Bipartisan National Security Leaders Support Gina Haspel

Bipartisan National Security Officials: ‘She Has Integrity, She Cares Deeply About The Mission Of The Agency’

LEON PANETTA, former Obama administration CIA Director and Secretary of Defense: “She served the CIA well…. I’m glad they have a first woman as head of CIA, and I’m glad it’s Gina, because frankly, she is someone who really knows the CIA inside out.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

JOHN BRENNAN, former Obama administration CIA Director: “Gina is an exceptionally well-respected professional within CIA. She has held a number of senior-level positions over the years, and has acquitted herself very competently. And I think she has the experience—the breadth and depth—on intelligence issues in dealing with these meddlesome foreign policy issues for many, many years so that she will be able to provide that unvarnished, apolitical, objective intelligence input to Donald Trump and to others.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

MICHAEL MORELL, former Obama administration Acting and Deputy CIA Director: “She is capable. She has integrity. She cares deeply about the mission of the agency and she cares deeply about the men and women of the agency.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

JAMES CLAPPER, former Obama administration Director of National Intelligence: “I think the world of Gina; she is capable, smart, very experienced, well respected by the Agency rank and file, and a great person.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

DAN COATS, Director of National Intelligence: “[Haspel is an] exceptional, professional, and talented individual.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN, former Bush administration CIA director: “[H]er only existence as a professional has been within the agency. Her only goal is to live out the agency's mission, which, frankly, is to tell the truth to the president … [S]he is a wonderful choice.” (CBS’ “Face the Nation,” 5/06/2018)

MICHAEL MUKASEY, former Bush administration Attorney General: “Gina Haspel is superbly well qualified to head the CIA, not only by experience in directing the Agency’s operations but also by the well-earned esteem she has throughout the intelligence community. Anyone concerned with protecting this nation’s security should welcome her nomination.” (White House, Press Release, 5/02/2018)

Letter From 53 Bipartisan Former National Security Leaders: ‘Within The U.S. National Security Community And Among Our Allies Around The Globe, Admiration For [Gina Haspel] Is Unsurpassed’

53 Bipartisan Former National Security Leaders: “As national security leaders who have helped safeguard America against global threats and challenges over many decades, we write to express our strong support for the nomination of Gina Haspel to serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).” (53 Former National Security Leaders, Letter to Sens. Burr and Warner, 4/09/2018)

• “Ms. Haspel’s qualifications to become CIA Director match or exceed those of most candidates put forward in the Agency’s 70-year history. She has spent more than 30 years of her life quietly serving America and the CIA, routinely stepping up to handle some of the most demanding assignments around the globe. Ms. Haspel is a proven leader who inspires others and has what it takes to make tough calls in times of crisis. She is a true intelligence professional who brings care, integrity and a commitment to the rule of law to her work every day. She will speak truth to power, offering unbiased intelligence to policymakers no matter how difficult the situation.” (53 Former National Security Leaders, Letter to Sens. Burr and Warner, 4/09/2018)

• “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.” (53 Former National Security Leaders, Letter to Sens. Burr and Warner, 4/09/2018)

Letter signatories include:

• Jeremy Bash, former Obama administration CIA and Dept. of Defense Chief of Staff
• John Brennan, former Obama administration CIA Director
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), former Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman
• James Clapper, former Obama administration Director of National Intelligence
• Rep. Porter Goss (R-FL), former Bush administration CIA Director and House Intelligence Committee Chairman
• Gen. Michael Hayden, former Bush administration CIA director
• Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE), former Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman
• Henry Kissinger, former Nixon administration Secretary of State
• Mike McConnell, former Obama administration Director of National Intelligence
• Adm. William McRaven, former Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
• Michael Morell, former Obama administration Acting and Deputy CIA Director
• Michael Mukasey, former Bush administration Attorney General
• Ambassador John Negroponte, former Bush administration Director of National Intelligence
• Leon Panetta, former Obama administration CIA Director and Secretary of Defense
• Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), former House Intelligence Committee Chairman
• George Schultz, former Reagan administration Secretary of State
• George Tenet, former Clinton and Bush administration CIA Director