“In public statements, Pompeo has taken positions identical to—and in some instances tougher than—the President’s on four pivotal issues: Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Jerusalem. On each, Tillerson tried to talk Trump down from irrational, impulsive, or controversial moves.” The New Yorker’s Robin Wright: With Mike Pompeo at the State Department, Are the Über-Hawks Winning? (This administration has more churn than Land O’Lakes…)

+ WaPo: How Trump soured on Tillerson as his top diplomat. “More than three hours after his tweet, Trump finally called Tillerson from Air Force One. The call was brief and cordial, according to people with knowledge of it, and Trump decided to make it to try to defuse more tensions. Trump reiterated that Tillerson would be happier outside the department.” (Trump said Tillerson would be happier now. Tillerson called Trump a moron. Maybe they’re both right.)

+ “A television host from New Jersey, Kudlow is seen as temperamentally and politically similar to the president.” Bloomberg: Trump Picks Larry Kudlow as New Top Economic Adviser.

+ Meanwhile, “former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was set to officially retire on March 18, but according to a source familiar with the matter, he could be fired just days before and lose his pension after a more than two-decade career at the bureau.”