CIA boss may be in, & Rex out

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S inner circle is mulling CIA Director Mike Pompeo as a replacement for Secretary of State Tillerson, Axios reported Friday.

Pompeo (photo), 53, enjoys a good relationship with the President and personally brings Trump his daily intelligence briefings, sources told the politics website.

He would likely move into the position without causing too much of a stir in a White House that’s already seen major staff changes, Axios noted.

The news comes amid reports that Trump and Tillerson are at odds, especially after NBC News reported the top diplomat called the President a “moron” during a Pentagon meeting.

Tillerson doubled down on his support of the President in a statement Wednesday, but didn’t immediately deny referring to Trump as a moron. A State Department representative later said it didn’t happen.

But the commander-in-chief fumed that the former ExxonMobil CEO didn’t flatly deny the story no matter what, according to Axios.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly invited Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to the White House after the NBC News story ran to discuss steps forward.

Kelly, a retired Marine general, has been trying to avoid another cabinet shakeup, Axios reported, especially after Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s departure last Friday.

But sources told Axios the CIA chief could make a smooth transition into the role.

Foreign leaders would likely view him as a credible member of Trump’s team, which Axios said they haven’t seen with Tillerson, who didn’t work in politics before taking over in January.

Pompeo, a three-term congressman from Kansas, also already advises Trump on immigration and navigating Capitol Hill, according to the website.

Axios didn’t indicate whether the State Department change was imminent. Tillerson, speaking Wednesday, reaffirmed he doesn’t plan to quit, but noted he serves at the President’s pleasure.