Mike Pompeo’s recent statement about being open to joining a new Trump administration if asked has sparked anger among supporters of the Make America Great (MAGA) movement.
Pompeo, who held positions as secretary of state and director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Trump administration, has occasionally differed from his former boss since their departure from office in January 2021. In the meantime, Trump has effectively secured the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination, with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, his sole remaining challenger, withdrawing from the race following defeats in nearly all state primary contests on Super Tuesday.
During a recent interview with Fox News on Friday, Pompeo expressed his willingness to rejoin Trump’s administration if he is reelected.
“I rarely provide feedback on job offers that I haven’t received. However, if I am given the opportunity to serve and believe that I can bring about positive change, I will most likely accept that chance to make a difference on behalf of the American people,” expressed Pompeo.
MAGA supporters have expressed their concerns about the loyalty and performance of the former secretary of state on X, formerly known as Twitter. Newsweek has contacted Trump’s spokesperson and Pompeo’s Champion American Values PAC via email for their comments.
Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser to President Trump, directed his criticism towards Pompeo.
“So you want to undermine him again? As the Director of the CIA, you didn’t do anything to expose the falsity of the Russiagate claims. You had ample opportunities and resources to address this issue, but you failed to make any significant impact. Moreover, your performance at the State Department was lackluster, as you did very little to resolve any of the existing problems. Have you even spoken out about the alleged election rigging in 2020? The American people are still waiting for your response. It is crucial to keep the RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) out of the next Trump administration,” Flynn expressed on X.
So you can undermine him again? You did zip as Director of the CIA to expose the BS russiagate and you had every chance and ability to do it and you did even less fixing anything at the state department. And have you stated even once anything about the rigged election of 2020?… https://t.co/fnIfnwIGLy
— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) March 10, 2024
Arizona state Senator Wendy Rogers, a Republican, expressed her disapproval of Mike Pompeo’s comments, stating that she used to have respect for him but will no longer be deceived by him.
“Mike Pompeo is more focused on promoting himself rather than supporting Trump. I agree with Gen. Flynn’s statement that Pompeo failed to take action against President Trump’s adversaries when he had the opportunity,” expressed X user Truth Now.
To think back in the day, I used to respect Mike Pompeo.
Nope, never will I be duped by him again. https://t.co/RS7J5VrcHt
— Wendy Rogers (@WendyRogersAZ) March 10, 2024
Wendy Patterson, a fellow X user who proudly identifies with MAGA on her profile, criticized Pompeo’s performance during Trump’s presidency:
According to a post on social media, Mike Pompeo, who served as the CIA Director for nearly two years during the Trump administration, has been accused of being involved in the CIA’s alleged “Russian hoax” against President Trump. The post claims that Pompeo did not take any action to address this issue during his tenure. However, the post also mentions that Pompeo recently expressed his willingness to serve in a second Trump administration if asked, even considering the Vice Presidency. The author of the post concludes by stating that Pompeo is a potential disruptor for Trump’s second term.
In the Fox News interview, Pompeo acknowledged the concerns about loyalty and expressed his belief that it is reasonable for a president to expect commitment to their vision.
In expressing his confidence, he stated, “President Trump will actively seek individuals who will faithfully carry out his requested tasks. As a president, it is only natural to desire such commitment from every member of the team.”
Criticism has been directed towards Pompeo following his dismissal of Trump’s previous assertion that he could effortlessly put an end to the war in Ukraine. This occurred during an interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum last year.
During the interview, he was shown a clip of Trump discussing a secret negotiation technique that could potentially end the war quickly. In response, he was asked whether he believed the war could be resolved within a day.
Pompeo responded by saying, “I am not aware of what he is referring to.”
During his time as Secretary of State, Pompeo claimed that the Trump administration successfully deterred Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine. Although he did not explicitly mention Trump by name, Pompeo asserted that this accomplishment was achieved under his leadership.
During the 2022 midterm election, there was a disagreement between the former Secretary of State and Trump. Trump showed his support for celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary, while Pompeo endorsed David McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO. Ultimately, Oz won the primary by a narrow margin but was unsuccessful in the midterm against Democratic Senator John Fetterman.