According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he will run for president in 2024 even if former President Donald Trump also runs.
Haberman made her remarks on CNN’s “New Day.”
Such an inter-cabinet race would be interesting, to say the least.
JUST NOW: "@SecPompeo told a number of people he told Trump directly he’s going to run even if Trump runs."@maggieNYT on GOP jockeying for 2024.pic.twitter.com/upucfLYsxz
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) November 1, 2021
CNN host John Berman asked Haberman what she thought about Senator Tim Scott saying he would support Trump if he ran for president in 2024.
Haberman said she heard Scott’s name being passed around for 2024 among “Republicans who liked Trump’s policies, but did not like Trump’s behavior.”
Then she brought up former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“Mike Pompeo has told a number of people he told Trump directly he will run even if Trump runs,” Haberman claimed, sourcing Republican operatives she says she has spoken to.
“Did [Trump] get annoyed?” Haberman asked. “We’re never going to know, it’s a conversation between the two of them, but [Pompeo] is one of the people saying that.”
On former Vice President Mike Pence possibly running, Haberman said “he will have a hard time running if Trump does, as would Pompeo for the same reason.”
If Pompeo tried to face Trump in a 2024 Republican presidential primary it would be a daunting battle.
The big questions are, why would Pompeo run against Trump? What policies of Trump’s did Pompeo disagree with?
Multiple recent polls show an overwhelming majority of Republicans voting for Trump if he should decide to run.
Haberman later tweeted, “A Pompeo aide tells me it was ‘a joke’ Pompeo was making with Trump shortly after their CPAC speeches and not a serious statement of intentions. Won’t say where Pompeo’s head is on whether Trump is factoring into his calculations. Pompeo is making early moves toward 2024.”
A Pompeo aide tells me it was “a joke” Pompeo was making with Trump shortly after their CPAC speeches and not a serious statement of intentions. Won’t say where Pompeo’s head is on whether Trump is factoring into his calculations. Pompeo is making early moves toward 2024. https://t.co/EWUNVuQm5r
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 1, 2021
Of course, that could just be a “trial balloon” – Pompeo’s team putting the idea out there and gauging the reaction.