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Trump Reportedly Considering CIA Director Mike Pompeo For Secretary Of State

Nadya Faulx
/
KMUW/File photo
Mike Pompeo speaks at a caucus event in Wichita for Marco Rubio during the 2016 campaign.

A former Kansas congressman and the current CIA director could become the new secretary of state. There’s talk the White House is planning to replace Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo.

Pompeo left the U.S. House seat representing Kansas' 4th District to head the CIA in January.

Kelly Arnold, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, says Pompeo’s time as director of the CIA gives a good indication of what his approach to leading the State Department might be.

"Mike Pompeo is not somebody that’s not going to back down to these terrorists that are out there, these dictators that are out there," Arnold says. "He’s going to make sure he’s going to protect America."

As CIA director, Pompeo has been particularly outspoken against North Korea and has concentrated agency resources to track the nuclear threat.

While President Trump has clashed with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, he appears fond of Pompeo, accepting daily briefings from the West Point grad.

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Follow Brian Grimmett on Twitter @briangrimmett.

To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

Brian Grimmett is a two-time Regional Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist covering energy and environment stories across the state of Kansas.