Statement from President Trump regarding the nomination of Mike Pompeo, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for the new Secretary of State. Gina Haspel, the Deputy Director of the CIA, will be nominated to replace Pompeo as the CIA’s first-ever female director.
“I am proud to nominate the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Mike Pompeo, to be our new Secretary of State. Mike graduated first in his class at West Point, served with distinction in the U.S. Army, and graduated with Honors from Harvard Law School. He went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives with a proven record of working across the aisle.
As Director of the CIA, Mike has earned the praise of members in both parties by strengthening our intelligence gathering, modernizing our defensive and offensive capabilities, and building close ties with our friends and allies in the international intelligence community. I have gotten to know Mike very well over the past 14 months, and I am confident he is the right person for the job at this critical juncture. He will continue our program of restoring America’s standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
His experience in the military, Congress, and as leader of the CIA have prepared him well for his new role and I urge his swift confirmation.
Gina Haspel, the Deputy Director of the CIA, will be nominated to replace Director Pompeo and she will be the CIA’s first-ever female director, a historic milestone. Mike and Gina have worked together for more than a year, and have developed a great mutual respect.
Finally, I want to thank Rex Tillerson for his service. A great deal has been accomplished over the last fourteen months, and I wish him and his family well, ” said President Trump in a statement distributed by the Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
On Monday, Tillerson made a strong statement against Russia in solidarity with the UK. After the news broke about his firing on Tuesday morning, it is clear that Tillerson knew that he will be leaving the State Department and therefore was making statements on his own terms.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) issued the following statement after the president announced the departure of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson:
“Rex Tillerson has served our country with great energy and determination. He is a good man, a thoughtful leader and a business titan. Thanks to his diplomatic efforts, we have charted a new course to counter the full range of threats from Iran and apply maximum pressure on Kim Jong Un. I wish Rex well and look forward to working with our next Secretary of State. There are many serious challenges ahead.”