Pompeo to be next US Secretary of State

The US senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent.

It is one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history.

Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Mr Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes. Mr Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas.

He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as the nation’s most senior diplomat.

Mr Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration’s efforts on North Korea and recently travelled to Pyongyang.

A long list of pressing issues awaits him including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Mr Trump’s upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.