Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Dr. Oz Senate run creates ‘national security concerns’

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed national security concerns on Friday about Donald Trump-endorsed candidate and TV celebrity Mehmet Oz serving in the U.S. Senate after Oz’s campaign confirmed Wednesday he’d voted in the last Turkish presidential election.

The heart surgeon, who is widely known as the host of the daytime “Dr. Oz Show,” was born in Ohio to Turkish immigrant parents and is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Turkey. He claimed in February that he had never been politically involved in Turkey “in any capacity,” and has said he would renounce his Turkish citizenship if he wins office.

Oz’s campaign spokesperson Brittany Yanick confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that Oz had, in fact, voted in Turkey’s 2018 election. She denied that it constituted “political involvement,” and said he had voted for the opposition candidate who lost to President Recep Tayyep Erdogan.

“These are pathetic and xenophobic attacks on Dr. Oz by David McCormick, who should be ashamed of himself,” Yanick said. “Now that he lost President Trump’s endorsement, he’s resorted to sad and desperate attacks that are no different than the tropes used against Catholics and Jews.”

Pompeo, who has endorsed Oz’s GOP primary rival Dave McCormick, said on a conference call on Friday that McCormick hosted with reporters: “We criticize American candidates all the time because they didn’t vote. This is different from that. … he engaged in the Turkish political process. That raises in my mind a lot of judgments about his priority.”

“The people of Pennsylvania and the Americans [Oz] will be representing [in the] Senate, voting on important national security matters, need to understand the scope and depth of his relationship with the Turkish government,” Pompeo said on the call.

Pompeo endorsed McCormick in February, saying he would be tough on China, push for strong borders and “work tirelessly to restore America’s energy independence,” whereas Trump endorsed Oz last month

Trump and Pompeo have not yet announced runs for 2024, though Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News that any potential decision will be independent of what Trump decides.