Mike Pompeo Blasts the Washington Post For ‘Appalling and Sick’ al-Baghdadi Headline

The Washington Post’s headline describing former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as a “religious scholar” is a false, “sick” narrative and should be viewed as “appalling,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday on “Fox & Friends.”

Pompeo said the newspaper’s timing and choice of words were completely out of line and called for those responsible to apologize.

“I think it’s appalling and sick … that they’ve frankly not apologized for taking this man who was the head of the terrorist organization that beheaded people… who led a caliphate that threatened large pieces of the Middle East and indeed, presented risks to the United States and America,” Pompeo said.

EXCLUSIVE: Inside Trump’s private schedule as media fixates on his health

Obese man on death row chooses buffet of BBQ, wings, cheeseburger, pizza, ice cream for last meal in Georgia

Florida influencer, 41, accused of inappropriately touching, exposing herself to teenage son’s friend

Republican House leader signals plan to begin contempt proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton

Watch: Tim Walz Tries to Make Somali Fraud Scandal Seem Perfectly Normal, Blames Trump for Talking About It

Elon Musk Sets Newsom Straight on ‘Trans Kids’ After Governor’s Office Attacks Musk’s Family

Fox News Politics Newsletter: Omar accused of opening door to massive Minneapolis fraud

Gabbard blasts Democrat Bennie Thompson for calling National Guard shooting an ‘unfortunate accident’

FDA Set to Give COVID Vaccines Serious ‘Black Box’ Designation: Report

DOJ asks appeals court to halt Boasberg’s contempt hearing next week

‘Incompetence or dereliction’: Minnesota lawmaker rips Tim Walz as state fraud losses mount

DHS sweeps Twin Cities, arrests 400 as feds blast Walz for ‘failing to protect Minnesota’

DOJ Sues Four States for Violating Federal Election Law

Indiana governor vows to primary Republicans who voted against redistricting — but it won’t be easy

Christmas brawl erupts in wealthy Massachusetts enclave during holiday celebration

“The fact that a national newspaper would describe this person as an “austere scholar” in their headline — in the immediate aftermath of the achievements of President Trump and the administration, is truly appalling,” Pompeo continued.

Al-Baghdadi, who took over as the head of ISIS after his predecessor Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was killed in 2010, detonated a suicide vest as U.S. special forces closed in. Troops were sent to attack a compound in northern Syria where al-Baghdadi was located, according to a U.S. defense official.

No U.S. Special Operations forces were harmed or killed during the mission, and Trump claimed the operation had been in the works for several weeks.

Fox News host Sean Hannity also weighed in on the headline and called it “sick and repulsive,” in a Sunday Twitter post.