For the first time in American history, a woman is chosen at the helm of the CIA.

“Gina is strong, determined and when it comes to protecting America, it never retreats”, President Trump said. “Burrat and women of this agency deserve extraordinary leadership and are receiving”, he said.

Trump called Haspelin “a very special person... who served the country with extraordinary skill and dedication”.

No one in this country is more qualified for this extraordinary task”, President Haspel told Haspel.

Gina Haspel replaces Mike Pompeii, who recently took over as US Secretary of State. Pompeii was also present at the CIA's new directorial oath ceremony.

For Mrs. Haspel her work at the CIA and that other employees of the American secret service is “more than a career”. According to her, it has more to do with “a call” to protect the country from terrorist attacks.

“We are the best and our challenge is to always be the best”, she told CIA employees during her speech.

The American Senate approved Mrs. Haspel's candidacy last Thursday with 54 votes to and 45 against, ending a turbulent process of her appointment, during which lawmakers reviewed previous interrogation practices implemented by the CIA.

Six Democrats voted in favour of Mrs. Haspel, while two republics rejected her appointment.

Major leader in the US Senate Mitch McConnell, a Republican of Kentucky, praised Mrs. Haspel as specially qualified “to face America's greatest national security challenges”, adding that she has won the respect and admiration of the men and women of the CIA”.

The selection by Haspel's Trump for running the intelligence agency caused controversy in view of its mistakes with the harsh practices of questioning prisoners following the 11 September terrorist attacks on America. She also wrote a document authorising the destruction of videos of the intelligence agency, in which according to many legal scholars were filmed torture against terrorism suspects.

Democrat Patrick Leahy announced his opposition to Mrs. Haspel just before the vote, calling some of the documents on its “disturbing” activity.

“does not question Haspel's commitment to the function of our national security. What he's questioning is her loyalty to a fundamental value of our nation, one that all people have certain, indisputable rights, Leahy said in a statement, adding that the fundamental dignity of human beings “is incompatible with inhuman practices such as torture.

During the session for her approval, Haspel repeatedly refused to say if the harsh interrogation techniques were morally wrong. Last week, however, she wrote a letter to the highest representative of the Democrats on the commission, Mark Warner, where she wrote that the CIA should not have carried out abusive interrogation practices.

“As director of the CIA, Gina Haspel will be the first operations officer in more than five decades to lead the agency”, Warner said in a statement. “I believe that it is someone who can and will not be shaken if the president commands him to do something illegal or immoral as could be the return to torture practices”, he said.