House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) on Monday blasted opposition to Mike Pompeo's confirmation as secretary of state as "pure politics."
McCarthy was speaking with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo and was asked about Pompeo's nomination for the job of top diplomat. Pompeo is currently the director of the CIA.
"Your reaction to this opposition at the very moment in time that we are talking about ISIS possibly returning, North Korea, Iran, and the threats are only getting worse?" Bartiromo said.
"Pure politics. Look, this is an individual I served with [in the House]. He went to West Point [and was] one of the first in his class to graduate," McCarthy said. "You watch what he did in the House and on the Intel Committee, but then he gets confirmed to be the head of the CIA. So if those who didn't know him ... voted for him there, they watched the job that he did there. He only expanded his ability."
"Look what we're dealing with North Korea and what he's been able to do so far," McCarthy said. "I think this is playing politics, and they need to stop it, because it's jeopardizing our country in a really critical time."
The majority of Democrats are expected to vote against Pompeo's conformation, despite the fact 15 Democrats voted in favor of his confirmation as CIA director. So far, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) and Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) have announced they will vote to confirm Pompeo.