President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE on Thursday said he does not plan to make Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoWatchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump Trump's push for win with Sudan amps up pressure on Congress Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE his national security adviser.

The president told reporters as he left to attend a GOP House retreat in Baltimore that he spoke with Pompeo earlier in the day, and that the secretary of State "liked the idea of somebody [else] in there.”

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“I actually spoke to Mike Pompeo about that and he decided – I get along with him so well, we have a lot of the same views, couple of different views – but he likes the idea of having someone in there with him," Trump said.

Reports circulated this week that Trump may consider appointing Pompeo to replace former national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonJudge appears skeptical of Bolton's defense of publishing book without White House approval Maximum pressure is keeping US troops in Iraq and Syria Woodward book trails Bolton, Mary Trump in first-week sales MORE, whom he fired on Tuesday.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwaySpecial counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report George and Kellyanne Conway honor Ginsburg Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE earlier Thursday did not dismiss the possibility of the president tapping Pompeo for the role.

It is not unprecedented for a secretary of State to simultaneously serve as the president's top national security adviser. Henry Kissinger held both roles for former President Richard Nixon.

After saying Tuesday he'd ousted Bolton because of disagreements with other members of the administration, the president was more transparent about his issues with Bolton on Wednesday, saying the former aide made "some very big mistakes" that set the administration back with its efforts in North Korea and Venezuela.

Trump said Thursday he has 15 candidates under consideration to replace Bolton. A day earlier he said there were five.