Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this morning and plans to nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to take his place. Meanwhile Pompeo’s deputy Gina Hapsel will be nominated to lead the CIA and would be the first woman to hold that post. The article indicates Trump wanted a clean slate for Korea talks, but I’ve also seen it speculated that he was not happy that Tillerson blamed Russia for the poisoning of that spy in the UK since of course Russia can do no wrong in the eyes of the WH.
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Hopefully Senate Democrats can stick together to vote this down and ask tough questions. Maybe bring some of the McCain, Murkowski, Flake, Corker or Collins types along for a halt if Pompeo is not strong enough on Russia. Unfortunately those names are all hawkish on Iran and North Korea, and likely will be pleased with Pompeo in that department. Hapsel should also be grilled for her role in CIA torture, though I still prefer her to Sen. Cotton.
I’m also hearing that Pompeo has some troubling Islamaphobic views, but I suppose that means he would fit right in:(
President Donald Trump’s personal assistant, John McEntee, was fired and escorted from the White House on today after being denied a security clearance over financial problems in his background, according to senior administration officials and people close to the former aide….Trump’s personal aide Johnny McEntee was fired because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, a source familiar with his firing tells @kaitlancollins
I’m not sure why that’s so severe as to require an escort out of the WH. Of course by that standard 45 has no business being there either.