May 9, 2018

The Honorable Richard Burr

Chairman
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mark Warner

Vice Chairman
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Re: Nomination of Gina Haspel to be Director, Central Intelligence Agency

Dear Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner:

We write today in strong support of the nomination of Gina Haspel to serve as Director of
the Central Intelligence Agency. We are all former senior government officials with national
security experience in administrations of different parties or on Capitol Hill. We believe that
Ms. Haspel is an excellent choice to lead the CIA at a time when our intelligence community is
under significant pressure at home and abroad. The threats to our national security are as
complex as they have ever been and emanate from around the globe. A strong CIA director, with
deep roots in Langley and the IC, is a critical asset for our nation at this time in our history.

The CIA currently faces a deeply challenging international operating environment. From
hard targets where our intelligence officers are under daily threat of exposure or worse, to the
asymmetric threats posed by terrorist groups operating in denied areas or at the margins of
failing and failed states, CIA officers are on the front lines of our conflict against those who
oppose American leadership around the world. The CIA is at the heart of our intelligence
apparatus as we face the pervasive threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea with weapons that can
reach the Americas, an Iran that feels free to foment chaos in its region and sponsor terrorism to
suit its goals, as well as other international terrorist groups that seek to kill Americans and our
allies around the world. Detecting and understanding ongoing Russia covert influence
operations across the Western world and Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea and
intellectual property theft around the globe are additional reasons we need strong leadership at
CIA and Ms. Haspel is the right person for the job. CIA officers—whether operators, analysts,
scientists or support officers—are on the leading edge of our international footprint everywhere
that they serve.

In undertaking such a dangerous and critical role at this time, the men and women of
Langley deserve a leader they know and trust who will lead with the discipline and guts to take
the CIA into the future. Gina Haspel is that leader.
The Honorable Richard Burr
The Honorable Mark Warner
May 9, 2018

Ms. Haspel has served as a nonpartisan, career CIA officer for more than thirty years.
Since the time she was a young case officer in Africa, all the way through her leadership roles in
multiple locations around the globe and on the front lines of our fight against our nation’s
enemies, Ms. Haspel has served this nation in a selfless manner. As a human intelligence officer,
there is no doubt that Ms. Haspel was often called upon to make tough choices and to work on
matters that some find deeply controversial. But she did so with dedication and commitment to
the cause of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as to the safety and security of our
nation and its citizens.

Within the storied halls of Langley, Ms. Haspel is widely regarded as a serious officer
who is prepared to lead the CIA on day one if the Senate acts to confirm her as the first female
D/CIA. She understands how to work with the CIA’s interagency partners and liaison
colleagues. Ms. Haspel has also long been focused on the care and protection of the men and
women of the CIA. Her career is a sterling example of service and commitment to country. For
all this, she commands the devotion of the men and women of the CIA workforce and the respect
of the substantial group of bipartisan leaders that have already gone on record to support her
nomination.

We are confident that Ms. Haspel can bring the same intellect, work ethic, and dedication
to protecting our national security to her new position. We have no doubt that if confirmed, Ms.
Haspel would make a superb CIA Director. We hope the Committee will move swiftly on her
nomination and that the full Senate will vote to confirm her as soon as possible. The CIA
deserves nothing less and so does our country.

Thank you for the opportunity to write to you today and we look forward to answering
any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Gen. (ret.) Keith B. Alexander

Former Director, National Security Agency & Founding Commander, U.S. Cyber Command

J. Michael Allen
Former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counter-Proliferation Strategy,
National Security Council, The White House

Charles W. Alsup
Former Senior Advisor, U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee

Stewart Baker
Former General Counsel, National Security Agency

Jeremy Bash
Former Chief of Staff, Central Intelligence Agency

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The Honorable Richard Burr
The Honorable Mark Warner
May 9, 2018

Andrew Borene
Former Associate Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Department of Defense

Megan L. Brown
Former Counsel to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice

William A. Burck
Former Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Counsel to the President, Office of the
Counsel to the President, The White House

Gus P. Coldebella
Former Acting General Counsel, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Frank Cilluffo
Former Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, The White House

Robert L. Deitz
Former Senior Counselor to the Director, Central Intelligence Agency

Darren M. Dick
Former Staff Director, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Thomas Donahue
Former Senior Director for Cyber Operations, National Security Council, The White House

Karen S. Evans
Former Administrator for E-Government and IT, Office of Management & Budget, The White
House

Michael Geffroy
Former General Counsel, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Gen. (ret.) Michael V. Hayden

Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency

Matthew R.A. Heiman

Former Attorney-Advisor, National Security Division, Department of Justice

Jamil N. Jaffer
Former Senior Counsel, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Frank R. Jimenez
Former General Counsel, U.S. Department of the Navy

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The Honorable Richard Burr
The Honorable Mark Warner
May 9, 2018

Ely Kahn
Former Director for Cybersecurity, National Security Council, The White House

Geof Kahn
Former Policy Director, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Andy Keiser
Former Senior Advisor, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Mike McConnell
Former Director of National Intelligence

Michael B. Mukasey
Former Attorney General of the United States

Lester Munson
Former Staff Director, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Rick “Ozzie” Nelson

Former Director, Office of Combatting Terrorism, National Security Council, The White House

Larry Pfeiffer
Former Chief of Staff, Central Intelligence Agency

Vito T. Potenza
Former General Counsel, National Security Agency

Benjamin Powell
Former General Counsel, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Mike Rogers
Former Chairman, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Daniel (DJ) Rosenthal

Former Director for Counterterrorism, National Security Council, The White House

Norman T. Roule
Former Component Chief, Directorate of Operations, Central Intelligence Agency

Marie O’Neill Sciarrone

Former Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security & Senior Director for
Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Policy, Homeland Security Council, The White House

David Shedd
Former Acting Director, Defense Intelligence Agency

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The Honorable Richard Burr
The Honorable Mark Warner
May 9, 2018

John Sipher
Former Station Chief, Central Intelligence Agency

Bryan Smith
Former Budget Director, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence