Donald Trump calls Mike Pompeo 'great guy' as nomination for Secretary of State hits trouble

Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director, faced growing opposition to him become US secretary of state last night as Democrats attacked him for not disclosing his secret meeting with Kim Jong-un to Congress.

Mr Pompeo, who has been nominated by Donald Trump to become America's top diplomat, was criticised for not divulging details of the clandestine visit to Pyongyang, either in public or private, at a confirmation hearing last week with the Senate foreign relations committee.

Republicans launched a counter-campaign to shore up support for Mr Pompeo.

Tom Cotton, a Republican senator, called opposition Democrats "two-bit Talleyrands" trying to conduct foreign policy from "armchairs".

Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the committee, said he would now oppose Mr Pompeo's nomination when the committee votes next week, as did other Democrats.

Mr Menendez said: "I don't expect diplomacy to be negotiated out in the open but I do expect for someone who is the nominee to be secretary of state, when he speaks with committee leadership and is asked specific questions about North Korea, to share some insights about such a visit."

Mr Pompeo would be the first White House nominee for secretary of state not to be approved by the committee in nearly 100 years.

His nomination could still move to a vote in the full Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority.

However, with Republican senator John McCain ill, and Republican senator Rand Paul opposed to Mr Pompeo, at least one Democrat vote would be needed to secure the nomination.

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, accused Democrats of "blind partisanship". She said: "There is absolutely no legitimate reason - and partisanship is not a legitimate reason - that Mike Pompeo should not receive support.

"He is unquestionably qualified. The president respects him and world leaders know he speaks for the president. The Senate should do what is the right thing for the country."

The White House had hoped to keep Mr Pompeo's North Korea visit secret, but it was revealed by the Washington Post on Tuesday night.

Initially, Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, refused to confirm it. She said: "The administration does not comment on the CIA Director's travel."

Hours later Mr Trump himself confirmed the meeting on Twitter.

The president said it had taken place "last week," which suggested it could have been after Mr Pompeo's Senate confirmation hearing.

However, US officials then clarified that it took place over the Easter weekend, which ran from March 31 to April 2.

Mr Trump said it had laid the groundwork for his own possible summit with the North Korean leader in late May or early June.

He wrote: "Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong-un in North Korea last week. Meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed.

"Details of Summit are being worked out now. Denuclearisation will be a great thing for World, but also for North Korea!"

Later, Mr Trump said: "Our country really needs him. Mike Pompeo had a great meeting with Kim Jong-un, got along with him really great, he's that kind of guy. He's a great leader, a great guy."

The president also lavished extensive praise on Rand Paul, the Republican senator whose opposition has imperiled the nomination.

Mr Trump said: "Rand Paul is a very special guy. He's never let me down. I don't think he'll let me down. I have a lot of confidence in Rand.

"A lot of people are predicting other things, but I have a feeling it's going to be OK." 

Mr Pompeo was already facing opposition from Democrats because of his previous support for the use of torture, and opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.

Democrats have also criticised him for comments about Islam, climate change and same-sex marriage.

Mr Pompeo became the most senior US official known to have met with Mr Kim.

His visit was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief, Suh Hoon, along with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol.

Mr Pompeo's goal was to assess whether Mr Kim was prepared to hold serious talks about giving up his nuclear weapons.

No site has yet been chosen for the proposed summit between Mr Kim and Mr Trump but Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital, is reportedly under consideration.