Mark Wilson/Getty Images Pompeo dodges questions on Mueller probe The secretary of state nominee did say he would not resign if the special counsel is fired.

Mike Pompeo sidestepped a series of questions Thursday about the investigation into President Donald Trump's ties to Russia during a tense confirmation hearing on his bid to become secretary of state.

Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee used the hearing to repeatedly press Pompeo, who currently serves as CIA director, to reveal his perspective on the Russia probe.


That effort was largely to no avail — but Pompeo, who currently serves as CIA director, did confirm previous reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team has interviewed him. And he said that he would not resign his post if Trump fired Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the special counsel's work.

"My instincts tell me no — my instincts tell me that my obligation to continue to serve as America’s chief diplomat would be more important" than stepping down in protest against potential Department of Justice firings, Pompeo told Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

At first blush, Pompeo's nomination to lead the State Department might appear only indirectly relevant to a Russia probe housed at DOJ. But given the former House Republican's close relationship with Trump and his membership on the president's national security team as CIA chief, Democrats tried to seize the opportunity to pin down Pompeo on the Mueller investigation.

Pompeo told Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that he would "not speak about any of the three investigations that I have been a participant in" regarding the Trump campaign's role in Russian meddling during the 2016 election. That answer likely referred to House and Senate intelligence committee inquiries into Russian electoral disruption, as well as Mueller's investigation.

In addition to declining to weigh in on whether Trump would have the authority to fire the special counsel, Pompeo also avoided a question on whether he agrees with the president that Mueller's investigation amounts to "an attack on our country."

At the beginning of the hearing, Pompeo told Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that he wouldn't divulge details of a private conversation with Trump last year as the president moved closer to terminating then-FBI Director James Comey. He also said that he didn’t precisely recall what Trump asked him to do, but added that the president “never asked me to do anything that’s improper.”

Mueller's team reportedly sought information from Pompeo about a discussion with Trump and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats last year, where Comey's investigation of the president came up.

While stating that he would not formally invoke executive privilege, Pompeo told Menendez that "I'm not going to talk about" closed-door talks with Trump.

"Your unwillingness to speak with me is troubling to me," Menendez replied.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) expressed skepticism with Pompeo’s response to Menendez’ questioning.

“If the president clears the room to discuss something with you, you remember what was discussed,” Schatz said in an interview.

He added, “It’s not credible” for Pompeo to say he doesn’t remember what was discussed — then later assert Trump had not asked him to do anything improper.