8/16/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/SANCTIONS/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday [8-16-18] named senior policy adviser Brian Hook as Washington’s special representative for Iran. The move came as the Trump administration prepared to increase economic pressure on Iran by restoring sanctions to force Tehran to end its nuclear weapons program and support for militant groups […]

Read More… from 8/16/2018

8/3/2018

MIKE POMPEO/PRISONER/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “Declaring that ‘the clock had run out,’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey on Friday [8-3-18] to free an American pastor imprisoned on espionage charges, in a case that had spurred United States to impose sanctions against two top Turkish government officials. Mr. Pompeo discussed the case of the evangelical […]

Read More… from 8/3/2018

8/3/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said North Korea is ‘of course’ closer to denuclearization, but he acknowledged it will take some time before that happens and said the schedule for divesting the country of its missiles and weapons would be set by Kim Jong Un…But earlier, on his way to […]

Read More… from 8/3/2018

8/2/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/SANCTIONS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began a tour of Southeast Asia on Thursday [8-2-18] with a plan to urge allied countries to maintain sanctions pressure against North Korea despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. North Korea and Iran are both expected to attend a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, […]

Read More… from 8/2/2018

7/30/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said he would be willing to meet with his Iranian counterpart without first demanding diplomatic concessions, the latest public overture involving nations he has also condemned and called a threat to American safety and economic security. The remark by Mr. Trump, in response to a question at a White […]

Read More… from 7/30/2018

7/25/2018

MIKE POMPEO/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “More than a week has passed since Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin met in Helsinki, Finland, but lawmakers still want answers to basic questions: What did they talk about? What, if anything, was agreed to? Mr. Trump was accompanied in the meeting only by an interpreter. Exactly what was said […]

Read More… from 7/25/2018

7/23/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TWITTER: “President Trump’s vituperative tweet against Iran late on Sunday [7-22-18] showed his determination to use the same approach that he took to engineer a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea. But Mr. Trump’s top advisers are far more united in their hostility to engaging with Iran, and Iran is far less likely […]

Read More… from 7/23/2018

7/23/2018

MIKE POMPEO/REFUGEES/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thirty-two prominent former U.S. diplomats and 11 aid groups on Monday [7-23-18] urged U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to eliminate a key State Department refugee bureau, warning that the move would be ‘an error of grave proportion.’ In a letter to Pompeo, the former diplomats and national security advisers […]

Read More… from 7/23/2018

7/23/2018

MIKE POMPEO/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday [7-23-18] he ‘gave up nothing’ at last week’s private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin but remained elusive about their conversation as fellow Republicans and other critics questioned any potential deals. Following the two leaders’ summit in Helsinki, Trump previously said they discussed a […]

Read More… from 7/23/2018

7/20/2018

2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/MIKE POMPEO/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday [7-19-18] he believes that Russia will try to undermine democracies around the world for the foreseeable future…Pompeo’s comments came just days after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin one-on-one in Helsinki. Trump provoked furor in Washington when, standing beside […]

Read More… from 7/20/2018

7/19/2018

MIKE POMPEO/RELIGION/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As the Trump administration continues to deal with the fallout of the president’s conflicting statements this week about Russian electoral interference, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday [7-19-18] focused attention on another issue involving Russia, saying that the United States hoped to advance religious freedom in that country. But he […]

Read More… from 7/19/2018

7/13/2018

BORDER/IMMIGRATION/MEXICO/MIKE POMPEO/NAFTA/NATO/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top US officials traveled to Mexico Friday [7-13-18] for talks with the country’s president-elect, the first high-level meeting between the Trump administration and incoming leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador amid heightened tensions between the two neighbors and calls from Mexican leaders for the US to […]

Read More… from 7/13/2018

7/12/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump took the unusual step Thursday [7-12-18] of releasing a letter he received last week from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that hailed their summit meeting in Singapore as the ‘start of a meaningful journey’ and called for ‘practical actions’ on both sides. The letter illustrated Mr. […]

