Republican congressman whose previous bid for that job collapsed amid revelations that he misrepresented his background. Trump said in a tweet that he was nominating Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas to be the director of national intelligence, calling the former federal prosecutor "an outstanding man of great talent." More from NBC NewsTrump previously put forward Ratcliffe for the post last year, but abruptly withdraw the nomination after Senate Republicans began to balk. Ratcliffe, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, was among the most strident voices attacking the Russia investigation and advancing questionable notions, including asserting that "crimes were committed during the Obama administration" in investigating Russian election interference.

Peter Hoekstra, Trump's current ambassador to the Netherlands, also remains in contention, multiple sources told CNN. The search continuesAt the moment, the White House is still working to identify credible candidates as a wide-range of names continue to be floated. A final decision remains up in the air and there does not appear to be a frontrunner at this time, multiple sources told CNN. Some White House officials approached Pence with their opinions about potential candidates and he conveyed some of their thoughts to the President. But while Fleitz's chances of securing the nomination appear to be dwindling, multiple sources told CNN that Pete Hoekstra remains in the mix.

As he departed for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, President Trump told reporters that his choice to be the head of the intelligence community, Rep. John Ratcliffe, had been treated "very unfairly." "I like her," Mr. Trump said about Gordon. He's a fine man," Mr. Trump told reporters. When asked about the vetting process for nominees, Mr. Trump said: "You vet for me." I give out a name for the press, and you vet for me," he told reporters.

President Trump abruptly gave up his choice to serve as the nations next intelligence chief Friday, tweeting that Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas, who had gotten minimal support from Republican senators, was being mistreated by the media. Our great Republican Congressman John Ratcliffe is being treated very unfairly by the LameStream Media. AdvertisementBut Republicans, many of whom were irked by Trumps treatment of Coats, hedged on whether they would support Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe followed Trumps tweets with his own, stating that he was humbled by the nomination but had asked Trump to remove him from consideration. The next director of national intelligence must be someone who is nonpartisan, sees the world objectively and speaks truth to power.Times staff writer Jennifer Haberkorn contributed to this report.

US Representative John Ratcliffe, Republican of Texas, listens as former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2019. Rep. John Ratcliffe has withdrawn from consideration as the next director of national intelligence, President Donald Trump said Friday, on the heels of continued questions about Ratcliffe's qualifications for the job. Trump said that Ratcliffe, who will remain in Congress, "is being treated very unfairly by the LameStream media." The president said he would soon announce another person as his nominee for director of national intelligence. He's a fine man, he's a fine man," Trump said.

Washington President Trump defended his pick for director of national intelligence on Tuesday as Democrats called him unqualified. Three-term Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe joined the House Intelligence Committee six months ago. As director of national intelligence, he would be the nation's top intelligence official. His office notes he "handled top secret, secret and confidential" information daily when he worked for the Department of Justice. It's a surprisingly lukewarm response from the Senate leader, especially when talking about a fellow Republican.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would nominate Representative John Ratcliffe, a Texas Republican who strongly defended him at a recent congressional hearing, to replace Dan Coats as the U.S. spy chief. The post of director of national intelligence, created after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, oversees the 17 U.S. civilian and military intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency. The congressman agreed that Trump was not above the law, but said the president should not be below the law either. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, criticized Trumps choice, saying its clear that Rep. Ratcliffe was selected because he exhibited blind loyalty to President Trump with his demagogic questioning of ... Mueller. In an unusual step, Coats responded by releasing a statement firmly supporting U.S. assessments that Russia was involved in ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy.

A mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival leaves at least three dead and the question of Why?TOP STORIESA Deadly Shooting in GilroyA crowded gathering. At the Gilroy Garlic Festival on Sunday, at least three people were killed and 15 others were wounded when gunfire erupted in a scenario that has played out over and over again in the U.S. A young couple embrace in a parking lot after a shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND-- The Tate-LaBianca murders rocked California, drew international attention and came to symbolize the city of Los Angeles.

Copyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Dan Coats will step down as the director of national intelligence on August 15, President Donald Trump announced Sunday in a tweet, a departure that marks the most recent chapter in Trump's tense and puzzling relationship with the US intelligence community. Trump's evident hostility and distrust of his own intelligence agencies made Coats' job as director arguably one of the most politically fraught in Washington. Coats vs. Trump on North KoreaWhile Trump had complained about Coats in the past, White House officials began preparing in earnest for his ejection after the Presidents Day holiday weekend, which Trump had spent venting to friends and advisers about Coats, two senior administration officials told CNN. Shortly afterward, while onstage at a conference, the intelligence director was visibly surprised by an announcement that Trump was planning on inviting Putin to Washington. Trump ripped Coats and other leaders the next day in a series of tweets, while his allies said intelligence officials should not publicly air assessments that differ from the President's.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would nominate Representative John Ratcliffe, a Republican who strongly defended him at a recent congressional hearing, to replace Dan Coats as the U.S. spy chief. FILE PHOTO: Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2019. I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence, Trump said. The post of director of national intelligence, created after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, oversees the 17 U.S. civilian and military intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency. Related Coverage Trump says spy chief Coats stepping down, says will nominate RatcliffeThe congressman agreed that Trump was not above the law, but said the president should not be below the law either.

FILE PHOTO: Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Sunday the nations top intelligence official, Dan Coats, would leave his post next month and that he would nominate Republican congressman John Ratcliffe to replace him. I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence, Trump said on Twitter.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dan Coats, the spy chief who has clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump over assessments involving Russia, Iran and North Korea, plans to step down soon, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsA person with direct knowledge of that matter told Reuters that Coats advised Trump last week that he planned to step down fairly soon as director of national intelligence. Trump is seriously considering tapping U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe, a fellow Republican, to replace Coats, a source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. In January, Coats told Congress that North Korea was unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, contradicting Trumps statement that Pyongyang no longer poses a threat.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2019. Trump is seriously considering tapping U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe, a fellow Republican, to replace Coats in the job, a source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. In January, Coats told Congress that North Korea was unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, contradicting Trumps statement that Pyongyang no longer poses a threat. He also told lawmakers that Iran had continued to comply with a nuclear deal that Trump abandoned. The next day, Trump on Twitter complained about the passive and naive U.S. intelligence leaders, suggesting they go back to school!

President Donald Trump's just-announced nominee to replace Dan Coats as director of national intelligence had already drawn national attention earlier this week, when he delivered an aggressive diatribe against former special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller's 448-page report found insufficient evidence to prove coordination, and declined to make a determination on obstruction despite detailing numerous examples of potential obstruction by Trump. But the report notes: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." But he tore into Mueller for including the asterisk in his report that explicitly said Trump was not exonerated. The former special counsel responded, "I cannot, but this is a unique situation."

President Trump is nominating Congressman John Ratcliffe, Republican of Texas, to replace Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, Mr. Trump tweeted Sunday night. "I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence. "Dan Coats, the current Director, will...be leaving office on August 15th. He's a member of both the House Intelligence Committee and House Judiciary Committee, and once prosecuted terrorism cases. The president's tweet ended months of speculation that Mr. Coats would either soon depart or be ousted from his role.

President Trump said Sunday he was replacing Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, whose views on the threat posed by Russia often conflicted with the presidents, with Rep. John Ratcliffe, a Texas Republican and Trump loyalist. My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me, and some others, they said they think its Russia, Trump said. Id have to look.AdvertisementThe intelligence chief again broke with Trump during testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in January. He served on both the House Judiciary Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, giving him two opportunities to question Mueller last week. The special counsel confirmed the Russians have never stopped their interference, said Schiff, who heads the House Intelligence Committee.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 29, 2019. Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, will be stepping down in mid-August, President Donald Trump said in a tweet Sunday. Trump said he will nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to replace Coats. Coats' departure ends a two-plus-year relationship with Donald Trump marked by tensions over the administration's foreign policy stances that at times spilled into public view. "It was not the special counsel's job to conclusively determine Donald Trump's innocence or to exonerate him because the bedrock principle of our justice system is a presumption of innocence.