REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “I think the other challenge that I came to realize early on is there were so many people who had access to his [Donald Trump’s] ear who were telling him things, most of which were untrue, and then he began to listen to those voices and form a view that had no […]
Category: Rex Tillerson
1/11/2021
REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “His [Donald Trump’s] understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of U.S. history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this… If I could put a photo or a picture in front […]
11/18/2019
CORRUPTION/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UKRAINE: “Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday [11-18-19] that ‘clearly asking for personal favors and using United States assets as collateral is wrong,’ a swipe at President Donald Trump as the investigation into his dealings with Ukraine intensifies. PBS Newshour’s Judy Woodruff asked Tillerson at an event in Texas what […]
5/23/2019
REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Rex Tillerson, a man who is ‘dumb as a rock’ and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State, made up a story (he got fired) that I was out-prepared by Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Hamburg, Germany. I don’t think Putin would agree. Look how the […]
5/21/2019
FOREIGN POLICY/HOUSE OF REPS/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with a handful of House members and staffers for seven hours Tuesday [5-21-19] to discuss President Donald Trump’s foreign policy decision-making, including on issues related to Russia. Tillerson served roughly a year as America’s chief diplomat before the president fired him […]
12/7/2018
BUSH FAMILY/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump denounced his first secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, as ‘dumb as a rock’ and ‘lazy as hell’ on Friday [12-7-18] after Mr. Tillerson said that the president had regularly pushed him to take actions that were illegal. Mr. Trump, who fired Mr. Tillerson with a Twitter post […]
12/7/2018
REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump hurled insults Friday [12-7-18] at former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, calling him ‘dumb as a rock’ and ‘lazy as hell’ after the former ExxonMobil chief executive publicly described his own frustration while serving in the administration…The tweet came after Tillerson told CBS News’s Bob Schieffer Thursday [12-6-18] […]
12/7/2018
MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo is doing a great job, I am very proud of him. His predecessor, Rex Tillerson, didn’t have the mental capacity needed. He was dumb as a rock and I couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell. Now it is a whole new ballgame, great […]
12/7/2018
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Nearly nine months after his unceremonious firing by tweet, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is breaking his silence on his time in the Trump administration, venting that he had to repeatedly tell President Donald Trump that what he wanted to do would violate the law. The former ExxonMobil CEO […]
7/25/2018
GANGS/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration was warned that ending US protections for more than 300,000 Central Americans would strengthen and grow MS-13 and gangs that President Donald Trump has called ‘animals,’ according to an internal report obtained by CNN. But the administration went on to end the protections for citizens of El Salvador, […]
5/16/2018
ETHICS/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday [5-16-18] appeared to offer an implicit rebuke of his old boss, as he warned of a ‘growing crisis in ethics and integrity’ during a commencement address at the Virginia Military Institute…The ex-diplomat — who did not mention President Donald Trump by name […]
5/2/2018
MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is trying to hit reset at the State Department on the eve of a critical decision on the Iran nuclear deal and a potential summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump made his first visit to the department on Wednesday [5-2-18] for the ceremonial swearing-in […]
4/12/2018
MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo promised on Thursday [4-12-18] to rebuild the State Department that has been gutted by the departure of senior diplomats and has found itself sidelined in foreign policy decisions under the Trump administration. A reorganization and hiring freeze initiated by former Secretary of State Rex […]
4/11/2018
EU/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Mike Pompeo, the hard-charging CIA director picked to be the next secretary of state, will tell the Senate on Thursday that years of soft U.S. policy toward Russia are ‘now over.’ Drawing a sharp contrast with predecessor Rex Tillerson, Pompeo will vow to promote democracy and human rights while ending ‘demoralizing’ […]
4/5/2018
BUSINESS/REX TILLERSON/STATE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “It was one of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s core goals: radically reshaping the State Department to make it leaner, cheaper and modernized to the standards of a former private-sector CEO. Now that Tillerson has been fired, the vaunted ‘Redesign’ initiative he launched faces an uncertain future, but at least one […]
3/28/2018
JARED KUSHNER/NATIONAL SECURITY/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump’s shake-up of his national-security team is likely to reshape the role played by Jared Kushner, who has been a key counselor but whose global portfolio created friction with departing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, administration officials and others close to him said. But the arrival […]
3/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump has, to great fanfare, remade his national-security team in recent days. But the most intriguing and consequential member of that team isn’t one of the newcomers, but rather the one who has been there all along: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Mr. Mattis is the most […]
3/23/2018
GARY COHN/MCMASTER/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway’s warning to those who want to work in the White House is simple: ‘Get with the program or get out.’ ‘If you are not with the program, you should get with the program or get out,’ Conway said Friday [3-23-18] in an […]
3/22/2018
IRAN/MCMASTER/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump is replacing national security adviser H.R. McMaster with the former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, injecting a hawkish foreign policy voice into his administration ahead of key decisions on Iran and North Korea. Trump tweeted Thursday [3-22-18] that McMaster has done ‘an outstanding job & will always remain my […]
