US President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the nation's spy agency faced tough questioning on Wednesday. Gina Haspel testified before a Senate committee as part of the confirmation process. She was grilled about her role in the use of a former CIA interrogation technique that the United Nations considers torture. Haspel did not apologize for the agency's past practices. CGTN's Jessica Stone has details.

Nearly a decade after the U.S. ended the practice, waterboarding still provokes outrage.

"The CIA is an institution of torture, so whether Gina Haspel is confirmed, it will still be an institution of torture."

Gina Haspel oversaw an interrogation site where CIA agents waterboarded suspected terrorists-something the UN considers torture. She's now the U.S. president's pick to lead CIA and says she's learned from the past.

GINA HASPEL NOMINEE FOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY "Under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program."

But, President Donald Trump is on record saying waterboarding "works". His predecessor, Barack Obama, banned waterboarding. Trump wants to bring it back.

MARK WARNER US SENATOR "If this president asks you to do something that you find morally objectionable - even if there is, an OLC opinion - what will you do?"

GINA HASPEL NOMINEE FOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY "I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral even if it was technically legal: I would absolutely not permit it."

But Haspel did write the order to destroy videotapes of waterboarding of two terror suspects. She says it was necessary to protect the lives of agents-pictured on the tapes. But she also said - that doesn't mean she supports the practice anymore.

KAMALA HARRIS US SENATOR "The president has asserted that torture works. Do you agree with that statement."

GINA HASPEL NOMINEE FOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY "Senator, I don't believe that torture works."

JESSICA STONE WASHINGTON "It's unclear when lawmakers will vote to confirm Haspel. If chosen, she would be the first woman to hold the post. But the topic of torture so dominated her hearings, that the public learned little else about her views. Jessica Stone, CGTN, Washington."