Trump administration officials on Tuesday brushed aside concerns that the nomination of Gina Haspel to be the first-ever woman CIA director is in trouble, and pointed to support from Democratic intelligence officials and former lawmakers as proof.
“This is going to a highly charged debate in the next couple of weeks but to suggest that there has been no campaign is simply wrong,” said a Trump official.
Secrets on Monday quoted insiders fretting that her nomination was in doubt due to Democratic opposition and GOP concerns about her involvement in harsh CIA interrogation tactics used in the early days of the Afghanistan War.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., is planning to hold confirmation hearings for the life-long covert agent this month.
The Trump official expects fireworks, but a confirmation in the end. “I think yes, I’m pretty confident of yes,” said the official.
Unlike with the recent close committee vote on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Haspel isn’t well known because of her life under cover. As a result, she will have to perform well in the public hearings. Associates said that she has been practicing for the hearings.
“With Gina,” said the administration official, “a lot of this is going to come down to how her testimony goes.”
But even in advance of the testimony, official are building her story and career, one endorsed by 50 former intelligence chiefs and even Democratic lawmakers, including several from the Obama era.
Others are adding some color to her story. For example, Secrets was told that she was shot at during one of her seven field tours. And in one stop she survived a government coup in the country she was stationed in.
“Her whole life has been in darkness, so is a Democrat going to look favorably on the first female CIA director who served 33 years in covert operations in some of the most dangerous places in the world and has always done and has always gotten very favorable reviews?” said the official.
While some lawmakers would prefer an outsider to run the agency, insiders are cheered that the first covert official could lead the CIA since the mid-1970s when William Colby was director.
“She is popular inside, but not flashy,” said one intelligence official. “The nomination was well received and will be good for morale,” added the official.
In their letter, the 50, including former CIA Directors Leon Panetta, Porter Goss, Michael Morell, and George Tenet said, “Those who have served alongside Ms. Haspel have only the utmost praise and respect for her. She has broad support from the CIA workforce. Within the U.S. national security community and among our allies around the globe, admiration for her is unsurpassed. It is truly telling that a broad spectrum of national security leaders from both Republican and Democratic administrations has voiced unequivocal support for her nomination.”
