Childhood and Education Journey of Mike Pompeo in Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of Mike Pompeo. A timeline of key moments.
Michael Richard Pompeo is a retired American politician notable for his high-profile roles in the Trump administration. He served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2017 to 2018 and subsequently as the 70th United States Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021. Before his executive branch service, Pompeo represented Kansas in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017, marking his earlier career in elected office. His tenure as Secretary of State was marked by a hawkish foreign policy, particularly toward Iran and China.
1900: Pompeo's great-grandparent emigrated to the US
In 1900, Adelina Tollis, Mike Pompeo's paternal great-grandmother, emigrated from Italy to the United States.
December 30, 1963: Mike Pompeo's Birth
On December 30, 1963, Michael Richard Pompeo was born.
1982: Graduated from Los Amigos High School
In 1982, Mike Pompeo graduated from Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley, California.
1986: Served in the U.S. Army
From 1986, Mike Pompeo served in the U.S. Army as an armor officer with the West Germany-based 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the 4th Infantry Division.
1986: Graduated from West Point
In 1986, Mike Pompeo graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
1986: Graduation from U.S. Military Academy
In 1986, Mike Pompeo graduated from the United States Military Academy and began his five-year service in the United States Army.
1986: Marriage to Leslie Libert
In 1986, Pompeo married Leslie Libert; they later divorced.
1991: Left the U.S. Army
In 1991, Mike Pompeo left the U.S. Army at the rank of captain.
1994: Earned Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School
In 1994, Mike Pompeo earned a juris doctor from Harvard Law School.
1996: Moved to Wichita and Acquired Aircraft-Parts Manufacturers
In 1996, Mike Pompeo moved to Wichita, Kansas, and with friends, acquired three aircraft-parts manufacturers, renaming the entity Thayer Aerospace.
1998: Became an entrepreneur
In 1998, Mike Pompeo transitioned from working as an attorney to becoming an entrepreneur in the aerospace and oilfield industries.
2000: Marriage to Susan Justice Mostrous and Adoption of Son
In 2000, Pompeo married Susan Justice Mostrous and formally adopted her son, Nicholas.
2006: Sold Interest in Nex-Tech Aerospace and Became President of Sentry International
In 2006, Mike Pompeo sold his interest in Nex-Tech Aerospace and became president of Sentry International.
2007: Service as Local Church Deacon
From 2007 to 2009, Pompeo served as a local church deacon and taught Sunday school.
2009: End of Service as Local Church Deacon
From 2007 to 2009, Pompeo served as a local church deacon and taught Sunday school.
2010: Elected to the 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 and General Election
In 2010, Mike Pompeo won the Republican primary for Kansas's 4th District congressional seat and defeated Democratic nominee Raj Goyle in the general election.
2011: Represented Kansas's 4th congressional district
From 2011, Mike Pompeo represented Kansas's 4th congressional district.
2011: Elected to the House of Representatives
In 2011, Mike Pompeo began serving in the United States House of Representatives for Kansas's 4th congressional district.
2012: Defeated Robert Tillman in election
In 2012, Mike Pompeo defeated Democratic nominee Robert Tillman by a margin of 62–32%.
2014: Won general election
In 2014, Mike Pompeo won the general election with 67% of the vote, defeating Democrat Perry Schuckman.
2014: Comments on Christianity as the Only Solution
In 2014, Pompeo told a church group that Christians needed to "know that Jesus Christ as our savior is truly the only solution for our world".
2015: Advocated withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal
In 2015, Mike Pompeo advocated for the United States to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
2015: Sponsored Food Labeling Act
In 2015, Mike Pompeo was original sponsor of the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015.
2015: Comments on Politics and the Rapture
In 2015, during a talk at a church, Pompeo stated that "politics is a never-ending struggle ... until the Rapture."
November 18, 2016: Nomination as CIA Director Announced
On November 18, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Mike Pompeo to be the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
2016: Democratic senators in Trump states
In 2016, Five of ten Democratic senators running for reelection in 2018 in states that Trump won in 2016, voting to confirm Pompeo.
2016: Won general election
In 2016, Mike Pompeo beat Democrat Daniel B. Giroux in the general election with 61% of the vote.
2016: Shift in Support for Donald Trump
In 2016, Mike Pompeo, who was previously critical of Donald Trump, shifted to becoming a supporter after Trump became the Republican nominee.
January 2017: Appointment as CIA Director
In January 2017, Donald Trump appointed Mike Pompeo as the Director of the CIA.
January 2017: Reaffirmation of Saudi Arabia-United States relations
In January 2017, Pompeo's travel to Saudi Arabia 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 Central Intelligence Agency.
February 2017: Traveled to Turkey and Saudi Arabia
In February 2017, Mike Pompeo traveled to Turkey and Saudi Arabia and met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss policy on Syria and ISIL. Pompeo honored the then-crown prince of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin Nayef with the CIA's "George Tenet" Medal.
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: Described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence service"
On April 2017, Mike Pompeo described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence service" in response to the publication of Vault 7.
June 2017: Named Michael D'Andrea Head of CIA's Iran Mission Center
In June 2017, Mike Pompeo named Michael D'Andrea head of the CIA's Iran mission center.
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, including inside Afghanistan.
2017: Director of the CIA
In 2017, Mike Pompeo became the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
2017: End of term in House of Representatives
In 2017, Mike Pompeo's service in the United States House of Representatives came to an end.
March 13, 2018: Nominated for Secretary of State
On March 13, 2018, President Trump announced that he would nominate Mike 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 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.
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 Saudi Arabia for support
In August 2018, Mike Pompeo thanked Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman "for Saudi Arabia's support for northeast Syria's urgent stabilization needs". Pompeo and Crown Prince also discussed the situation in war-torn Yemen.
October 2, 2018: Jamal Khashoggi Assassination
On October 2, 2018, Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
October 10, 2018: Commented on Israel-United States Relations
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".
November 16, 2018: Disputed CIA Conclusion on Khashoggi's Assassination
On November 16, 2018, Mike Pompeo disputed the CIA's conclusion on Khashoggi's assassination, declaring there was no direct evidence linking the Crown Prince to the assassination.
2018: Visited North Korea and met with Kim Jong-un
During Easter weekend 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 became the 70th United States Secretary of State.
2018: Confirmed by the Senate
In 2018, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 11–9 in favor of sending Mike Pompeo's nomination to the full Senate.
March 2019: Spoke about Israel's conflicts with Iran
In March 2019, when questioned regarding Israel's conflicts with Iran and following a visit to the Western Wall with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 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: Pompeo's Speech at Texas A&M University
In April 2019 speech at Texas A&M University, 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."
2021: Regret for Lack of Progress on North Korea
In 2021, Mike Pompeo expressed regret that "we didn't make more progress" on North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
2021: End of term as Secretary of State
In 2021, Mike Pompeo finished his term as the 70th United States Secretary of State.
January 2022: Claim of Significant Weight Loss
In January 2022, Pompeo claimed to have lost over 90 lb in the prior six months through exercise and dietary changes, though experts and media outlets expressed skepticism.
