'I never did that': Haspel's clapping for Trump rankles intel veterans
'I never did that': Haspel's clapping for Trump rankles intel veterans
Former leaders of the CIA were taken aback by the director's enthusiasm for the president's State of the Union address.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/gina-haspel-trump-state-of-the-union-111172
CIA Director Gina Haspel’s attendance at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday—and her decision to stand and clap at certain lines—has surprised former senior intelligence officials who say the agency director should consistently appear nonpartisan.
Haspel entered the House chamber for Trump’s speech on Tuesday—for the second year in a row—with other members of the president’s Cabinet, including political appointees like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. And she stood, as they did, at Trump’s comments about Medicare and Social Security, abortion, paid family leave and immigration. She clapped at his line about rebuilding infrastructure.
“I never did that,” said former CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden, referring to Haspel’s clapping at the domestic policy issues. “That wouldn’t be right.”
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But CIA directors haven’t traditionally made it a habit of attending the speech to begin with, former officials said, for just that reason.
“Generally CIA directors have felt awkward at these things and have not gone often,” said former acting CIA director John McLaughlin.
“It’s not my job,” said Hayden, who noted that he “never” attended the address as CIA director.
Neither did John Brennan when serving as CIA director, though he previously was a top official in the Obama White House. “Never once,” said Brennan’s spokesman, Nick Shapiro.
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