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Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, is currently serving in the role in an acting capacity.

Trump’s announcement Friday sounded similar to the tweet he wrote last year when he originally said he would nominate Ratcliffe.

I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence. A former U.S. Attorney, John will lead and inspire greatness for the Country he loves. Dan Coats, the current Director, will....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2019

When Ratcliffe was first tapped, ABC News reported he had misrepresented his role in an anti-terrorism case that he had repeatedly cited among his credentials related to national security issues.

Five days after he first tweeted, after Ratcliffe’s qualifications came under fire, Trump announced he had changed his mind – but blamed the media.

Our great Republican Congressman John Ratcliffe is being treated very unfairly by the LameStream Media. Rather than going through months of slander and libel, I explained to John how miserable it would be for him and his family to deal with these people....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019

The day Trump backtracked, he acknowledged Ratcliffe’s shortcomings but downplayed them.

“Now, he wasn’t in that world that much,” the president told reporters on Aug. 2. “I think he would’ve picked it up very quickly.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer swiftly attacked Trump's move, saying it shows \"once again his lack of respect for the rule of law and the intelligence community.\"

\"Replacing one highly partisan operative with another does nothing to keep our country safe,\" he said in a statement urging senators reject Ratcliffe.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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