Updated 2:16 p.m.: Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo has accepted President-elect Donald Trump's nomination to serve as director of the CIA.
In a statement, Pompeo says he is "honored and humbled" by the offer, but says it was a "difficult decision."
Pompeo was recently re-elected to his seat representing Kansas' 4th Congressional District. It would be his fourth term in Congress.
State GOP chairman Kelly Arnold calls Trump's nomination of Pompeo "a brilliant choice."
"There are few people with Mike's background and expertise in intelligence, national defense and foreign policy," Arnold said in a statement Friday.
Pompeo is a graduate of West Point and Harvard Law School and a member of the House intelligence committe
Gov. Sam Brownback calls it “fantastic” that Pompeo has been nominated to head the CIA. He calls Pompeo “tough on terrorism.”
“Mike is smart, he’s tough, he will do an awesome job," Brownback says. "It’s a great honor to have a Kansan nominated for a position like that and I’m very happy for him. I think that’s a wonderful pick."
Pompeo’s nomination will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. If he’s confirmed, there will be a special election to fill his 4th District congressional seat in south-central Kansas.
Brownback has also been mentioned for possible jobs in the Trump administration, but he would not say if he’s been in contact with the transition team.
Original story:
President-elect Donald Trump has picked Mike Pompeo — a Kansas congressman — to be CIA director.
That’s according to a Trump transition official.
Pompeo is a conservative Republican and a fierce critic of President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran.
Trump is beginning to fill out his governing team, and the transition official says Trump will make the Pompeo announcement on Friday morning, along with his nomination of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions to be attorney general and his selection of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn to be national security adviser.
The official wasn't authorized to disclose the decisions ahead of Trump's announcement and insisted on anonymity.
