President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency reportedly tried to withdraw her name from consideration for the position, spurring White House officials to stage a last-minute intervention.
Gina Haspel told the White House on Friday she was ready to withdraw her nomination to avoid damaging the reputation of the CIA during an upcoming Senate confirmation hearing, four senior U.S. officials told the Washington Post. Senior officials like legislative affairs chief Marc Short and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders then reportedly rushed to the agency’s Virginia headquarters to try to persuade her against it.
Haspel reportedly claimed she did not want to be “the next Ronny Jackson,” referring to Trump’s pick to be Veterans Affairs secretary who withdrew from consideration after reports surfaced about his prescribing habits and possible history of alcohol abuse — claims that Jackson and others in the White House have denied.
[Also read: Trump defends CIA pick from Democrats who say she was ‘too tough on terrorists’]
Haspel’s nomination is on track to continue, an administration official told the Post. A 33-year veteran of the CIA, Haspel is slated to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.
She is sure to face tough questions regarding her involvement in the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which GOP lawmakers like Sen. John McCain of Arizona have equated to torture. Haspel led a secret CIA detention facility in Thailand and was later reportedly involved in the destruction of interrogation tapes.
Haspel would need the support of 50 senators to become the first female head of the CIA. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has already signaled he will oppose the nomination. With McCain’s continued absence, it is likely Republicans, who only hold 51 seats in the chamber, will need some Democratic support in order to advance the nomination.
