Incoming President Donald Trump's nominee for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director assessed Wednesday that North Korea remains a "destabilizing" force.

Incoming President Donald Trump's nominee for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director assessed Wednesday that North Korea remains a "destabilizing" force, as he stressed America faces what may be the "most challenging" national security environment in its history.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA told senators during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that the nation’s premier spy agency must do a better job of staying ahead of global threats posed by Russia, China and other adversaries.

CIA nominee John Ratcliffe is telling senators about how he’ll reshape the intelligence community in what he calls "the most challenging national security environment in our nation’s history."

John Ratcliffe, Donald Trump's pick to lead the CIA, told members of the Senate that loyalty to Trump would not conflict with duties to follow intelligence leads.

John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national ... as America’s greatest geopolitical rival, with Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations ...

John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national ... as America’s greatest geopolitical rival, with Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations ...

John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national ... as America's greatest geopolitical rival, with Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations also ...

John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national ... as America's greatest geopolitical rival, with Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations also ...

Video above: John Ratcliffe says 'we face what may be the ... with Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations also posing challenges to national security.

Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, has been a strong advocate for cryptocurrencies and has argued against too much market regulation. Crypto investors and companies generally considered the Biden administration and outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler as hostile toward their industry.

The Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan looks at the new president’s moves, reporting that Mr. Trump is harnessing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a leftover from the founding era that allows detention and deportation of hostile forces — to be used specifically against the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang and other violent international cartels and gangs.