Trump makes predictions on confirmation of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state
During a working lunch with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Wednesday, Mr. Trump expressed "confidence" in Mike Pompeo's confirmation as the next secretary of state, despite increasing numbers of Senators voicing their concerns and "no" votes for the current CIA chief.
"We'll see what happens, a lot of people are predicting other things, but I think it's going to work out really well and I think our country really needs him, he's going to be a great leader," said Mr. Trump of Pompeo.
The president, however, acknowledged Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's opposition to Pompeo's confirmation. He appeared confident the Republican would change his tune on the nominee.
"I will say this about Rand Paul -- he's never let me down. Rand Paul is a very special guy as far as I'm concerned, he's never let me down and I don't think he'll let us down again."
He added, in a jab at Sen. John McCain's dramatic "no" vote on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, "As you remember he [Paul] voted for health care and he did us a big favor, it was someone else that voted against it that hurt us." McCain is likely to be absent from Pompeo's confirmation vote in the Senate as he continues to recuperate from complications stemming from his brain cancer diagnosis late last year.
Paul responded to the president's comments and suggestion that the two should meet shortly thereafter saying, "At this point I think it would take a great deal to move me. But out of respect for the President I'm going to meet with him.
Mr. Trump also noted Pompeo's meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, saying the two got along "really well."
"He's that kind of a guy, he's very smart but he gets along with people, I think Mike will be in good shape," he added.
On Tuesday, while welcoming Abe to Florida, Mr. Trump told reporters that the U.S. had begun talking with North Korea "directly," ahead of the intended summit.
The president later confirmed in an early morning tweet that his pick for secretary of state, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, had met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in a meeting that went "very smoothly." Mr. Trump tweeted that the two were able to form a "good relationship" in the process ahead of expected talks between the U.S. and the North.
A White House official told CBS News the meeting took place over Easter weekend.
Meanwhile, the president took the lunch to embrace the U.S.' ongoing relationship with Japan, saying the leaders have spent a lot of time together since Mr. Trump was elected and "right from the beginning we hit it off."
Mr. Trump said the two would continue to discuss ongoing trade issues, urging a "reciprocal" relationship between the two nations.
"Reciprocal I think is the word we have to use. Free, yes. Fair, yes. But I like to say free, fair and reciprocal," the president said.
He added that he's going to "weed down" the deficit with Japan very soon and said they've ordered tens of billions of dollars in aircraft, which will help in the effort.
