Haley calls Trump’s selection of Pompeo as next secretary of State a ‘great decision’

by Julia Manchester - 03/13/18 10:52 AM ET

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday praised President Trump’s selection of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, calling it “a great decision.”

“Congratulations to my friend and soon to be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo! Great decision by the President,” Haley said in a tweet.

Congratulations to my friend and soon to be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo! Great decision by the President.

— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) March 13, 2018

Trump tweeted about his intention to replace Tillerson with Pompeo earlier in the morning.

Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018

While Trump told reporters that he “actually got along great with Rex,” the two reportedly clashed. Tillerson, according to news outlets, called Trump a moron during a meeting at the Pentagon.

Reports have also surfaced that Haley and Tillerson have clashed.

Politico, for example, said last year that a Trump administration official characterized her feud with Tillerson as approaching “World War III.”

Haley dismissed the report at the time, calling it “ridiculous.”

“That’s so dramatic. That’s so ridiculous. No. I think what you have is sometimes Secretary Tillerson and I have different opinions, but when we come into the NSC [National Security Council], everybody has different opinions,” she said.

Haley and Tillerson both denied reports that she would replace Tillerson last year.

“We have a secretary of State currently, and I think he’s planning to hang around,” Tillerson said in September.

Haley said she would not take the post if it were offered to her.

“I would not take it. I am perfectly happy in New York, and trying to be as effective as I can and will continue to do so as long as the president will allow me to serve,” she said.