Trump CIA chief is ‘favorite’ to replace Tillerson: report

President Trump’s CIA Director Mike Pompeo has risen to the top of Trump’s list of possible replacements for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, according to a Politico report.

More than a half dozen administration officials and outside advisers told the outlet that Trump has leaned on Pompeo for information during his daily national security briefings and that Pompeo has told associates that he expects Trump nominate him to replace Tillerson.

He has added that he plans to accept the role if offered.

White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah denied that Trump was considering any upcoming staffing changes, touting both Tillerson and Pompeo’s value to the Trump administration.

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“The president is very pleased with his entire national security team, which includes Secretary Tillerson and Director Pompeo,” Shah said.

“Together, they have led the world toward unprecedented pressure on North Korea, are crushing [the Islamic State] in Iraq and Syria and have convinced NATO members to contribute more to the common defense,” he said. 

Tillerson’s job security has been the subject of speculation for weeks with many wondering if he would quit or be fired after NBC News reported that he had referred to Trump as a “f—— moron” after a meeting of the president’s top advisers in July.

A former deputy national security adviser to President George W. Bush characterized Pompeo as someone who would “think outside the box” but wouldn’t openly attack the president.

“Pompeo is a skeptic toward the traditional thinking in Washington about Iran and North Korea,” former Ambassador Jim Jeffrey told Politico.

“Tillerson pushed back on policy things and at times he reflected that there’s always a diplomatic solution. Pompeo will think outside the box. He’s also willing to not attack Trump openly, which most of this administration seems willing to do,” he added.

A State Department spokesman told Politico that Tillerson has not discussed Pompeo’s possible takeover of the agency during their regularly scheduled meetings.

“This has never been a topic discussed during the secretary’s regular breakfast meetings with the director,” State Department spokesman R.C. Hammond said.

“I do know they discuss the national security challenges facing the United States and coordinate how they are implementing the president’s strategies for protecting our country,” he said.