DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - President Donald Trump says he will nominate a Congressman from Texas as the Director of National Intelligence. John Ratcliffe, a Republican from Heath, would replace Dan Coats, who announced his resignation effective August 15.
The Fourth Congressional District stretches from Kaufman County and parts of northern Collin County to the Oklahoma and Louisiana state lines. Ratcliffe was elected in 2014.
"A former U.S. Attorney, John will lead and inspire greatness for the Country he loves," President Trump tweeted.
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. A former U.S. Attorney, John will lead and inspire greatness for the Country he loves. Dan Coats, the current Director, will....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2019"President Trump's call to serve in this role was not one I could ignore, and I am incredibly thankful to him for this great honor. I look forward to my new role with energy and focus. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to be the voice for the people of the Fourth District," Ratcliffe wrote.
Ratcliffe was mayor of Heath from 2004 to 2012. He was acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas in 2007 and 2008.
"He's been a mayor, he's been a United States attorney, he's now a member of the United States House of Representatives, and in all of those positions, he has shined and done very, very well," says former UT-Arlington political science professor Allan Saxe. "There could not have been anybody better to serve in the position than John Ratcliffe."
Saxe says Ratcliffe's time as a U.S. attorney gives him experience prosecuting terrorists. He says Ratcliffe also showed composure during the hearing with special counsel Robert Mueller.
"A lot of people know him," Saxe says. "In fact, if you watched the Mueller hearings the other day, you saw him in action."
During the hearing, Ratcliffe said Mueller had gone too far in saying his report did not exonerate the president, saying, "The special counsel's job, nowhere does it say that you were to conclusively determine Donald Trump's innocence."
If Ratcliffe is confirmed, a special election would be held to fill his seat.
