Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.C.) on Tuesday joked with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Overnight Defense: House Democrats unveil stopgap spending measure to GOP opposition | Bill includes .6B for new subs | Trump issues Iran sanctions after world shrugs at US action at UN Navalny calls on Russia to return clothes he was wearing when he fell ill MORE, asking him if he was the longest-serving member of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE's Cabinet after he mentioned he was about to reach his one-year anniversary in the administration.

"I'm now nine days short of one year of my time as Secretary of State," Pompeo said while appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee to testify about State, foreign operations and related programs.

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"The longest-serving member of the cabinet, right?" Graham quipped in response, prompting awkward laughter from people attending the hearing.

Pompeo could be seen smiling after Graham made the comment before saying, "Reclaiming my time."

Graham's comment comes amid a week in which multiple senior officials have exited the administration. Trump announced on Sunday that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenDHS IG won't investigate after watchdog said Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments violated law Appeals court sides with Trump over drawdown of immigrant protections Democrats smell blood with new DHS whistleblower complaint MORE, who assumed her role in 2017, would be leaving her post.

NBC News reported that a recent push from Trump to renew a family separation policy at the southern border led to Nielsen's ouster.

The White House said the following day that Trump was also removing U.S. Secret Service Director Randolph "Tex" Alles from his position. CNN reported that Trump fired Alles, though Alles has contested that report, saying that he learned "weeks ago" that there would be "transitions in leadership" across the Department of Homeland Security.

A number of high-profile administration officials, including former White House chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE and former Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt Edward (Scott) Scott PruittJuan Williams: Swamp creature at the White House Science protections must be enforceable Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE, have exited their posts in Trump's first two years in office.

Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of State in April 2018, about a month after Trump dismissed his first State Department chief, Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE, from the role.