Trump: Pompeo ‘absolutely not leaving’ to run for Senate

President Trump in an interview broadcast Sunday dismissed reports that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is weighing a Senate bid in his home state of Kansas.

Trump said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Pompeo has not expressed a desire to leave the administration.

“I asked him the question the other day, he says he’s absolutely not leaving,” Trump said. “I don’t think he’d do that. And he doesn’t want to be lame duck. And he’s doing a fantastic job as our secretary of State. Great energy and a great, smart gentleman.”

{mosads}The president called reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had spoken to Pompeo about the seat “fake news,” though he backed off that characterization when anchor Margaret Brennan noted Pompeo had confirmed the conversation.

“Well, he may have spoken to him, but I think he loves being secretary of State,” Trump said. “He’s doing a fantastic job.”

.@realDonaldTrump dismisses reports that @SecPompeo may run for Senate, “I asked him the question the other day, he says he’s absolutely not leaving.” pic.twitter.com/QsL5ibaYSw

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 3, 2019

Pompeo has been widely reported as a potential successor to Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), who announced he will not seek reelection in 2020.

Pompeo, who previously served as a congressman for Kansas’s 4th Congressional District, has said “lots of folks” have reached out about campaigning for Senate, and he has reportedly taken meetings with local groups and leaders to discuss the subject.

“I have suggested to them that I have a very full plate as secretary of State, and I intend to keep doing this so long as President Trump will commit to it,” Pompeo told Fox News last month.

He confirmed to Fox News that he spoke to McConnell once about the issue.

“He asked me if I’d think about it, and I told him I appreciated the phone call,” Pompeo said.