CIA director nominee sought to withdraw: report

Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director, who has been facing questions over her role in various clandestine torture programmes, has sought to withdraw ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing, a US media report said today.

The White House sent two of its top officials including Press Secretary Sarah Sanders to the CIA headquarters as part of its efforts to convince Haspel against it.

Haspel, 62, is currently acting director of CIA after Mike Pompeo resigned as he became the new secretary of state.

She has served in the CIA for more than three decades and had played a key role in America's fight against terrorism post-9/11.

Her confirmation hearing by the Senate Intelligence Committee is scheduled for May 9. Ahead of this, several top senators have asked tough questions on her role in several torture programmes. On Friday she was at the White House to explain her position on torture.

According to The Washington Post, she conveyed her intention to withdraw her nomination soon thereafter.

"Taken aback at her stance, senior White House aides, including legislative affairs head Marc Short and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, rushed to Langley, Virgina, to meet with Haspel at her office late Friday afternoon," the daily said.

"Discussions stretched several hours, officials said, and the White House was not entirely sure she would stick with her nomination until Saturday afternoon, according to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations," the daily reported.

The Post said Trump wants Haspel to remain as nominee.