Trump not to invite Pompeo and Haley to new administration
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
The winner of the US presidential election, Donald Trump, will not offer former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo or former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley positions in his future administration, reports CBS News.
"I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation," Trump said.
At the same time, the newly elected US president stated that he values his past work with Pompeo and Haley.
"I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country," Trump added.
Pompeo was predicted to become the head of the Pentagon
The statement from the future 47th president of the US came after American media outlets received information from sources familiar with the White House administration formation process, indicating that the candidacy of 60-year-old Mike Pompeo is being discussed as a possible nominee for the position of Secretary of Defense, replacing current Pentagon head Lloyd Austin.
Pompeo is considered a supporter of Trump’s foreign policy. He has advocated for strong support of Israel and a tougher stance on Iran.
Additionally, the former US Secretary of State (from April 26, 2018, to January 20, 2021) has repeatedly made statements calling for increased support for Ukraine, in contrast to several other figures within the Republican Party close to Trump.
Trump had previously offered Haley a position in his administration
The 52-year-old Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, ran for president as a Republican candidate in the 2016 election but later supported Senator Marco Rubio from Florida after dropping out of the race.
At the same time, Trump appointed Haley as US Ambassador to the UN, a position she held until her sudden resignation in 2018.
Trump praised Haley at the time, calling her very special to him and suggesting that she could return to his administration in the future, according to CBS News.
Additionally, Haley did not run in the 2020 presidential race, but this year, she announced her candidacy to vie for a seat in the Oval Office - essentially against her former boss.
However, in March, Haley - Trump’s main rival - dropped out of the race. It was only two months later, during her speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, that she expressed her support for Trump.
Forming Trump's administration issue
Earlier, analysts had repeatedly named Mike Pompeo as one of the potential candidates for key positions in the new US administration. For more details on the situation regarding the formation of Trump's team, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
Additionally, US media outlets previously reported that Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas declined a position in Donald Trump’s administration - rumors suggested he was being considered for the role of US Secretary of Defense.
