The CIA’s New Path: Keeping Politics out of Intelligence

In a chat with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, new CIA Director John Ratcliffe outlined his plans for the agency. He shared that the CIA, world's top foreign intelligence service, should stay neutral and not favor specific political candidates. Ratcliffe believes this will help restore Americans’ trust in government institutions, like the CIA, which protects the country while keeping citizens informed. He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. Millions worldwide, including a million Americans, died, and many more lost jobs, homes, and businesses. Ratcliffe highlighted that the CIA hadn't shared its findings on the pandemic's origins until he took over. He revealed that the agency now believes the virus started in a Chinese lab. Ratcliffe wants the public to see the agency actively sharing its findings. Ratcliffe also talked about keeping politics out of the intelligence community. He explained that the Trump administration removed clearances from 51 intel officials who improperly influenced the 2020 election. This was not about revenge, but about making sure politics doesn't mix with intelligence work.