The former Texas congressman said the CIA needed to return to its core missions following criticism from Donald Trump the agency was politically biased.

Trump's pick to be CIA director promised in his confirmation hearing to hone in on setting strong intelligence collection priorities and "demanding relentless execution."

The Senate intelligence committee began a confirmation hearing on Wednesday for President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be CIA director, John Ratcliffe, a former Republican lawmaker who was accused of using intelligence for political ends as the nation’s top spy during the incoming U.