WASHINGTON: American CIA Chief nominee Gina Haspel, sought to withdraw overconcerns about her role in the agency’s interrogation program, two sourcesfamiliar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.

Haspel’s offer to withdraw on Friday was prompted by growing concern amongher supporters that White House staff were becoming nervous that thenomination was in trouble, the sources said.

The Washington Post first reported her offer to withdraw.

Haspel was summoned to the White House on Friday for a meeting to discussher history in the interrogation program that employed techniques,including waterboarding, widely condemned as torture, the Post reported,citing four unidentified senior US officials.

She told the White House she would step aside to avoid a brutal SenateIntelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday that might damagethe CIA, the officials told the Post. She then returned to agencyheadquarters in Langley, Virginia.

White House aides including legislative affairs liaison Marc Short andspokeswoman Sarah Sanders then rushed to Langley for discussions on Fridaythat lasted several hours but did not secure a commitment from her to stickwith the nomination, the paper said.

Only on Saturday afternoon was the White House assured she would notwithdraw, the Post quoted the officials as saying.

Trump named Haspel, the first woman tapped to head the Central IntelligenceAgency, to succeed Mike Pompeo, who became secretary of state last month. -Agencies