A source close to the Trump transition team told CNN that Donald Trump has asked Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as attorney general in his administration.

The four-term Alabama senator was the first senator to back the president-elect and served as one of Trump's most effective surrogates during the campaign.

CNN:

The official said the offer had been made officially but it was unclear as of Friday morning whether Sessions had accepted.

Sessions, 69, is currently serving his fourth Senate term and was the first sitting senator to endorse Trump. During Trump's campaign, he served as a key validator from within the Republican establishment at critical times and urged Republicans to coalesce around Trump.

When asked whether Sessions had been offered the attorney general position, Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN Friday, "until Donald Trump says it, it's not official."

Sessions had been in consideration for several Cabinet positions, and as one of Trump's earliest and most loyal supporters.

Trump's transition team put out a read out of his meeting with Sessions earlier this week -- unusual for a meeting with a member of Trump's transition team, highlighting Sessions' record as an attorney.

"While nothing has been finalized and he is still talking with others as he forms his cabinet, the President-elect has been unbelievably impressed with Senator Sessions and his phenomenal record as Alabama's Attorney General and US Attorney," the statement said.

United by their hardline stance against illegal immigration, Sessions helped Trump craft his campaign's national security policy. His top policy adviser, Stephen Miller, also joined Trump's campaign.

Sessions was one of President Barack Obama's fiercest opponents, voting against his nominees to the Supreme Court from his post on the Judiciary Committee and opposing Obama's other major domestic initiatives.

He's broken ranks with Republicans, as well, voting against the bank bailout amid the 2008 economic collapse.

The former US attorney for the Southern District of Alabama and Alabama attorney general isn't without controversy. His appointment to a federal district court by then-President Ronald Reagan sank when a former Justice Department employee testified that Sessions had made racially tinged remarks.

The choice of Sessions for A.G. will no doubt cheer the president-elect's base.  The senator has been one of the most passionate and effective pro-border security politicians in Washington, and his appointment sends a strong message that Trump's immigration policies will be vigorously implemented.

Sessions has the experience for the job but will have his hands full with the career prosecutors in the civil rights division who have proven themselves to be partisan Democrats during the Obama years.  Major issues like privacy and official corruption will also be on the front burner, as Trump must decide whether to continue investigating Hillary Clinton and the extent to which the government will be able to pry into the communications of ordinary Americans to fight terrorism and serious crimes.

Another good choice by the president-elect was naming Rep. Mike Pompeo as CIA director.  The four-term Congressman is a West Point grad and a member of the House Intelligence Committee.  He is well respected by his colleagues on security and foreign policy matters and is considered very smart and tough – two attributes he will need to be effective at the CIA.