Read More… from 7/12/2018

7/9/2018

AFGHANISTAN/MIKE POMPEO/TALIBAN/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, making an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital on Monday [7-9-18], said the prospect for talks between the Kabul government and Taliban militants was now brighter thanks to the Trump administration’s rejuvenated strategy for fighting the 17-year war. Mr. Pompeo’s first official visit to Afghanistan since […]

Read More… from 7/9/2018

7/7/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brushed off North Korean charges that he used ‘gangster-like’ diplomacy in negotiations in Pyongyang, saying on Sunday [7-8-18] after meeting his Japanese and South Korean counterparts that he would keep pursuing denuclearization talks with North Korea. Pompeo said in Tokyo there was still […]

Read More… from 7/7/2018

7/6/2018

CIA/DEFENSE/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo kicked off talks in North Korea with one of leader Kim Jong Un’s top lieutenants, Gen. Kim Yong Chol, soon after arriving in Pyongyang. During his trip, Mr. Pompeo aims to fill out the details of a North Korean pledge to work toward denuclearization, including […]

Read More… from 7/6/2018

7/2/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday [7-5-18] will leave for North Korea to engage in the first high-level talks on eliminating Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and programs since the Singapore summit in June, U.S. officials said. The trip comes amid growing concerns that Washington and Pyongyang may not share the […]

Read More… from 7/2/2018

7/1/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Trump’s national security adviser said on Sunday [7-1-18] that North Korea could dismantle all of its nuclear weapons, threatening missiles and biological weapons ‘in a year,’ a far more aggressive schedule than the one Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlined for Congress recently, reflecting a strain inside the […]

Read More… from 7/1/2018

6/30/2018

IVANKA/MIKE POMPEO/STATE: “RT @IvankaTrump: Thank you @SecPompeo. It was an honor to join you and your talented, passionate colleagues at @StateDept to honor the her…” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, June 30, 2018 5:49 am […]

Read More… from 6/30/2018

6/27/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told US lawmakers on Wednesday [6-27-18] that North Korea remains a nuclear threat, but defended President Donald Trump for tweeting earlier this month, ‘There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea…’ Pompeo also confirmed North Korea has yet to return the remains of […]

Read More… from 6/27/2018

6/19/2018

HUMAN RIGHTS/MIKE POMPEO/NIKKI HALEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The Trump administration said Tuesday [6-19-18] it is withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council, delivering on a long-running threat to leave the organization unless it made major changes. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced the U.S. withdrawal in […]

Read More… from 6/19/2018

6/19/2018

HUMAN RIGHTS/IMMIGRATION/MIKE POMPEO/NIKKI HALEY/TRUMP PEOPLE/UN: “The United States withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday [6-19-18] accusing it of a ‘chronic bias against Israel,’ a move that activists warned would make advancing human rights globally even more difficult. Standing with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Haley slammed Russia, China, Cuba and […]

Read More… from 6/19/2018

6/15/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s assertion Friday [6-15-18] that he has ‘solved’ the North Korean nuclear weapons threat again diverged from how Secretary of State Mike Pompeo depicted the outcome of this week’s summit between Mr. Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Mr. Pompeo, in meetings in South Korea and […]

Read More… from 6/15/2018

6/15/2018

CABINET/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “After his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump repeatedly singled out one person for helping put the historic meeting together: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Since the Senate confirmed Mr. Pompeo in April, the president has relied on his secretary of state—who backed the decision […]

Read More… from 6/15/2018

6/14/2018

ASIA/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SANCTIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Asian powers on Thursday [6-14-18] that President Trump was sticking to demands that North Korea surrender its nuclear weapons, as he sought to hold together a fragile consensus on maintaining tough sanctions against the North despite Mr. Trump’s declaration that it was ‘no longer […]

Read More… from 6/14/2018

6/13/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday [6-13-18] that the U.S. hopes to achieve ‘major disarmament’ of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal during President Donald Trump’s first term in office and would resume joint military exercises with South Korea if the talks stall. ‘We’re hopeful that we can achieve that in […]

Read More… from 6/13/2018

6/13/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday [6-13-18] that the Trump administration hopes to complete ‘major disarmament’ of North Korea within the next 2½ years, even as conflicting accounts of discussions between the two sides left unclear what had actually been agreed to. A day after President Trump’s landmark meeting […]

Read More… from 6/13/2018

6/11/2018

CANADA/G7/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played down the rift between the U.S. and its allies after President Donald Trump split from the other six leaders at Group of Seven summit in Canada amid tensions over U.S. trade demands… Mr. Pompeo praised the G-7 nations for their help getting North Korea […]

Read More… from 6/11/2018

6/7/2018

FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Just weeks after John Bolton’s hardline rhetoric infuriated North Korea and nearly derailed a planned summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, the U.S. national security adviser appears to have taken a back seat to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for the historic meeting. While the hawkish Bolton […]

Read More… from 6/7/2018

5/31/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/SINGAPORE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said on Thursday [5-31-18] that a delegation of officials from North Korea was expected to deliver him a letter from their leader, Kim Jong-un, in an extraordinary meeting on Friday [6-1-18] in Washington. Mr. Trump told reporters it was not clear if the show of tenuous détente would […]

Read More… from 5/31/2018

5/31/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Thursday [5-31-18] he expects North Korean officials to travel from New York to Washington on Friday to deliver a ‘very positive’ letter to him from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Mr. Trump said he was hopeful that his meeting with Mr. Kim could still […]

Read More… from 5/31/2018

5/30/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SINGAPORE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Ever since President Trump pulled out of planned talks with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, officials from both countries have been scrambling to salvage the summit meeting and keep it on track for June 12 in Singapore. A process that normally would take months is now being compressed […]

Read More… from 5/30/2018

5/30/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NEW YORK/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A senior North Korean official arrived in New York on Wednesday [5-30-18] in the highest-level official visit to the United States in 18 years, as President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un sought to salvage prospects for a high-stakes nuclear summit. Kim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief […]

Read More… from 5/30/2018

5/29/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with a top North Korea official this week in the U.S., the White House said Tuesday [5-29-18], as Washington and Pyongyang pressed ahead on denuclearization talks ahead of a potential summit between the leaders of the two nations. The planned meeting between Mr. […]

Read More… from 5/29/2018

5/29/2018

HUMAN RIGHTS/MIKE POMPEO/RELIGION/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will host a gathering of mostly ‘like-minded’ foreign counterparts later this summer to brainstorm ways to advance the cause of religious freedom around the world. The event, slated for July 25-26 in Washington, will likely please evangelical Christians who support President Donald Trump, many of whom […]

Read More… from 5/29/2018

5/29/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NEW YORK/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A senior North Korean official is headed to New York for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the latest indication that an on-again-off-again summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader may go ahead next month…Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party’s […]

Read More… from 5/29/2018

5/24/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested on Thursday [5-24-18] new sanctions could be in the works for North Korea, even as he expressed hope the country would return to the negotiating table for direct talks following President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel the summit with Kim Jong Un that had […]

Read More… from 5/24/2018

5/23/2018

CIA/MIKE POMPEO/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday 5[5-23-18] that he ‘does not believe there is a deep state’ at the State Department or the CIA — contradicting President Donald Trump’s repeated assertion that there are forces within the government conspiring against him. Just hours after Trump tweeted about the existence of […]

Read More… from 5/23/2018

5/23/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the House Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday [5-23-18] that the denuclearization of North Korea is the top U.S. national security priority and that economic prosperity was a clear incentive for Pyongyang to give up its weapons. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was candid about his […]

