Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed that former President Donald Trump once suggested that he serve as defense secretary at the same time.
Pompeo shared the details in excerpts from his new book, “Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love.”
Trump reportedly told chief of staff Mark Meadows that then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper would not be in his role much longer, telling him that Pompeo should take the job as “a duty additional”.
Pompeo wrote in his memoir that he told Meadows the option was “a crazy idea,” adding that he would not be able to “command the defense at the same time,” Yahoo News reported.
Trump later raised the idea with Pompeo again, noting that Henry Kissinger served as secretary of state and national security adviser for a short time in the 1970s.
“President Trump pitched me the idea,” Pompeo wrote in his memoir. “I think he was half joking.”
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Pompeo is considered a potential candidate to run for president in 2024, a move that would pit him against his former leader.
Trump announced his candidacy in December shortly after the 2022 midterm elections. So far, no other major candidates have made a formal move to face him in the Republican primary.
The former president’s move could set up a rematch with President Joe Biden. However, he will first have to overcome other potential challengers, including some of his key allies in the White House.
In addition to Pompeo, other rumored candidates include former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Pompeo’s advantages are based on his experience and sharp wit. The former secretary of state graduated first in his class from West Point and is an alumnus of Harvard Law School. He previously served as a Republican congressman in his home state of Kansas and was director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
In his book, Pompeo also joked that he was “the only member of the president’s core national security team to go four years without resigning or being fired.” Working for a president known for his role on “The Apprentice,” Pompeo’s survival during and after the Trump administration is an admirable trait.
The former secretary of state’s national platform has continued to expand in recent months, including the imminent launch of her new title, prompting growing speculation that she may be eyeing the role of her former boss.
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