Gina Haspel

Asheley Wood of Just Security suggests she is. Re-read what Haspel said about China in her Louisville speech and then consider the context.

“Domestically, Trump has attacked the Mueller investigation with ferocity and refused to take sufficient steps to protect our electoral infrastructure,” Wood writes. “His administration has criticized the bipartisan legislation to bolster states’ election security, and Republicans have thwarted the bill’s passage before the midterms.”

Taken out of the realm of intelligence and into the realm of domestic politics, Haspel’s words acquire new meaning. Her acquiescence in Trump’s “blame-China-first (and leave Russia out of it)” strategy is clarified.

“In stark contrast, Trump and his administration have been quite critical—and publicly so—on China, most notably in the critical language of the 2017 National Security Strategy, NDAA, and an ongoing trade war. Axios reported that the administration is planning a major, administration-wide broadside against China to emphasize that China is a major enemy of the U.S., not just Russia. Comments from top administration officials National Security Advisor John Bolton, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, and CIA Director Gina Haspel suggest they’re laying the groundwork of this strategy.”

Source: The Politics of Trump’s Mismatched Response to Election Interference | Just Security