Trump had not nominated anyone for the position of CIA director when the post was made. He nominated John Ratcliffe a day later.

Trump has sought to distance himself from Project 2025, but two of his post-election hires are listed as contributors to the effort.

Inside the US intelligence community, a deep wariness about a second Trump administration has set in, stoked by memories of the antagonistic relationship the nation’s spy agencies had with Donald Trump the last time he was president.