President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Tuesday dismissed talk of 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.) joining his Cabinet, telling reporters that he believes the senator "wants to stay right where he is."

"Certainly I would," Trump said when asked if he would give Graham a place in his administration. "But I think he's really happy."

Graham's future became the subject of immediate speculation after Trump announced that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley Nimrata (Nikki) Haley'The soul' versus 'law and order' Author Ryan Girdusky: RNC worked best when highlighting 'regular people' as opposed to 'standard Republicans' GOP lobbyists pleasantly surprised by Republican convention MORE would depart her post by the end of the year.

Graham has been considered a potential Cabinet pick, should Trump move on from 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 or Defense Secretary James Mattis James Norman MattisBiden courts veterans amid fallout from Trump military controversies Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE. Appointing Graham would free up a Senate seat for Haley to campaign for in her home state of South Carolina.

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Haley said she is "not running for 2020," instead saying she would campaign for Trump in 2020, dismissing talk of her higher political ambitions. Trump on Tuesday disputed that the outgoing ambassador had a Senate campaign in mind.

"You have two really good ones right there right now, so I don’t see her doing that," Trump said.

"Lindsey’s a popular guy and Tim [Scott (R-S.C.)] is a popular guy … and Nikki doesn’t have that in mind at all," he added.

Trump praised Graham for his performance in recent weeks as the South Carolina Republican emerged as one of the most fervent defenders of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael KavanaughHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Feinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight MORE. Graham earned plaudits from conservatives for his fiery rebuke of Democrats' handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing late last month.

Hours before Trump formally announced Haley would exit the administration at the end of 2018, Graham told reporters in South Carolina that he has "zero interest" in serving in the Cabinet.

"I like him, I want to help him, I want him to be successful," Graham said. "I think I can do more good for the country and help President Trump more effectively by being in the Senate.”

Graham is up for reelection in 2020.