Republican Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) announced Monday he has decided to support President Donald Trump's secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo after initially saying he would vote him down.
Paul said he changed his mind after speaking with Trump several times Monday and meeting with Pompeo.
The Kentucky senator, known for his non-interventionalist foreign policy stances, said he received confirmation from Pompeo that he believes the Iraq War was a mistake, and that the U.S. should leave Afghanistan.
After calling continuously for weeks for Director Pompeo to support President Trump’s belief that the Iraq war was a mistake, and that it is time to leave Afghanistan, today I received confirmation the Director Pompeo agrees with @realDonaldTrump
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 23, 2018
"President Trump believes that Iraq was a mistake, that regime change has destabilized the region, and that we must end our involvement with Afghanistan," Paul wrote.
Paul said that assurances from Trump and Pompeo made the difference on his vote.
Having received assurances from President Trump and Director Pompeo that he agrees with the President on these important issues, I have decided to support his nomination to be our next Secretary of State.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 23, 2018
Trump told reporters on Monday Paul was a "good man" who had never let him down.