Career Timeline of Mike Pompeo: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Mike Pompeo built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Michael Richard Pompeo is an American retired politician prominent for his roles in the Trump administration. He served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2017 to 2018 and later as the 70th United States Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021. Before his executive branch appointments, Pompeo was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Kansas's 4th congressional district from 2011 to 2017.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1986: Service in the U.S. Army

In 1986, Mike Pompeo began serving in the U.S. Army as an armor officer with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the 4th Infantry Division, based in West Germany.

1986: Graduation from United States Military Academy

In 1986, Mike Pompeo graduated from the United States Military Academy and began his five-year service as a United States Army officer.

1991: Left the U.S. Army

In 1991, Mike Pompeo left the U.S. Army at the rank of captain.

1994: Graduated from Harvard Law School

In 1994, Mike Pompeo earned a juris doctor from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy.

1996: Moved to Wichita and Acquired Aircraft-Parts Manufacturers

In 1996, Mike Pompeo moved to Wichita, Kansas, and with friends, acquired several aircraft-parts manufacturers, renaming the entity Thayer Aerospace.

1998: Became an Entrepreneur

In 1998, Mike Pompeo became an entrepreneur in the aerospace and oilfield industries after working as an attorney.

2006: Sold Interest in Aerospace Company

In 2006, Mike Pompeo sold his interest in Nex-Tech Aerospace and became president of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment manufacturer.

2010: Elected to the United States House of Representatives

In 2010, Mike Pompeo was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Kansas's 4th congressional district.

2010: Won Republican Primary for Kansas's 4th District

In the 2010 election, Mike Pompeo won the Republican primary for Kansas's 4th District congressional seat with 39% of the vote.

2011: Represented Kansas's 4th Congressional District

From 2011, Mike Pompeo represented Kansas's 4th congressional district.

2011: House of Representatives

In 2011, Mike Pompeo served in the United States House of Representatives.

2012: Defeated Robert Tillman

In the 2012 election, Pompeo defeated Democratic nominee Robert Tillman by a margin of 62–32%.

2013: Pompeo supports NSA surveillance programs

In 2013, Pompeo voiced his support for the surveillance programs conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA), describing their work as "good and important".

2014: Russian Annexation of Crimea

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, leading to sanctions. Pompeo later contrasted this with the U.S. recognition of Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, citing security concerns for Israel.

2014: Won General Election

In the 2014 election, Pompeo won the general election with 67% of the vote, defeating Democrat Perry Schuckman.

November 2015: Pompeo visits Israel

In November 2015, Pompeo visited Israel and declared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be "a true partner of the American people."

2015: Withdrawal from Iran Nuclear Deal

In 2015, Mike Pompeo advocated for the withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal with Iran.

2015: Sponsored the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act

In 2015, Mike Pompeo was the original sponsor of the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act.

November 18, 2016: Nomination for CIA Director

On November 18, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Pompeo to be the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

2016: Met with William E. Binney

In 2016, At Trump's request, Mike Pompeo met with former NSA official William E. Binney to discuss his doubts of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.

2016: Democratic senators running for reelection in states that Trump won

In 2016, Five of ten Democratic senators running for reelection in 2018 in states that Trump won, voting to confirm Pompeo.

2016: Pompeo advocates for comprehensive surveillance database

In 2016, Pompeo advocated for Congress to enact legislation reinstating the collection of all metadata, integrating it with publicly accessible financial and lifestyle information into a searchable database, and removing legal obstacles to surveillance.

2016: Beat Daniel Giroux

In the 2016 election, Pompeo beat Democrat Daniel B. Giroux in the general election with 61% of the vote.

January 2017: Appointment as CIA Director

In January 2017, Donald Trump appointed Mike Pompeo as the director of the CIA.

January 2017: Appointment to Director of the CIA

In January 2017, Mike Pompeo was appointed director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

January 2017: Reaffirmation of Saudi Arabia–United States Relations

In January 2017, Pompeo reaffirmed Saudi Arabia–United States relations since Trump took office.

