Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he will not run for president in 2024.
“This isn’t our moment,” Pompeo told Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier,” referring to the decision he had made with his wife. “This isn’t the time for us to seek elected office.”
Pompeo said it was a “deeply personal decision” for his family.
A number of Republicans have already entered the race, including Pompeo’s former boss, former President Donald Trump. A RealClearPolitics average of polls among declared and potential 2024 Republican candidates shows Trump with a double-digit lead. When asked whether Trump’s lead in the polls factored into his decision, Pompeo said, “not at all.”
“This race, I hope, isn’t about people. I hope it’s about these ideas,” he said, mentioning the deficit and military. “We were thinking about, can we impact them? Is this the right time for us to go seek the presidency, to go try and work on these? We just simply came to the conclusion this wasn’t the moment for us.”
Pompeo also said that he may not endorse Trump.
“As for the primary, we’ll see how it plays out,” he said. “When I figure who that right person is, like I’ve always done in my life, I’ll get behind them and do everything I can to help them.”
“But it might not be former President Trump?” Baier asked.
“It might not be,” said Pompeo, who also served as CIA director under Trump.
While promoting his book earlier this year, he said Trump’s decision to seek the White House would not have an impact on his own decision. His book was widely viewed as a springboard for a 2024 presidential run.
But, Pompeo said, he’s keeping the door open for a future run.
“To those of you this announcement disappoints, my apologies,” he said in a statement.” And to those of you this thrills, know that I’m 59 years old. There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary.”
