CIA Director Gina Haspel almost resigned last month as President Trump was on the verge of naming Kash Patel, a loyalist to the president and former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes, as her deputy.
Trump told confidants about the idea amid concerns about Haspel’s loyalty in the days after the election, according to a Friday report by Axios. CIA Deputy Director Vaughn Bishop would be forced out and replaced by Patel, and if Haspel resigned in protest, Patel would become acting director. Since parting ways with Nunes and the House Intelligence Committee, Patel has taken on various roles in the Trump administration, including as a top aide to now-former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell and most recently chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.
Paperwork had already been drafted to formalize the appointment, but the plan began to fall apart when Haspel chose to attend the president’s daily intelligence briefing for the first time in weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump was said to have been impressed by Haspel during the briefing, and after Haspel left the room, Trump asked senior aides about his CIA director. Vice President Mike Pence and White House counselor Pat Cipollone defended her.
Meanwhile, down the hall, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was telling Haspel in his office that Trump would be installing Patel as her deputy, to which Haspel said she would resign before that could happen. The Axios report said Trump had, at that point, changed his mind and Meadows “had to swallow his pride and reverse the order.”
The CIA declined to comment when inquired about the report. The Washington Examiner also reached out to the White House.
