Gina Haspel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gina Haspel
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 7th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
| In office May 21, 2018 – January 20, 2021 Acting: April 26, 2018 – May 21, 2018 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Vaughn Bishop |
| Preceded by | Mike Pompeo |
| Succeeded by | Bill Burns |
| 6th Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
| In office February 2, 2017 – May 21, 2018 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | David Cohen |
| Succeeded by | Vaughn Bishop |
| Director of the National Clandestine Service | |
| Acting February 28, 2013 – May 7, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John Bennett |
| Succeeded by | Frank Archibald |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gina Cheri Walker
October 1, 1956 Ashland, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Jeff Haspel
(m. 1976; div. 1985) |
| Education | University of Kentucky University of Louisville (BA) Northeastern University (Cert) |
| Awards | Presidential Rank Award Donovan Award Intelligence Medal of Merit |
Gina Cheri Walker Haspel (born October 1, 1956) is an American intelligence officer. She served as the seventh Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from May 21, 2018, to January 20, 2021. Before that, she was the agency's deputy director from 2017 to 2018. When the previous director, Mike Pompeo, became the U.S. Secretary of State, Gina Haspel became the acting director. Later, she was officially chosen and approved for the role, becoming the first woman to lead the CIA permanently.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gina Cheri Walker was born on October 1, 1956, in Ashland, Kentucky. Her father was in the United States Air Force. She has four brothers and sisters.
Haspel went to high school in the United Kingdom. She studied at the University of Kentucky for three years. Then, she moved to the University of Louisville for her last year, graduating in May 1978. She earned a degree in languages and journalism. From 1980 to 1981, she worked as a library coordinator. In 1982, she received a special certificate from Northeastern University to work as a paralegal. She worked as a paralegal until she joined the CIA.
Early Career at the CIA
Gina Haspel started working for the CIA in January 1985. Her first job was as a reports officer. She worked in many secret roles overseas. Her first field assignment was in Ethiopia from 1987 to 1989. After that, she had several assignments in Europe and Central Eurasia until 2001. From 1996 to 1998, Haspel was a station chief in Baku, Azerbaijan.
From 2001 to 2003, she was a Deputy Group Chief in the Counterterrorism Center.
Controversy and Past Practices
Between October and December 2002, Haspel was in charge of a secret CIA prison in Thailand. This prison was called "Detention Site GREEN," or "Cat's Eye." It held people suspected of being involved with Al-Qaeda. This prison was part of a U.S. government program after the September 11 attacks.
Haspel faced controversy because of her role at this secret CIA site. The site used tough questioning methods on prisoners. These methods were later called "enhanced interrogation techniques" and were very controversial. At the time, the Bush Administration believed these methods were legal. However, many people later disagreed.
In August 2018, some CIA documents were released. These documents, which Haspel likely approved or wrote, described how some detainees were treated. These included people like Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
Haspel also played a part in the destruction of 92 videotapes in 2005. These tapes showed the questioning of detainees at the secret prison she managed and other locations. She later explained that the tapes were destroyed to protect the identities of CIA officers.
In 2014, a human rights group in Europe asked for criminal charges against unidentified CIA officers. In 2017, this group specifically asked Germany to issue an arrest warrant for Haspel. This was based on claims that she oversaw the questioning of terrorism suspects.
Leadership Roles
From 2004 to 2005, Haspel was the Deputy Chief of the National Resources Division. After her time in Thailand, she worked as an operations officer in the Counterterrorism Center near Washington, D.C. She later became the CIA's station chief in London and, in 2011, in New York.
Haspel also served as the deputy director of the National Clandestine Service. This part of the CIA carries out secret operations around the world. In 2013, John Brennan, who was then the director of Central Intelligence, named Haspel as the acting director of this service. However, she was not given the job permanently due to concerns about her involvement in the past detention program.
Deputy Director of the CIA
On February 2, 2017, President Trump chose Haspel to be the Deputy Director of the CIA. This job does not need approval from the Senate. Devin Nunes, a chairman in the House of Representatives, praised her. He said she had over thirty years of service and was dedicated to the intelligence community.
However, some members of the Senate asked President Trump to rethink his choice. They were worried about reports that she was involved in destroying CIA interrogation videotapes. These tapes showed the CIA's use of controversial questioning methods.
Director of the CIA
Nomination and Support
On March 13, 2018, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Haspel to be the Director of the CIA. She would replace Mike Pompeo. If approved, Haspel would be the first woman to serve as the permanent Director of the CIA.
Some senators, like Rand Paul and John McCain, expressed concerns about her past role in the controversial interrogation program. Senator McCain, who was a prisoner of war and had been questioned himself, strongly opposed the use of such methods. He asked Haspel to explain her involvement in the CIA's detention program and the destruction of the tapes.
Despite these concerns, more than 50 former senior U.S. government officials supported her nomination. These included six former Directors of the CIA. They signed a letter showing their support.
Confirmation Process
On May 9, 2018, Haspel appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a hearing. During this hearing, she answered questions about her career and past actions.
On May 14, Haspel wrote a letter to Senator Mark Warner. In the letter, she said that, looking back, the CIA should not have run its controversial interrogation and detention program. After this, Senator Warner announced he would support her.
The Senate Intelligence Committee approved her nomination on May 16 by a vote of 10–5. Two Democrats voted in favor. The next day, the full Senate confirmed Haspel by a vote of 54–45. She officially became the Director of the CIA.
Time as Director
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Gina Haspel was officially sworn in on May 21, 2018. She made history as the first woman to lead the Central Intelligence Agency permanently.
During her time as director, Haspel reported to the Senate Intelligence Committee on various global issues. For example, in January 2019, she discussed the expulsion of Russian diplomats and relations with North Korea. By May 2019, she had hired many women for important senior positions within the CIA.
In December 2020, false rumors spread online that Haspel had died or been arrested. These claims were proven to be untrue by fact-checkers. The CIA announced her retirement after 36 years of service on January 19, 2021. This was one day before the new presidential administration began. William J. Burns was chosen to take her place and was sworn in on March 19, 2021.
After leaving the CIA, Haspel began advising the law firm King & Spalding in July 2021.
Awards and Recognition
Gina Haspel has received several awards for her work. These include:
- The George H. W. Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism
- The Donovan Award
- The Intelligence Medal of Merit
- The Presidential Rank Award
Personal Life
Gina Haspel married Jeff Haspel, who served in the United States Army, around 1976. They divorced in 1985. She lives in Ashburn, Virginia.
See also
In Spanish: Gina Haspel para niños
- Criticism of the war on terror
- Extrajudicial prisoners of the United States
- Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture
