Ratcliffe supports Section 702 amid FISA renewal debate

John Ratcliffe, President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency, voiced strong support for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is set to expire next year, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Addressing the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ratcliffe called the statute “indispensable” for national security, noting that it provides over half of the actionable foreign intelligence used by the president. However, he acknowledged concerns about civil liberties and emphasized the need for robust safeguards.

Section 702 allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect communications from foreign targets but incidentally captures Americans’ data without a warrant. Ratcliffe highlighted the CIA’s compliance rate of 99.6% in handling so-called “U.S. person queries.” He opposed requiring warrants to access the database, arguing that the delay could jeopardize national security operations. Ratcliffe, a former Director of National Intelligence, predicted continued debate over FISA renewal and pledged to clarify misconceptions if confirmed.