Trump defends CIA nominee

President Donald Trump on Monday defended acting CIA Director Gina Haspel, who faces a tough confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee this week. The president nominated Haspel to become the permanent head of the agency after he picked former CIA Director Mike Pompeo as his new secretary of state. Senators on the committee are expected to grill Haspel about the covert detention site she ran in Thailand after 9/11. Agents there used waterboarding to interrogate two terrorism suspects. Haspel has said she would oppose any effort to restart the use of torture in CIA interrogations. She reportedly offered to withdraw as the nominee, but Trump continues to support her. The president said Monday on Twitter that Haspel has “come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists.” He added that “in these very dangerous times, we have the most qualified person, a woman, who Democrats want OUT because she is too tough on terror. Win Gina!” If confirmed, Haspel would be the first female CIA director. Her confirmation hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.