'Insane question': Pompeo clashes with hometown newspaper as he gets grilled over US betrayal of the Kurds

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and first daughter Ivanka Trump were in Wichita, Kansas this week as part of a Wichita State University event about 21st-century jobs. Pompeo asked to attend with her.

In an interview with McClatchy’s Wichita Eagle, Pompeo spent the majority of his time talking about the important work he's doing on the international stage. But he also lashed out at his interviewer for asking him about the Kurds.

"So given everything that is going on in the world right now, you feel that this is the best use of your time as chief diplomat to be here?" asked The Eagle. Pompeo answered "100 percent."

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) announced his resignation from the U.S. Senate this year, and Republicans have been begging Pompeo to run for the seat instead of far-right firebrand Kris Kobach, who has a high loss rate for campaigns he attempts. Pompeo said he's answered the question over 100 times, and he absolutely does not intend to run.

When talk turned to discuss the Ukraine scandal and Ambassador Bill Taylor's testimony, Pompeo said he wouldn't talk about it.

"Look, I came here today to talk about workforce development," said Pompeo, who's position doing international diplomacy at the State Department has nothing to do with the task. "I came here today to talk about the great things that are going on here in Kansas. This inquiry will proceed. Congress will perform its oversight function, the State Department will continue to do all of the things that were required to do under the law and the Constitution."

He then complained that he can't have any of his informants in the classified depositions. As with the enraged Republicans who stormed the secure facility Wednesday, Pompeo's informants will have access when the hearings begin.

"You know, the same, the same inquiries that you described, we’re not even allowed to make sure that our officers and civil servants are protected. We’re not allowed to have State Department officials in the hearing room to ensure that the information that we work with-- when our allies share information with us, we have an obligation to protect that information. We don’t have anybody in the room to make sure that that State Department official who is testifying is able to protect that. That’s not right. It’s not fair."

Presumably, the safety of the information is the reason that the depositions are done in a classified room and not in public.

When it came to the issue of Syria and Turkey, Pompeo was asked about any concern that the word of the United States may be diminished now that it's clear they won't stand with Kurdish allies. Already, international Israeli political analysts have speculated that the quick and easy decision to abandon the Kurds could predict the U.S. will do the same with Israel.

The secretary was annoyed by the question.

"The whole predicate of your question is insane," he said. "The word the United States-- I’ll give you a good example-- the word of the United States is much more respected today than it was just two and a half years ago. The previous administration in Syria, where you asked the question earlier, the previous administration said, ‘Boy, if you use chemical weapons that’s going to be bad,’ and the president drew a red line, President Obama drew a red line. He then duly ignored it."

Obama asked Congress for permission to act against Syria, where Trump ignored Congress when he decided to withdraw from Syria and abandon Kurdish allies. Most Republicans in the House and Senate were furious.

Read the full interview with Pompeo at the Wichita Eagle.

Watch the video below: