A former congressman possibly being considered for the top job in the CIA under President-elect Trump said he would support a “clear discussion” on using waterboarding and other torture techniques in the new administration.
Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., said on CNN Thursday that Trump can’t use torture techniques such as waterboarding at the moment because Congress forbids it. But that could change.
“Congress has spoken on that and at this point in time he can’t do it,” Hoekstra said. “If there’s a decision to move in another direction, that’d be a process you’d have to work through with Congress. You’d probably do it in secret.”
Hoekstra, who was a ranking member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, said he supported President George W. Bush using techniques such as waterboarding in the mid-2000s. He was a part of the group lawmakers who approved the administration using torture tactics, as long as the administration notified Congress first. He said Bush officials never asked Congress to use those tactics.
Hoekstra said he would take the position of CIA director if offered by Trump.
“I’d take the job if Mr. Trump decided that someone with my kind of background and experience is what he wanted in the job,” Hoekstra told CNN.
The Trump administration will need to figure out with Congress what the policy will be, Hoekstra said.
When asked if he would support waterboarding and other torture techniques now and if he was CIA director, Hoekstra waffled.
“You have to look at what’s going on and what the circumstances are,” he said.
“I think this would be a clear discussion between this administration and Congress to develop a long-term strategy in terms of how do we get the information that a president and Congress needs to make the right decision to keep America safe?”
