White House: Trump CIA pick ‘100-percent committed’ to nomination

by Jordan Fabian - 05/07/18 2:45 PM ET

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that President Trump’s pick to lead the CIA is “100-percent committed” to her nomination amid reports she offered to withdraw.

“She is 100 percent committed to going through this confirmation process and being confirmed,” Sanders said of Gina Haspel, who is currently deputy director of the CIA.

The comments come just days after Haspel reportedly offered to step aside over scrutiny of her role in the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program.

Sanders and other top White House officials made a last-ditch visit to CIA headquarters to persuade Haspel to reconsider, according to The Washington Post.

The spokeswoman all but confirmed the account, saying if Haspel “felt that her nomination were a problem for the agency then she wanted to do everything she could do to protect the agency.”

Sanders called on Democrats in the Senate to put aside their objections to Haspel.

“She deserves quick confirmation without partisan theatrics,” Sanders said.

Tags CIA Donald Trump Enhanced interrogation techniques trump nominees