Read More… from 5/23/2018

5/21/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used his first major policy address to deliver a hard-line speech on Monday [5-21-18], in which he demanded that Iran change just about everything regarding its behavior on the world stage. He insisted that Iran end all nuclear enrichment programs and close its heavy water reactor, […]

Read More… from 5/21/2018

5/21/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration escalated its demands on Iran, putting Tehran on notice that any new nuclear deal would require it to stop enriching all uranium and halt its support for militant groups in the region. The administration’s demands were outlined in a speech on Monday [5-21-18] by Secretary of State Mike […]

Read More… from 5/21/2018

5/21/2018

DEFENSE/IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/MILITARY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The US will aim to ‘crush’ Iran with economic and military pressure unless it changes its behavior in the Middle East, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday [5-21-18]. Pompeo, unveiling the Trump administration’s new policy on Iran just weeks after President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, said […]

Read More… from 5/21/2018

5/16/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “For weeks, President Donald Trump has said he might walk away from a bad deal with North Korea. On Wednesday [5-16-18], Pyongyang signaled that it, too, might turn its back on talks. North Korea’s warnings that it would cancel a June summit if Washington insists on rapid disarmament highlight the […]

Read More… from 5/16/2018

5/15/2018

MIKE POMPEO/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday [5-15-18] lifted a hiring freeze at the department, reversing an unpopular policy introduced by his predecessor, Rex Tillerson. A State Department official said the move applied to both foreign-service and civil-service job classifications and would allow hiring to resume at current funding levels…Under Mr. Tillerson, […]

Read More… from 5/15/2018

5/14/2018

ISRAEL/MIKE POMPEO/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and his top aides on Monday [5-14-18] hailed the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem as a ‘great day,’ a position that roiled the Arab world and fueled deadly protests along the Israel-Palestinian border. The move ends — at least for now — America’s chances of […]

Read More… from 5/14/2018

5/14/2018

EU/IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/SANCTIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to German, French and British counterparts in recent days to discuss cooperation over Iran, a State Department spokeswoman said on Monday 5-14-18] a week after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal…The White House on Sunday [5-13-18] threatened to impose sanctions […]

Read More… from 5/14/2018

5/13/2018

EU/IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, said on Sunday [5-13-18] that European officials should have known that President Trump would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, despite months of negotiations to salvage the accord that they believed had brought them close to satisfying the president’s demands…Mr. Bolton’s remarks could […]

Read More… from 5/13/2018

5/11/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his conversations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were ‘warm’ and ‘good.’ Pompeo spoke to reporters at the State Department a day after returning from a trip to Pyongyang to negotiate with the North Korean leader and retrieve three Americans held by the […]

Read More… from 5/11/2018

5/10/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/PRISONER/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Three American prisoners freed from North Korea arrived here early Thursday [5-10-18] to a personal welcome from President Trump, who traveled to an air base in the middle of the night to meet them. Waving their hands and flashing peace signs, the freed prisoners — Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and […]

Read More… from 5/10/2018

5/9/2018

ASIA/EU/IRAN/MIDDLE EAST/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SANCTIONS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Having returned from North Korea on Thursday [5-10-18], Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will embark on talks to persuade allies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia to press Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear and missile programs, U.S. officials said. The open question is whether the allies, […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/9/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “North Korea released three U.S. citizens imprisoned for more than a year and allowed them to fly home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, removing a source of diplomatic friction between Washington and Pyongyang ahead of a summit between the leaders of the two adversaries. The three men— Kim Dong-chul, Tony […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/9/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/PRISONERS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump welcomed three Americans who had been held prisoner in North Korea back home on Thursday [5-10-18], thanking its leader Kim Jong Un for their release and sounding upbeat about a planned U.S.-North Korea summit.The former prisoners, freed after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Pyongyang […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/9/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended an olive branch to senior North Korean officials on Wednesday [5-9-18]: ‘All the opportunities your people so richly deserve’ in exchange for the shutting down of the North’s nuclear weapons program…Mr. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday on a mission to smooth any remaining wrinkles […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/9/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump ruled out the Korean Demilitarized Zone as the site of his upcoming talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, despite previously suggesting it would provide a fitting backdrop. ‘It will not be’ at the DMZ, Trump said in response to a question from reporters at the […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/9/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong […]

