Booker Challenges Pompeo On View That Homosexuality Is 'Perversion'

"This isn't patriotism; this is lunacy", a Twitter user said in response to an assertion by the incumbent CIA Director Mike Pompeo that the United States is morally above Russian Federation, when it comes to acceptable foreign policy goals. Pompeo suggested he did not share all the president's views - including his skepticism about Russia's interference. He maintained he wants to improve the Iran deal and would continue efforts to do so even if Trump withdraws from it as he has threatened.

Pompeo was asked later whether he'd resign if Trump fired Mueller. "My instincts tell me no", he replied, adding that the obligation to serve is "more important at increased time of political domestic turmoil". "I mean, look at the election meddling, right?" said Pompeo. Now the duties of the Secretary of state takes the first Deputy head of the diplomatic Department John Sullivan.

In addition to homosexuality, Booker also grilled Pompeo on his perspective of Muslim Americans.

To the dismay of some Democratic lawmakers, Pompeo equivocated when asked about climate change - acknowledging it is occurring but saying only that it's "likely" that humans are contributing to it.

"Senator, again I'm not going to talk about private conversations I've had with the president", Pompeo said. If Pompeo doesn't seem to believe Americans are equal, how will he treat citizens of other nations overseas?

Mr Pompeo declined to say that Mr Trump should pull out of the Iran nuclear deal unilaterally and pledged to counter Russia's attempts to undermine Western democracy.