Pompeo testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Because Congress would like to know what the fuck is the US foreign relations policy under Trump.

Pompeo, who was known for his dogged and hostile harangues of Obama administration officials, got more than a taste of his own medicine, the most concentrated dose coming when Senator Menendez (Democrat, New Jersey) said, “If President Obama did what President Trump did in Helsinki, I’d be peeling you off the ceiling!”

  NY Magazine

Yes, Menendez still has his job.

Unsurprisingly, the hearing didn’t reveal what Putin and Trump talked about in their one-on-one, two-hour conversation.

Because Pompeo doesn't know any more than Congress does about that.

Two GOP Senators joined Democrats in pressing Pompeo hard on the Helsinki summit, North Korea, and other topics. No points for guessing that neither of the two (Corker and Flake) are running for reelection.

[...]

When Senator Flake attempted to compliment him on a policy, Pompeo insisted that it was “the president’s policy,” prompting Flake to allude to Trump’s contrary statements on the matter and conclude, “just take the compliment.”

[...]

The task of defending policy that contradicts Trump’s views while not offending Trump is a difficult enough task, but Pompeo seemed to have taken on a second one — not offending the North Koreans.

I'm at the point where I'm suspecting everyone who works for Trump of collusion with someone they ought not be colluding with. In addition to colluding with Trump, I mean.

While he was at pains to acknowledge that negotiations are not progressing, he also went out of his way to say that “I don’t think it’s fair to characterize them as walking back from commitments.”

As long as we get to define terms, we're always telling the truth.

Risch congratulated Pompeo on the “achievements” of the NATO summit; Rubio offered kudos on progress countering Russia; and Isakson asked Pompeo why Europeans couldn’t understand their own economic interests as well as the U.S. did.

Unironically, no doubt.

[Rand] Paul spent much of his time on a vigorous defense of Trump’s meeting with Putin and then moved on to attack bipartisan legislation put forward by Rubio and Democrat Chris Van Hollen aimed at ensuring prompt investigation of and response to future foreign assaults on our elections. [...] It does make you wonder about the content of the conversations Paul had on his post-summit trip to Moscow.

Pompeo, for his part, did say clearly that Russia was attempting to influence U.S. politics and that he would favor more sanctions on Moscow. It will be interesting to see whether those comments pass muster with Trump.

I think Trump will be just fine with those comments. He, himself, makes similar comments - at least in regard to whether Russia interfered with the election - when he's on American soil. It's the doing something about it where he balks.

Pompeo spoke the phrase “commitment to Ukraine and its territorial integrity,” and referred viewers to a newly released “Crimea Declaration,” which he said reaffirms U.S. policy. However, the “Crimea Declaration” turns out to be a State Department press release that doesn’t actually contain that phrase — instead containing some rather odd circumlocutions on the topic.

[...]

During his confirmation, some opponents noted that he was known for a short temper and a manner that spilled over into rudeness. Today he was met with oceans of sympathy from his Republican colleagues — which he repaid with nearly as much high-handed pomposity as he lavished on his Democratic questioners. [...] The sheer unpleasantness of watching these exchanges was a good reminder that one giant fragile ego per administration is far more than enough.

Is it ego with Pompeo? Maybe it's just that his neck is also in the wringer and he's uncomfortable.  It certainly seems that way in this exchange with Menendez:

Pompeo doesn't know what happened between Putin and Trump. Note particularly that he says the translater will not be questioned.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.