On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced he was replacing Rex Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State. In addition, the President revealed Gina Haspel has been selected to replace Pompeo at the CIA.
“Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!” Trump tweeted.
Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
As The Gateway Pundit reported, there have been rumblings Tillerson was on the way out for several months now.
Benny Johnson of The Daily Caller provides a great rundown of Haspel’s career.
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Haspel would be the first female CIA director in history. The position, which dates back to 1946 when President Truman established the CIA, has to this date been held by 24 different men.
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Haspel has more than 30 years of history with the CIA. She joined the agency in 1985 and has served the majority of her career in clandestine operations.
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In 2002, Haspel ran a “black site” prison in Thailand, which was part of a network of prisons established by the agency, according to the Washington Post. According to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s torture report, Haspel oversaw “the waterboarding and other harsh techniques” used to interrogate Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, suspected al Qaeda terrorists.
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Haspel has been linked to the illegal destruction of videotapes of these interrogations, but no prosecution ever came of it.
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Haspel, currently acting deputy director of the CIA, has previously served as deputy director of the National Clandestine Service, deputy director of the National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and Covert Action, chief of staff for the director of the National Clandestine Service.
Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr praised Trump’s pick to lead the CIA. Fox News‘ Chad Pergram tweeted Burr’s statement: “I know Gina personally and she has the right skill set, experience, and judgment to lead one of our nation’s most critical agencies…I look forward to supporting her nomination, ensuring its consideration without delay.”
Senate Intel Cmte chair Burr on Haspell: I know Gina personally and she has the right skill set, experience, and judgment to lead one of our nation’s most critical agencies…I look forward to supporting her nomination, ensuring its consideration without delay.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 13, 2018
