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 expressed condolences following the death of veteran Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (Md.) early Thursday, calling him a “dedicated public servant.”

“Saddened by the news that @RepCummings, a dedicated public servant, has passed away,” Pompeo tweeted. “Our prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

Saddened by the news that @RepCummings, a dedicated public servant, has passed away. Our prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 17, 2019

ADVERTISEMENT

Cummings, who was 68 years old, chaired the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee and was a key leader of investigations into 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 and his administration. He often found himself on opposing sides of Trump administration officials, including Pompeo, who tangled with Cummings and other leading Democrats over interview and document demands issued to the State Department as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

Cummings had represented Maryland’s 7th Congressional District, which includes much of the city of Baltimore, since 1996.

Pompeo served alongside Cummings in Congress between 2011 and 2017, when he represented Kansas’s 4th Congressional District as a Republican.

Cummings’s office announced early Thursday that he died “due to complications concerning longstanding health challenges” and promised further details soon.

The secretary of State was traveling to Ankara to meet with officials there about the ongoing Turkish offensive against Kurdish-controlled territory in northern Syria when the news broke of Cummings’s death.