President Trump’s CIA director nominee, Gina Haspel, is promising senators ahead of her May 9 confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee that she will not reopen a detention and interrogation program, a new report says.
According to an anonymous congressional aide, Haspel intents to provide assurance in her “opening statement and has been telling members that as well,” per Reuters.
Haspel, who has been with the CIA since 1985, was in charge of a covert CIA prison in Thailand where detainees were subject to waterboarding and other interrogation methods in 2002. Haspel has faced opposition from some lawmakers including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., due to her role in the program.
Haspel was named to replace former CIA Director Mike Pompeo by Trump in March and is the first woman to be nominated for the position. Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of state earlier this week.
