Senate approves Pompeo as US secretary of state

The US Senate voted today to approve former CIA director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state Thursday after a bruising battle by Democrats against President Donald Trump's nominee.

Pompeo, who has earned Trump's confidence after a year at the CIA, was accused by Democrats as being too bellicose and harboring deep anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ sentiments.

The approval came in time for Pompeo to lead the US delegation to NATO foreign minister talks in Brussels this weekend and to arrange a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months.