Pompeo narrowly clears Senate panel
WASHINGTON — Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of state, avoided a rare rebuke Monday as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee narrowly recommended him, but the vote served as a warning shot to the White House as nominees to lead the CIA and Veterans Affairs are hitting stiff resistance.
Pompeo, who’s now CIA director, received the panel’s approval only after Trump’s last-minute overtures to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Pompeo’s nomination goes to the full Senate, where votes are tallying in his favor and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he looks forward to voting to confirm him later this week.
Trump has been quick to fire his top cabinet secretaries, but Senate Democrats are not so fast to confirm replacements. A grilling is expected Wednesday of Ronny Jackson, the White House physician nominated to head the VA, and Pompeo’s potential replacement at the CIA, Gina Haspel, is also facing scrutiny.
“Hard to believe,” Trump tweeted Monday about the “obstruction.” “The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people... They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans!”
Republicans hold a slim Senate majority, 50-49, with the prolonged absence of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Pompeo’s bid to become the nation’s top diplomat was in the hands of a few senators, but received a boost Monday when two Democrats, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, announced their support.
Pressure is mounting on senators from all sides. White House allies are unloading ad campaigns against Democrats from Trumpwon states, but progressive groups are pounding senators’ offices in opposition. As soon as Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., announced her support for Pompeo, one group called on her to switch.
Ahead of the Foreign Relations Committee’s vote, chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said of the full Senate, “It does appear Mike Pompeo has the votes to be secretary of state.”
Supporters point to Pompeo’s resumè as a West Point and Harvard Law School graduate who has the president’s confidence, particularly on North Korea. Opponents are focusing on his hawkish foreign policy views and negative comments about gay marriage and Muslims.
Paul’s earlier objections to Pompeo, along with overwhelming opposition from Democrats, had set the secretary of state nominee on track to be the first since 1925, when the committee started keeping records, not to receive a favorable recommendation.
But Trump and Paul talked repeatedly, including a chat just moments before the vote.
“I have changed my mind,” Paul said, explaining he received reassurances that Pompeo agrees with the president the Iraq war was a “mistake” and it is time for U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan. Paul’s office said he “got a win” — the promise Pompeo sides with Trump on those issues — out of the situation, but declined to provide details.
“I want Trump to be Trump,” Paul said.
Asked about Paul’s change of heart, Trump said, “He’s a good man.”
Senators are anxious to have Pompeo in place before international meetings scheduled for later this week and ahead of North Korea talks.