January 23, 2017: Confirmed as CIA Director

On January 23, 2017, Mike Pompeo was confirmed by the Senate as the director of the CIA and was sworn in later that day.

February 2017: Traveled to Turkey and Saudi Arabia

In February 2017, Mike Pompeo traveled to Turkey and Saudi Arabia to discuss policy on Syria and ISIL and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia–United States relations.

March 2017: Invoked State Secrets Privilege

In March 2017, Mike Pompeo formally invoked state secrets privilege to prevent CIA officers from being compelled to testify in the trial of Bruce Jessen and James Elmer Mitchell.

April 2017: Pompeo calls WikiLeaks a non-state hostile intelligence service

In an April 2017 speech, Pompeo referred to WikiLeaks as "a non-state hostile intelligence service" and labeled Julian Assange a "narcissist" and "a fraud—a coward hiding behind a screen".

April 2017: Described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence service"

On 13 April 2017, in an address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Pompeo described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence service."

June 2017: Named Michael D'Andrea head of the CIA's Iran mission center

In June 2017, Mike Pompeo named Michael D'Andrea head of the CIA's Iran mission center.

July 2017: Pompeo expresses desire for denuclearization

In July 2017, Pompeo stated, regarding North Korea, that "It would be a great thing to denuclearize the peninsula, to get those weapons off of that, but the thing that is most dangerous about it is the character who holds the control over them today."

August 2017: Took Direct Command of Counterintelligence Mission Center

In August 2017, Mike Pompeo took direct command of the Counterintelligence Mission Center.

September 2017: Sought Authority for Covert Drone Strikes

In September 2017, Mike Pompeo sought authority for the CIA to make covert drone strikes without the Pentagon's involvement.

2017: Director of the CIA

In 2017, Mike Pompeo served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

2017: End of Term in the House of Representatives

In 2017, Mike Pompeo's service in the United States House of Representatives came to an end.

2017: Pompeo supports moving US embassy to Jerusalem

In 2017, Pompeo expressed his support for President Trump's decision to relocate the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

2017: Named Former Business Partner as COO

In 2017, when Mike Pompeo became head of the CIA, he named his former business partner, Brian Bulatao, the agency's chief operating officer.

March 13, 2018: Nomination as Secretary of State

On March 13, 2018, President Trump announced that he would nominate Pompeo to serve as secretary of state.

March 31, 2018: Rex Tillerson Stepped Down

On March 31, 2018, Rex Tillerson stepped down as secretary of state.

April 2018: Appointment as Secretary of State

In April 2018, Donald Trump appointed Mike Pompeo as the Secretary of State.

April 26, 2018: Sworn in as Secretary of State

On April 26, 2018, Mike Pompeo was sworn in as Secretary of State, promising to improve morale at the State Department.

July 2018: Raised Issue of Xinjiang Internment Camps

In July 2018, Mike Pompeo raised the issue of Xinjiang internment camps and human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority in China.

August 2018: Thanked Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman

In August 2018, Mike Pompeo thanked Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman "for Saudi Arabia's support for northeast Syria's urgent stabilization needs" and discussed the situation in Yemen.

August 2018: Pompeo calls for Russia to release Oleg Sentsov

In August 2018, Pompeo urged Russia to "immediately release" Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was imprisoned.

October 10, 2018: Stated Israel is Everything the U.S. Wants the Middle East to Look Like

On October 10, 2018, Mike Pompeo said Israel "is everything we want the entire Middle East to look like going forward" and that the Israel–United States relations are "stronger than ever".

2018: Visited North Korea and Met with Kim Jong-un

During Easter weekend in 2018, Mike Pompeo visited North Korea and met with Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un to discuss the upcoming 2018 North Korea–United States summit between Kim and Trump.

2018: Secretary of State

In 2018, Mike Pompeo served as the 70th United States secretary of state.

2018: Nomination Sent to Full Senate

On April 23, 2018, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 11–9 in favor of sending Pompeo's nomination to the full Senate.

