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Michael Hayden: Former CIA director slammed for 'human race' suggestion on Tommy Tuberville

Michael Hayden made the remark against Tommy Tuberville when asked if the senator should be removed from the Senate Armed Services Committee

WASHINGTON, DC: Michael Hayden, a former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the first Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, has come under fire after suggesting that Senator Tommy Tuberville should be removed from the "human race" over his blockade of military confirmations.

The retired Air Force general’s shocking suggestion came in response to a question from a user on X (formerly Twitter) who asked if Tuberville should be "removed from his committee."

"How about the human race?" replied Hayden, a retired US Air Force four-star general, who also served as the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) from 1999 to 2005.

After more than 41 years of service, Hayden retired from the Air Force in 2008, but he kept his position as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Currently, he co-chairs the Bipartisan Policy Center's Electric Grid Cyber Security Initiative.

The long-standing tiff between Michael Hayden and Tommy Tuberville

In protest of a Pentagon policy that pays for troops' out-of-state travel for reproductive services, including abortion and in-vitro fertilization, Tommy Tuberville, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has blocked the speedy and bulk confirmations of hundreds of military officers up for key leadership roles.

His obstruction restricts the Senate Armed Services Committee from quickly validating nominations by a unanimous vote.

A spokesman for Tuberville recently told NBC News that the senator isn’t planning on backing down from his blockade even amid Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel.

Michael Hayden, who also worked as a national security analyst for CNN, previously took brutal jabs at him over his hold on military promotions.

"Tommy Tuberville is an idiot!" posted Hayden on X (formerly Twitter) in May 2022, in response to a video showing the Alabama senator questioning Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines about the US' support for Ukraine's efforts to repel a Russian invasion.

In response to a user questioning if it is "wrong to call Sen Tommy Tuberville a racist," Hayden said, "Tuberville absolutely is a racist." 

Moreover, in August, the ex-director of the CIA joined dozens of other retired military and State Department officials in denouncing Tuberville's "reckless" protest in an open letter.

"Risking our military’s planning and preparedness, and our national security to make a political point is far out of bounds," stated the letter, according to the New York Post.

It continued, "The world is too dangerous to cede our leadership, which is why we urge Senator Tuberville to swiftly end his blockade and to respect our nation’s service members and their families."

Internet slams Michael Hayden for taking a jibe at Tommy Tuberville

After Michael Hayden's reaction came to light on social media, many netizens slammed him for suggesting to remove Tommy Tuberville from the human race. 

One wrote, "Threats against a US Senator…Where is the FBI?" while another stated, "We need to start yanking these Generals pensions when they violate civil liberties."

"He is compromised. We cannot allow him to have security clearance," said a person, with one more expressing, "This requires hard time in federal prison... not the country club type." 

One commented, "Some people understand politics, others are consumed by politics Hayden is the latter…almost cultish." 

"Sounds like Hayden has been involved in some very dirty deeds, it seems so natural for him to make such a statement," claimed another. 

 A person noted, "What a disgrace! If a civilian said that, the intelligence agencies would all be knocking down their doors, but a protected member of that same Intel class can get away with whatever they want?"