Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, a whistleblower who was prosecuted by the Obama administration for leaking classified information about the United States' torture program, went on President Donald Trump's favorite morning show on Thursday to ask him for a pardon.
During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Kiriakou heaped praise on Trump for his willingness to issue pardons to people without fear of facing political blowback.
"This president is different," he said. "This president accepts political responsibility."
Kiriakou then said he believed Trump's willingness to pardon people was motivated by his high level of personal integrity.
"He's been pardoning people since he got into office because he knows he's doing the right thing," he said. "He sees an injustice, and he corrects it. I'm humbly asking him to correct this."
Although Kiriakou was full of praise for Trump while asking for a pardon, he was less complimentary toward the president when he nominated Gina Haspel to be CIA director. In an op-ed for the Washington Post published earlier this year, he denounced the nomination of Haspel, whom he referred to as "Bloody Gina" for her alleged willingness to torture detainees.
"While I went to prison for disclosing the torture program, Haspel is about to get a promotion despite her connection to it," he wrote. "Trump’s move hurts morale among CIA officers who recognize that torture is wrong. It comforts people at the agency who still believe “enhanced interrogation” is somehow acceptable."
Watch the video of Kiriakou asking for a pardon below.
“I’m humbly asking him to correct this” -Previously jailed CIA officer @JohnKiriakou seeks a presidential pardon af… https://t.co/JjIZEAuEB0— FOX & friends (@FOX & friends) 1528375800.0