Read More… from 5/9/2018

5/8/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump revealed on Tuesday [5-8-18] afternoon that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was flying to North Korea, where he will continue preparations for Trump’s planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un…Pompeo’s trip to North Korea is his second in recent months and his first since being confirmed […]

Read More… from 5/8/2018

5/7/2018

CIA/MIKE POMPEO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump attempted to bolster support Monday [5-7-18] for his embattled nominee to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, ahead of her confirmation hearing later this week. ‘My highly respected nominee for CIA Director, Gina Haspel, has come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists. Think of that, […]

Read More… from 5/7/2018

5/3/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani said the administration has reached an agreement with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un to release three detained U.S. citizens, including a 62-year-old Virginian who has been held for two years…The White House declined to provide any additional details. Mr. Trump signaled on Twitter […]

Read More… from 5/3/2018

5/2/2018

CIA/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump hailed newly minted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a ‘true American hero’ while alluding to a boost of energy at the State Department during a ceremony marking the agency leader’s swearing-in on Wednesday [5-2-18]. In his first remarks at the State Department since becoming president, Trump praised […]

Read More… from 5/2/2018

5/2/2018

MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is trying to hit reset at the State Department on the eve of a critical decision on the Iran nuclear deal and a potential summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump made his first visit to the department on Wednesday [5-2-18] for the ceremonial swearing-in […]

Read More… from 5/2/2018

5/1/2018

IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/NUCLEAR/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Incoming U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised to restore the State Department’s ‘swagger’ in his first address to employees on Monday [4-30-18] after a whirlwind tour of Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan over the weekend. Mr. Pompeo was greeted in the State Department’s packed lobby with lengthy applause and cries of […]

Read More… from 5/1/2018

4/30/2018

ISRAEL/MIKE POMPEO/PALESTINE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Monday [4-30-18] said Israel has the right to defend itself after a month of deadly clashes at the fence dividing the country and the Gaza Strip, calling on both sides to resume political engagement. President Donald Trump’s chief diplomat was concluding his first-ever international trip after […]

Read More… from 4/30/2018

4/27/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NATO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “A day after he was sworn in as secretary of state, Mike Pompeo arrived at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday morning with some words his hosts eagerly wanted to hear as he started a four-day, four-nation trip that will include talks with top allies about Russian aggression and the […]

Read More… from 4/27/2018

4/27/2018

FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The confirmation of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday [4-26-18] installed the final piece of President Donald Trump’s revamped foreign policy team, transforming his inner circle from a disparate group of strangers to a band of Washington insiders who have accrued more than 115 years of government service. […]

Read More… from 4/27/2018

4/26/2018

MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The Senate on Thursday [4-26-18] confirmed Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state, ending one of the most divisive confirmation battles for the nation’s top diplomatic job in recent memory. Mr. Pompeo was confirmed by a vote of 57-42 in the Republican-controlled Senate. Mr. Pompeo drew the support […]

Read More… from 4/26/2018

4/26/2018

MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo says he’s ‘humbled by the responsibility’ of serving as secretary of state as he departs on his first trip as America’s top diplomat. Pompeo was sworn in Thursday [4-26-18] shortly after being confirmed by the Senate. He immediately headed to Andrews Air Force Base to fly to Brussels. […]

Read More… from 4/26/2018

4/26/2018

MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state on Thursday [4-26-18], and the former CIA director set off immediately on a trip to meet key allies in Europe and the Middle East. Pompeo, a former Army officer who was a Republican congressman, is regarded […]