3/22/2018
MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Washington a ‘very mean-spirited town’ in his goodbye address to State Department staff on Thursday [3-22-18]. ‘This can be a very mean spirited town,’ Tillerson said, as staff present at his remarks laughed and clapped. ‘But you don’t have to choose to participate in […]
3/19/2018
MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, the man President Donald Trump has chosen to replace him. A State Department official says that Tillerson and Pompeo were sitting down at the department’s headquarters in Foggy Bottom. The official wasn’t authorized to comment by name and […]
3/16/2018
JOHN KELLY/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump and White House chief of staff John Kelly have settled on a truce, at least temporarily, as the latest round of staff tumult continues to ripple through the West Wing, according to people familiar with the discussions. Jarred by the treatment of former Secretary of State […]
3/16/2018
JOHN KELLY/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump and White House chief of staff John Kelly have settled on a truce, at least temporarily, as the latest round of staff tumult continues to ripple through the West Wing, according to people familiar with the discussions. Jarred by the treatment of former Secretary of State […]
3/16/2018
CABINET/GOP/MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/RAND PAUL/REX TILLERSON/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The White House was hoping for a smooth 2018 on Capitol Hill. Instead, President Donald Trump is staring at two bitter confirmation fights — and the possibility emboldened Democrats could block his new Cabinet nominees. Trump’s decision to nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson at the State […]
3/13/2018
CIA/FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Donald Trump’s plan to nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to succeed Rex Tillerson as secretary of state positions a crucial Trump ally as the administration’s top diplomat, one who the president said is more in line with his foreign-policy vision. Mr. Pompeo is among the few outsiders to have […]
3/13/2018
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Hours after his boss, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, was ousted Steve Goldstein, the under secretary of public affairs at the State Department has been fired by the White House. Goldstein publicly contradicted the White House account of how Tillerson was fired on Tuesday [3-13-18] morning. Goldstein said Tillerson was officially […]
3/13/2018
CIA/MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Mar. […]
3/12/2018
AFRICA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will cut short his first Africa tour and return to the U.S. a day earlier than planned, amid two major policy announcements by President Donald Trump —both with foreign- affairs implications. ‘Due to pressing demands in the U.S., Secretary Tillerson will return tonight (Monday) [3-12-18] after concluding […]
3/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson heads to Africa this week for a five-nation trip focusing on counterterrorism, China’s influence and fence-mending, a visit that comes as the Trump administration tries to set out its priorities there. The one-week tour by the most senior Trump administration official to visit the continent […]
3/2/2018
CUBA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The U.S. will make staff reductions at its embassy in Havana permanent, the State Department said Friday [3-2-18], as officials have so far failed to determine the source of ‘health attacks’ against personnel stationed there. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had ordered most staff except for emergency personnel to leave the embassy in […]
2/26/2018
2016 ELECTION/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE: “The State Department will get $40 million in new funding to fight disinformation from foreign countries, the agency said Monday [2-26-18] in a long-awaited announcement that avoided mentioning Russia by name. The funding for the State Department’s Global Engagement Center had been a source of tension between Secretary of State Rex Tillerson […]
2/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAQ/REX TILLERSON/STATE/SYRIA: “The Trump administration has decided that it needs no new legal authority from Congress to indefinitely keep American military forces deployed in Syria and Iraq, even in territory that has been cleared of Islamic State fighters, according to Pentagon and State Department officials. In a pair of letters, the officials illuminated the […]
2/22/2018
REX TILLERSON/STATE/WOMEN: “State Department officials have been ordered to pare back passages in a soon-to-be-released annual report on global human rights that traditionally discuss women’s reproductive rights and discrimination, according to five former and current department officials. The directive calls for stripping passages that describe societal views on family planning, including how much access women […]
2/16/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TURKEY: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday [2-16-18] said the U.S. and Turkey won’t ‘act alone any longer,’ but the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies fell short of immediate concrete steps to improve what the top U.S. diplomat described as a ‘crisis point’ in relations. The two countries instead pledged to form […]
2/12/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/SOUTH KOREA/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said ‘it’s too early to judge’ whether new overtures involving North and South Korea could lead to a serious diplomatic process regarding Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program… Mr. Tillerson’s comments followed a weekend in which the start of the Winter Olympics in South Korea gave rise […]
2/7/2018
2016 ELECTION/CYBERWAR/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that any Russian interference in November’s midterm elections would ‘invite consequences,’ but suggested the United States is still vulnerable to such meddling… Tillerson said the Trump administration is seeing signs of meddling in European elections, as well as elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere, and suggested they […]
2/2/2018
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has spent much of his first year trying to manage crises with North Korea, Syria, Iran and Venezuela. But he’s largely alone at the highest levels of the State Department, a problem exacerbated after the senior career diplomat, Tom Shannon, announced on Thursday that he plans to […]