January 7, 2019: Pompeo's Middle East Diplomatic Tour

On January 7, 2019, Pompeo began a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, including stops in Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and the Gulf nations, to reassure U.S. partners that the mission to degrade the Islamic State and counter Iranian influence remained unchanged despite the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

January 23, 2019: US Recognizes Juan Guaidó as Venezuelan President

On January 23, 2019, Pompeo announced that the U.S. would recognize Juan Guaidó as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela and that American diplomats would remain in Caracas. A ceremony for Pompeo and Jair Bolsonaro was canceled due to protests over Bolsonaro's remarks.

March 2019: Spoke of the Lord at Work in Israel

In March 2019, following a visit to the Western Wall with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mike Pompeo spoke to "the work that our administration's done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state, remains ... I am confident that the Lord is at work here."

April 2019: Speech at Texas A&M University

In an April 2019 speech at Texas A&M University, Mike Pompeo said "I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. It was like we had entire training courses . . . it reminds you of the glory of the American experiment."

May 14, 2019: Pompeo Meets with Lavrov and Putin in Sochi

On May 14, 2019, Pompeo met with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia. They discussed Syria, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). Pompeo raised the issue of Russian election interference, which Putin denied.

October 2019: Promotion of Pompeo's Speech "On Being a Christian Leader"

In October 2019, the State Department promoted a speech by Pompeo, "On Being a Christian Leader", delivered to the American Association of Christian Counselors. This promotion sparked criticism for potentially violating the separation of church and state. Pompeo also created the Commission on Unalienable Rights and a faith-based employee affinity group.

November 2019: U.S. Policy Shift on Israeli Settlements

In November 2019, Pompeo announced that the U.S. no longer views Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as a violation of international law, breaking with decades of U.S. policy.

November 20, 2019: Sondland's Public Testimony

On November 20, 2019, Gordon Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, testified that Rick Perry, Kurt Volker, and he stayed in touch with Rudy Giuliani regarding President Trump's expectation that Ukraine's President Zelenskyy would make a public statement committing to investigate corruption issues. Sondland noted that Pompeo was kept informed of these activities, and as late as September 24, Pompeo was still directing Volker to speak with Giuliani.

2019: Pompeo Defends Turkish Offensive into North-Eastern Syria

In 2019, Pompeo defended the Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, citing Turkey's "legitimate security concern" regarding a "terrorist threat to their south." He denied that the United States had given a "green light" for Turkey to attack the Kurds.

January 2020: Assassination of Qasem Soleimani

In January 2020, the Trump administration approved a drone strike that assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Pompeo was reportedly among the most hawkish advisors during the decision meeting. Pompeo asserted the attack disrupted an "imminent attack" by Soleimani operatives.

May 13, 2020: Pompeo's Visit to Israel

On May 13, 2020, Pompeo made a swift visit to Israel, marking his first overseas trip since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

June 2020: Pompeo Declines to Run for Senate

In June 2020, Pompeo ultimately declined to enter the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Kansas after considering leaving the Trump administration, after four-term U.S. senator Pat Roberts announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2020 election.

July 23, 2020: Pompeo announces end of "blind engagement" with China

On July 23, 2020, Pompeo declared the cessation of what he termed "blind engagement" with the Chinese government during his Communist China and the Free World's Future speech. He also criticized Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping.

August 2020: Afghan Government Prisoner Release

By August 2020, the Afghan government had released all but 400 of the 5,000 imprisoned Taliban members as required by the U.S.-Taliban deal. Pompeo urged the Afghan government to release the remaining prisoners to remove "the last obstacle to the start of intra-Afghan negotiations".

August 27, 2020: Pompeo's Middle East Trip to Encourage Normalization with Israel

On August 27, 2020, Pompeo concluded a Middle East trip after visiting Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al-Said, aimed at encouraging Arab countries to follow the UAE's normalization agreement with Israel. The trip yielded no additional public commitments, possibly due to concerns over the U.S. commitment to delivering F-35s to the UAE.

