WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state on Thursday, clearing the path for him to take over as the top U.S. diplomat just as President Donald Trump faces high-risk moments on Iran and North Korea.
Pompeo, the outgoing CIA director, secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no – one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee for the job since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who got 56.
He is expected to be sworn into office immediately and then to depart within hours of the vote for Europe on his first trip as secretary of state.
Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, is expected to guide Trump’s foreign policy in a more right-leaning direction than Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by Trump on Twitter last month. He inherits a State Department and diplomatic corps that is deeply demoralized after a tumultuous first year under Tillerson, who pushed budget and staff cuts and eschewed public appearances while leaving key diplomatic positions unfilled.
Local leaders’ reactions
“I think he’s one of the most outstanding nominees we could have for this position. I did not know him well when the process began. I knew he had done a very good job as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. But I have to tell you, through the process of him going through the confirmation hearings and the conversations we’ve had, the meetings we’ve had, I think he’s going to be exemplary….For the last 15 months, he served our nation as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and I think everyone knows how he’s run that department or that agency. I think everyone knows the culture that he has built there. The State Department right now has terrible culture. The morale is terrible. A lot of positions, as my friend the ranking member mentioned, have not been filled. But they also feel like that they haven’t had a leader in some time that has really stood behind them and raised them up to leverage our diplomatic efforts around the world. I believe this particular nominee will be excellently suited for that. He’s demonstrated that at the C.I.A. I strongly support his nomination. And with that, I hope we will vote. I look forward to him serving our nation I don’t know of a person in the United States of America that could have more current knowledge about what is happening around the world in his current role. As we know, he already met with the North Koreans. We have known for some time that the C.I.A. has been our contact, our backchannel, with the North Koreans. He’s the perfect person to come in at this time and lead those efforts diplomatically.”- U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.”Mike Pompeo is trusted by the president, and his experience as CIA Director, Congressman, and Captain in the U.S. Army demonstrates that he is qualified to be Secretary of State. Now more than ever, the State Department needs a strong leader who has the confidence of President Trump to take on the many challenges our nation faces abroad, and Director Pompeo is the right person for this important role.”- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.”I’m pleased the Senate has confirmed Mike Pompeo to lead the State Department, where he will have an important opportunity to bolster U.S. diplomatic leadership, provide purposeful direction for the department, and boost the morale of our dedicated Foreign Service officers.”- Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.”Congratulations to Mike Pompeo on being confirmed the 70th Secretary of State! Mike brings years of public service and expertise to the job. @ POTUS & I know that Mike Pompeo will serve our Nation w/ distinction and will do an outstanding job for the American people.”- Vice President Mike Pence, on Twitter