This week has seen major developments involving John Ratcliffe in his role as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. According to KMJ Now and CBS News, a federal grand jury in Florida has subpoenaed several former senior intelligence and law enforcement officials in connection with the government's original investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U S presidential election. The list of those subpoenaed includes former CIA Director John Brennan as well as high ranking former FBI officials. The probe is focusing on how the 2017 intelligence community assessment was developed during the final days of the Obama administration, particularly regarding the supporting evidence and analytical methods used to draw its conclusions and the inclusion of the so called Steele dossier.

In July, Director Ratcliffe released a CIA report that criticized aspects of the original intelligence assessment, specifically pointing out tradecraft anomalies and questioning the decision to include a two page summary of the Steele dossier in a classified annex. The report warned that this inclusion may have elevated unsubstantiated claims to the status of credible evidence, raising questions about the analytical integrity of the findings. These actions by Ratcliffe reflect ongoing disagreements and deep scrutiny over the intelligence community's handling of the Russia probe, which continues to have repercussions nearly a decade after the original events.

The Post Millennial highlights that the recent criminal investigation into Brennan follows a declassified review by Ratcliffe of the 2017 intelligence report, which found procedural anomalies and suggested the process was rushed. That review concluded that including the disputed dossier undermined a key judgment in the intelligence community assessment. Brennan has also been the subject of a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, with congressional investigators stating there is significant evidence he knowingly made false statements regarding the dossier.

Looking beyond Russia related matters, Almendron reports that Ratcliffe has been a strong advocate of a renewed CIA focus on Latin American affairs as part of the Trump administration's pivot toward the Americas. Under his direction, the agency has supported intensified covert activities concerning the Venezuelan regime, including cyber strategies and expanded information operations to pressure President Maduro and his military leadership. This represents a notable policy shift, with Ratcliffe supporting a more aggressive toolkit than his predecessors, reflecting the Trump administration's willingness to escalate actions short of direct military intervention.

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