President Trump announced Friday afternoon Congressman John Ratcliffe's nomination to be the next Director of National Intelligence has been withdrawn.
....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
Ratcliffe was nominated earlier this week when it was announced former DNI Director Dan Coates would be stepping down.
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
I was humbled and honored that the President put his trust in me to lead our nation’s intelligence operations and remain convinced that when confirmed, I would have done so with the objectivity, fairness and integrity that our intelligence agencies need and deserve.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) August 2, 2019
However, I do not wish for a national security and intelligence debate surrounding my confirmation, however untrue, to become a purely political and partisan issue. The country we all love deserves that it be treated as an American issue.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) August 2, 2019
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Accordingly, I have asked the President to nominate someone other than me for this position.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) August 2, 2019
After Ratcliffe was nominated, the media jumped to falsely condemn him as soft on Russia due to this exchange with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
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