Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next CIA director says that if she is confirmed by the Senate, the spy agency will not undertake a detention and harsh interrogation program like the one used after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US.

The CIA early Wednesday released excerpts of the opening remarks Gina Haspel will make at her confirmation hearing later the same day before the Senate intelligence committee. Haspel’s fate hinges on how well she fields tough questions from senators about her time running a covert overseas detention “black site”, where terror suspects were brutally interrogated. They are also expected to seek an explanation for why she wanted videos of those sessions destroyed.

“I understand that what many people around the country want to know about me are my views on CIA’s former detention and interrogation program,” Haspel says in the excerpts. “Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program.”

Haspel’s promise to fight any attempt to resurrect the program could put her at odds with the president, who spoke during his election campaign about toughening the US approach to fighting extremists. He vowed to re-authorize the use of techniques such as waterboarding and a “hell of a lot worse”.

Trump, however, has made no move to implement that promise since he has taken office. He has praised her three decades of service as an undercover spy.



Haspel says there has been an outpouring of support from young women who hope she becomes the first female director.

“It is not my way to trumpet the fact that I am a woman up for the top job, but I would be remiss in not remarking on it, not least because of the outpouring of support from young women at CIA who consider it a good sign for their own prospects,” Haspel says.

Haspel, 61, has been acting CIA director since Mike Pompeo was nominated for secretary of state.



















