EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has told his associates that he's interested in becoming Attorney General, should the position become vacant, sources told Politico.
The backdrop: The revelation on Friday comes a day after two top Republicans of the influential conservative House Freedom Caucus said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should step down, citing intelligence leaks to the media from the Department of Justice Department and the agency's handling of the probe into President Trump's campaign ties to Russian operatives.
What's happening: Sources close to the president told Politico Trump has grown to like Pruitt, who has rolled back a number of Obama-era environmental regulations. But it's unclear whether he would be on the shortlist for the position, amid rumors that Sessions may soon step down, per Politico. The EPA denied that Pruitt is eyeing the position.
The Big picture: Pruitt's political aspirations beyond EPA have been clear even before he took the job he has now. Speculation has swirled he has been considering running for the Senate or governor in Oklahoma, where he's from.
Be smart: The attorney general role is probably more fit for Pruitt, whose background is as a lawyer. He was attorney general of Oklahoma for most of the Obama administration and sued the former president on many of his top priorities across policy areas, including environmental issues.