Retired four-star Gen. Michael Hayden, who headed the CIA and NSA, is up for grabs for any of the GOP candidates seeking a presidential endorsement.
Hayden — author of "
Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror," published by Penguin Press — had been an adviser to the presidential campaign of Jeb Bush until the former Florida governor dropped out of the race last month.
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Now, Hayden told J.D. Hayworth on Wednesday's "Newsmax Prime," he's ready to consider getting behind another candidate.
"There's some that I would certainly respond to and … there have been conversations," Hayden said.
"But I'm on a book tour and I actually think it would cheapen the campaign effort if I were to identify now when I'm out here [pushing] something so obviously commercial.
"So when the book tour is done, I'm quite willing to advise candidates that I think would make good presidents."
Does that even include Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, whom many in the Republican establishment are working against?
"I have not been invited to talk to Mr. Trump," Hayden told Hayworth.
That would mean that unless he has a spoiler in mind, Hayden is likely mulling Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich
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