Read More… from 4/26/2018

4/26/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said ‘three or four days’ and as many as five locations are being considered for his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which is expected to occur by mid-June…Mr. Trump also disclosed new details about the trip Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo made to […]

Read More… from 4/26/2018

4/26/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday [4-26-18] said he is considering three or four dates as well as five locations for his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that it remains unclear whether the meeting will occur. Trump, speaking in an interview on Fox News Channel, said […]

Read More… from 4/26/2018

4/23/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a late pivot on [4-23-18] Monday evening, approved the confirmation of Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state, after Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, bowed to pressure from President Trump and dropped his opposition. For days, the committee appeared ready to […]

Read More… from 4/23/2018

4/23/2018

DEMS/MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Two more Senate Democrats said Monday [4-23-18] they would support Mike Pompeo for secretary of state, giving him some breathing room in the full Senate despite his likely rejection by the Senate panel considering his nomination. Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia—both representing red-leaning states […]

Read More… from 4/23/2018

4/23/2018

MIKE POMPEO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “A U.S. Senate committee approved the nomination of President Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, on Monday [4-23-18] after a Republican senator who had been opposed threw his support behind the CIA director in the face of party pressure.The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination on […]

Read More… from 4/23/2018

4/23/2018

DEMS/MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/SECRETARY OF STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Hard to believe Obstructionists May vote against Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State. The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people, including the Ambassador to Germany. They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans!” –Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 23, […]

Read More… from 4/23/2018

4/19/2018

DEMS/MIKE POMPEO/SENATE/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo came close on Thursday [4-19-18] to clinching confirmation as the nation’s 70th secretary of state when Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat of North Dakota, announced her support. But before that triumph, he is expected to face a historic rebuke from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which most likely will not recommend […]

Read More… from 4/19/2018

4/19/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Mike Pompeo is outstanding. First in his class at West Point. A top student at Harvard Law School. A success at whatever he has done. We need the Senate to approve Mike ASAP. He will be a great Secretary of State!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 19, 2018 3:31 pm […]

Read More… from 4/19/2018

4/19/2018

CABINET/DEMS/MIKE POMPEO/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo has been one of the few cabinet members to thrive in President Donald Trump’s administration. He recently had a successful meeting, by the White House’s accounting, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. His next task: winning over Senate Democrats to become secretary of state. […]

Read More… from 4/19/2018

4/18/2018

JAPAN/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As every Japanese knows, when you travel abroad, you must bring home some ‘omiyage’ — souvenirs. But after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s first day visiting President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., the Japanese public is wondering whether their leader, embattled at home by influence-peddling scandals, might […]

Read More… from 4/18/2018

4/18/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Wednesday [4-18-18] he recently sent Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo on a secret trip to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, in an effort to set up a summit between the two leaders. Mr. Pompeo, tapped by Mr. Trump last month […]

Read More… from 4/18/2018

4/18/2018

DEMS/MIKE POMPEO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Wednesday [4-18-18] he will oppose President Donald Trump’s nomination of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, making it unlikely he will have the committee’s backing before the full Senate votes. Senator Robert Menendez criticized the Trump administration, and […]

Read More… from 4/18/2018

4/18/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea last week. Meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed. Details of Summit are being worked out now. Denuclearization will be a great thing for World, but also for North Korea!” –Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 18, 2018 5:42 […]

Read More… from 4/18/2018

4/18/2018

MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “CIA Director Mike Pompeo visited North Korea more than two weeks ago for a secret meeting with leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, sources confirmed to CNN. Pompeo, who is US President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, didn’t take any officials from the White House or State Department […]

Read More… from 4/18/2018

4/17/2018

CIA/MIKE POMPEO/SENATE/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Nominees to lead the State Department and Central Intelligence Agency are encountering resistance in the Senate, where critics of President Donald Trump’s are prepared to make their confirmation battles a referendum on his foreign-policy positions. Mike Pompeo, the current CIA director and Mr. Trump’s pick to be the next secretary of state, […]

