Speaking at the White House after John Bolton’s surprise exit as national security adviser, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo couldn’t hide a smile of satisfaction.
With the departure of Bolton, Pompeo has become the undisputed king of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy — with the exception, that is, of Trump himself.
The former soldier, lawyer and businessman has made a quick ascent in Washington since arriving as a Kansas congressman elected in the 2010 right-wing populist “Tea Party” movement. But many speculate that Pompeo will choose not to stay long in his newly powerful position, enticed by an opening to represent Kansas in the Senate next year — perhaps with an eye on running for the top prize in the 2024 presidential election.
