Gina Haspel tried to withdraw from nomination to avoid damaging CIA's reputation: Report

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.