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Donald Trump has ruled out naming Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state, to his second administration, as he moves to build out his cabinet after winning the US presidential election against Kamala Harris this week.
Trump announced that he would not be including Pompeo in the government in a post on Truth Social on Saturday. He also said that Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN who challenged him for the White House, would not be joining.
Both Pompeo and Haley have been critical of Trump before backing him for president in the general election, and his announcement highlights how he is planning to staff his administration with loyalists who have not crossed him recently.
“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” Trump said in the post.
“I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country.”
Pompeo was seen as a top contender for defence secretary in Trump’s second administration, having already served as CIA director as well as secretary of state in his first.
Trump’s statement striking him from contention means Mike Waltz, the Florida congressman, is the most likely candidate to run the Pentagon. Tom Cotton, the Arkansas senator and another top contender for defence secretary, has already ruled himself out.
Pompeo has been a staunch advocate for US aid to Ukraine as it battles the Russian invasion, putting him at odds with Trump and his allies who have been sceptical of helping Kyiv.
He has criticised Trump in the past for his profligate spending policies and his mishandling of classified documents. Pompeo warned that Republicans needed to be beware of “those with fragile egos who refuse to acknowledge reality” — which was widely viewed as a swipe at Trump.
But this year Pompeo said he would be open to serving in the administration if asked.
Haley was much less likely to join Trump for his second term after heavily attacking in during the Republican primary, and criticising his campaign in the final weeks of the race.
Trump’s post about Haley and Pompeo followed his first big appointment on Friday, choosing Susie Wiles, his top political adviser and strategist, to be White House chief of staff.
It also came as Nevada and Arizona were called for Trump by AP, completing a clean sweep of the seven swing states by the former president.
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