2/1/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson criticized Chinese and Russian attempts to expand footholds in Latin America as the chief U.S. diplomat prepared to embark Thursday on a visit to the region… Mr. Tillerson took particular aim at China and criticized what he described as Beijing’s unfair trading practices… China is the largest […]
1/23/2018
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he is holding Russia accountable for a new chemical weapon attack believed to be conducted by Syrian government forces near Damascus on Monday [1-22-18]. Moscow’s failure to halt chemical strikes calls into question Russia’s ability to participate in efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, Mr. Tillerson […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/UK: “The United States needs to pay attention to its treasured relationship with Britain, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday [1-22-18] just days after Donald Trump canceled a trip to London citing anger at the sale of an embassy. Trump’s cancellation of his trip has raised questions in Britain over […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and has decided to modify an existing property to accommodate the new mission that will open next year, U.S. officials said. The U.S. won’t be building a new structure, in a shift […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE/SYRIA: “The U.S. will turn its focus in Syria to moving to reduce Iranian influence there, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a policy speech that marked a shift in U.S. strategy in Syria away from Islamic State. Mr. Tillerson on Wednesday [1-17-18] said the U.S. will reinvigorate diplomatic efforts and maintain […]
1/9/2018
FBI/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will order a special panel to investigate the U.S. response to mysterious illnesses that have stricken American diplomats and their relatives in Havana. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Department have been probing the incidents in recent months after the administration said they resulted from attacks. […]
12/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Three months into his tenure as secretary of state, Rex Tillerson alarmed veteran diplomats with remarks that sounded like a potential shift in American foreign policy: The U.S., he said, should be careful not to let values like human rights create ‘obstacles’ to the pursuit of its interests. The comment, at a […]
12/17/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson let slip last week a few tantalizing details about one of the nation’s most secret military contingency plans: how the United States would try to race inside North Korea to seize its nuclear weapons if it ever saw evidence that Kim Jong-un’s government was collapsing. […]
12/14/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The White House and State Department both stated Wednesday [12-13-17] that the US is not ready to begin talks with North Korea, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had suggested the two sides could start negotiating without preconditions. Tillerson’s offer Tuesday to “sit down and see each other face […]
12/12/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRADE DEALS: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ruled out pursuing a traditional Cold War-style containment and deterrence strategy against a nuclear-armed North Korea, citing concerns that Pyongyang will transform its arsenal into a commercial business and sell nuclear weapons to other actors… President Donald Trump has long said he won’t tolerate a […]
12/11/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau next week for talks on how to address the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear weapons, an Ottawa source said on Monday [12-11-17]. Canada and the United States are due to co-host a meeting of foreign ministers in Vancouver in […]
12/6/2017
REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE/UKRAINE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday [12-6-17] he is hopeful that Moscow and Washington can bridge differences and agree on a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. U.S. and Russian negotiators have been trying to reach a deal on a peacekeeping force in Eastern Ukraine that could help stop the fighting between the […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “For decades, America’s chief diplomat has been greeted in Europe’s heart with broad smiles and open arms. That tradition appeared to have been suspended on Tuesday [12-5-17]. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s reception in Brussels was distinctly chilly, as disappointment among European diplomats in President Trump’s nationalistic tone and insulting messages […]
12/5/2017
IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on European allies to work with Washington to tackle Iran’s missile program and its regional activities, saying Tehran’s behavior cannot go unanswered. Speaking in Brussels alongside European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Mr. Tillerson said Iran’s interference in Yemen, its exporting of weapons and militias […]
12/3/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “On the eve of his trip to Europe, Rex Tillerson gave a speech last week that European allies had waited months to hear: an ‘ironclad’ promise of U.S. support to its oldest allies. The relief in European capitals lasted barely a day as reports surfaced of a White House plan to oust the […]
12/1/2017
FAKE NEWS/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The media has been speculating that I fired Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving soon – FAKE NEWS! He’s not leaving and while we disagree on certain subjects, (I call the final shots) we work well together and America is highly respected again! https://t.co/FrqiPLFJ1E” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 1, 2017 […]
12/1/2017
JOHN KELLY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The relationship between White House chief of staff John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has soured in recent months, leaving the former Exxon CEO without a single top ally in the White House as talk has ramped up of him being replaced at the State Department. Kelly, once Tillerson’s […]
12/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LIBYA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The United States remains committed to the Libyan Political Agreement, the State Department said in a statement following U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on Friday [12-1-17]. ‘Attempts to bypass the UN-facilitated political process or impose a military solution to the conflict would only destabilize […]