Read More… from 4/17/2018

4/13/2018

MIKE POMPEO/SENATE/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “It’s starting to look like Mike Pompeo might not get a favorable vote from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support his nomination as secretary of state, after three Democrats (and at least one Republican) on the panel have signaled they’ll vote against the current CIA director. Nominations can advance to full […]

Read More… from 4/13/2018

4/12/2018

MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo promised on Thursday [4-12-18] to rebuild the State Department that has been gutted by the departure of senior diplomats and has found itself sidelined in foreign policy decisions under the Trump administration. A reorganization and hiring freeze initiated by former Secretary of State Rex […]

Read More… from 4/12/2018

4/12/2018

MIKE POMPEO/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/SENATE/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Senators on Thursday [4-12-18] implored Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director nominated to be secretary of state, to stabilize the Trump administration’s erratic diplomacy by standing up to Russia and other adversaries and reinstalling American influence among allies. Under persistent questioning, Mr. Pompeo said that he had spoken to Robert S. Mueller […]

Read More… from 4/12/2018

4/12/2018

MIKE POMPEO/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo, the CIA director nominated to be secretary of state, defended the Trump administration’s efforts to push back on aggression from Russia at his confirmation hearing Thursday [4-12-18] while suggesting more sanctions on Moscow are still needed. Yet he dodged repeatedly when Democrats tried to pin him down on President […]

Read More… from 4/12/2018

4/11/2018

GOP/MIKE POMPEO/STATE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo won’t have his Senate confirmation hearing until Thursday [4-12-18], but the Republican National Committee has already launched a pressure campaign aimed at coaxing politically vulnerable red-state Democrats to support his nomination for secretary of state. Pompeo won votes from 15 Senate Democratic caucus members last year for his nomination […]

Read More… from 4/11/2018

4/11/2018

EU/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo, the hard-charging CIA director picked to be the next secretary of state, will tell the Senate on Thursday that years of soft U.S. policy toward Russia are ‘now over.’ Drawing a sharp contrast with predecessor Rex Tillerson, Pompeo will vow to promote democracy and human rights while ending ‘demoralizing’ […]

Read More… from 4/11/2018

3/29/2018

MIKE POMPEO/SECRETARY OF STATE/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “As President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, prepares to face lawmakers for his second major confirmation hearing as a Trump nominee, scores of former diplomats are urging lawmakers to ‘focus public attention on the urgent need to restore the power and influence of American […]

Read More… from 3/29/2018

3/23/2018

GARY COHN/MCMASTER/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway’s warning to those who want to work in the White House is simple: ‘Get with the program or get out.’ ‘If you are not with the program, you should get with the program or get out,’ Conway said Friday [3-23-18] in an […]

Read More… from 3/23/2018

3/22/2018

MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Washington a ‘very mean-spirited town’ in his goodbye address to State Department staff on Thursday [3-22-18]. ‘This can be a very mean spirited town,’ Tillerson said, as staff present at his remarks laughed and clapped. ‘But you don’t have to choose to participate in […]

Read More… from 3/22/2018

3/19/2018

MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, the man President Donald Trump has chosen to replace him. A State Department official says that Tillerson and Pompeo were sitting down at the department’s headquarters in Foggy Bottom. The official wasn’t authorized to comment by name and […]

Read More… from 3/19/2018

3/16/2018

CABINET/GOP/MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/RAND PAUL/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The White House was hoping for a smooth 2018 on Capitol Hill. Instead, President Donald Trump is staring at two bitter confirmation fights — and the possibility emboldened Democrats could block his new Cabinet nominees. Trump’s decision to nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson at the State […]

Read More… from 3/16/2018

3/14/2018

FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House has created a working group to prepare for the landmark meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un of North Korea. But Mr. Trump’s sudden ousting on Tuesday [3-13-18] of Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson could delay critical elements of the planning until the Senate confirms […]

Read More… from 3/14/2018