Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee gave a hard time to CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Thursday, giving the possibility that he might not win a panel vote to become the nation’s top diplomat.
According to The New York Times, Pompeo declined to answer repeated questions from Democrats related to the ongoing Russia investigations and was challenged at several points to break with President Donald Trump, as lawmakers voiced concerns that he would be too deferential as Secretary of State.
Although Pompeo’s answers pleased the Republicans on the panel, with the defection of Senator Rand Paul and with Senator John McCain being home receiving treatment for cancer, he will still need approval from several Democrats in order to win confirmation.
Paul said that he is going to oppose Pompeo’s nomination because of his support for the Iraq War as well as his past position on torture.
No signs of support have been shown by the Democrats on the panel.
Democratic Senator Tom Udall stated that he is going to oppose the nomination and two other Democratic committee members who previously supported his confirmation as CIA director said that they have concerns regarding Pompeo being Secretary of State.
Democrats on Thursday pushed question on how Pompeo views the executive branch’s authority to start a war in hotspots like Syria, North Korea, and Iran.
However, Pompeo dismissed the allegations that he is a war hawk, which was a concern raised by Democrats who have been unnerved by the recent appointment of notoriously hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, The Times reported.
“Every day at the forefront of our mind is how can we find solutions that achieve the American objective but avoid us having to put a single American in harm’s way,” Pompeo said when asked if Trump is assembling a “War Cabinet.”
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