October 2020: Pompeo meets with Quad allies and accuses China of "exploitation, corruption and coercion"

In October 2020, following Donald Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, Pompeo canceled visits to South Korea and Mongolia but met with foreign ministers from Australia, India, and Japan, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of "exploitation, corruption and coercion".

2020: Supported Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election

In 2020, Mike Pompeo supported Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

2020: Decline to Offer Consular Protection to Joshua Wong

In 2020, Pompeo declined to offer U.S. consular protection to Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, despite appeals, due to concerns about potential retaliation from Beijing and broader U.S. interests.

January 12, 2021: Cancelled European Trip

On January 12, 2021, Pompeo cancelled a planned European trip when European diplomats declined to meet with him.

January 2021: Joined Hudson Institute

In January 2021, Pompeo joined the Hudson Institute as a distinguished fellow.

January 19, 2021: Determination of Genocide in Xinjiang

On January 19, 2021, Pompeo announced that the Department of State had determined that "genocide and crimes against humanity" had been perpetrated by China against the Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

June 2021: Founded Champion American Values PAC

In June 2021, Pompeo founded the Champion American Values PAC (CAVPAC).

August 2021: Distancing from Afghanistan Situation

In August 2021, Pompeo expressed support for the Biden administration's extension of the withdrawal timeline of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but ultimately distanced himself from the situation following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

2021: End of Term as Secretary of State

In 2021, Mike Pompeo's tenure as the United States secretary of state came to an end.

2021: Regret over North Korea Progress

In a 2021 interview with a conservative podcast, Mike Pompeo said that "I regret that we didn't make more progress" on North Korea.

March 4, 2022: Speech to Prospect Foundation

On March 4, 2022, Pompeo delivered a speech to the Taiwanese government-affiliated think tank Prospect Foundation, calling on the United States to recognize the Republic of China as an independent country. Pompeo was paid to deliver this speech.

2022: Pompeo advocates for recognizing Taiwan as an independent country

In 2022, during a visit to Taipei, Pompeo advocated for the United States to recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan) as an independent nation.

January 2023: Publication of Memoir

In January 2023, HarperCollins published Pompeo's memoir of his tenure in the Trump administration, "Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love."

Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love

Check it on Amazon

April 2023: Decision Not to Run for President

In April 2023, Pompeo announced his decision not to run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

October 2023: Joined Oberheiden, P.C.

In October 2023, Pompeo became Of counsel for Texas-based law firm Oberheiden, P.C., a federal criminal defense law firm.

2023: Featured in Documentary

In 2023, Pompeo featured in the documentary "Route 60: The Biblical Highway", directed by Matt Crouch, alongside David M. Friedman.

2023: Joined Cyabra Board of Directors

In 2023, Pompeo joined the board of directors of Cyabra, an Israeli counter-disinformation company.

January 2024: Pompeo's Testimony on Hong Kong Activist Joshua Wong

During a January 2024 House Select Committee hearing, Pompeo addressed the issue of offering U.S. consular protection to Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong in 2020, stating that the U.S. could have done more to protect Wong and other activists.

May 2024: Pompeo visits Taiwan and reiterates support for official U.S. recognition

In May 2024, Pompeo returned to Taiwan as part of the American delegation to the inauguration of President William Lai. He met with Lai the following day, reiterating his support for official U.S. recognition of the country.

2024: Trump Announced Pompeo will not be back in administration

After Trump's victory in the 2024 election, Trump declared that Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley would not be back in his next administration.

2024: Pompeo's Book and Presumed Presidential Candidacy

In 2024, Pompeo's book, Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love, was released amid speculations of his candidacy in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. In the book, Pompeo denigrated Jamal Khashoggi, the assassination victim, as an "activist" with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love

Check it on Amazon

February 2025: Hired by Columbia University

In February 2025, Pompeo was hired by Columbia University as a distinguished fellow at its Institute of Global Politics to teach a course on diplomacy, decision-making, and organizational leadership.