WASHINGTON, DC: The US Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence on Thursday (May 21), placing a close political ally of President Donald Trump in charge of a massive US spy community that Trump brands a troublesome "deep state".

The Senate voted 49-44 on sharply partisan lines to approve Ratcliffe, a Republican congressman from Texas, 10 months after he first withdrew from consideration for the job amid broad doubts about his qualifications.