12/1/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday [12-11-17] dismissed reports that the White House is weighing a plan under which he would be replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo as ‘laughable.’ Media reports on Thursday, first published by the New York Times, cited U.S. officials as saying that Trump has a […]
11/30/2017
CIA/MIKE POMPEO/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “For all his political and bureaucratic stumbles, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson has been a steady voice of moderation in how the Trump administration engages with the world. That voice will be lost if, as expected, President Trump replaces Mr. Tillerson at the State Department with Mike Pompeo, a hard-line former […]
11/30/2017
MIKE POMPEO/NOMINATIONS/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House has developed a plan to force out Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, whose relationship with President Trump has been strained, and replace him with Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, perhaps within the next several weeks, senior administration officials said on Thursday [11-30-17]. Mr. Pompeo would be […]
11/30/2017
NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has had a strained relationship with his boss over North Korea and other issues, senior administration officials said on Thursday [11-30-17]. Tillerson would be replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo, known as a Trump loyalist, within […]
11/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday [11-28-17] pushed back at criticism from lawmakers and diplomats suggesting that he is gutting the State Department, adding that it is functioning ‘very well.’ Mr. Tillerson, speaking before a think tank in Washington, defended what he described as hard work by career officials, many in […]
11/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA/WOMEN: “Days ahead of what should be a major moment for Ivanka Trump on the world stage, CNN has learned Secretary of State Rex Tillerson isn’t sending a high-level delegation to support her amid reports of tensions between Tillerson and the White House. Multiple State Department officials, as well as a source […]
11/24/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Of all the State Department employees who might have been vulnerable in the staff reductions that Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson has initiated as he reshapes the department, the one person who seemed least likely to be a target was the chief of security, Bill A. Miller… But in his first nine […]
11/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared Wednesday [11-22-17] that Myanmar’s military operation against Rohingya Muslims constitutes ethnic cleansing and said the U.S. is weighing targeted sanctions to hold perpetrators accountable… Mr. Tillerson’s assessment follows a visit last week to Myanmar, where he met with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the […]
11/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The State Department on Tuesday defended Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s exclusion of Iraq, Afghanistan and Myanmar from a list of countries cited for recruiting and using child soldiers, a decision that went against recommendations from top department officials. Mr. Tillerson in June disregarded internal department recommendations and decided not to include […]
11/20/2017
LEGAL/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “A group of about a dozen U.S. State Department officials have taken the unusual step of formally accusing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of violating a federal law designed to stop foreign militaries from enlisting child soldiers, according to internal government documents reviewed by Reuters. A confidential State Department ‘dissent’ memo not previously […]
11/15/2017
MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday [11-15-17] pressed Myanmar’s top civilian and military leaders to allow an independent investigation into a crackdown against ethnic Rohingya Muslims that has driven more than 600,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh. In a news conference with Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads the country’s civilian government, […]
11/10/2017
AMBASSADORS/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The State Department will soon offer a $25,000 buyout to diplomats and staff members who quit or take early retirements by April, officials confirmed on Friday [11-10-17]. The decision is part of Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s continuing effort to cut the ranks of diplomats and Civil Service officers despite bipartisan resistance […]
11/10/2017
REX TILLERSON/SAUDI ARABIA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday [11-10-17] that a wave of arrests among the elite in Saudi Arabia raises ‘a few concerns,’ as he is awaiting word on ‘how these particular individuals are dealt with.’ His assessment of the Saudi corruption investigation contrasted with comments from President Donald Trump, […]
11/3/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unsure whether his top diplomat, Rex Tillerson, would remain in his post for the rest of Trump’s term in the White House and was ‘not happy’ that some State Department staff were not supporting his agenda. In an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox […]
10/29/2017
DEFENSE/JAMES MATTIS/MILITARY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. lawmakers will grill top Trump administration officials on Monday [10-30-17] about a new authorization for the use of military force in the campaign against Islamic State and other militant groups, Congress’ most significant step in years toward taking back control of its constitutional right to authorize war. Secretary of State Rex […]
10/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INDIA/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. and India agreed to work together more closely to bolster regional security and prevent other nations from providing safe spaces for terrorists, during a visit here by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said the U.S. and India plan to hold three-way talks with […]
10/24/2017
PAKISTAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The U.S. pressed Pakistan for the elimination of havens for militants within its territory, according to American and Pakistani officials, in a meeting Tuesday [10-24-17] between Pakistani leadership and the visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. However, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi insisted to Mr. Tillerson that there are no terrorist sanctuaries […]
10/23/2017
AFGHANISTAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Rex Tillerson made his first trip as secretary of state to Afghanistan on Monday [10-23-17], jetting in and out of the country on a secret visit to meet top U.S. military and Afghan officials battling the Taliban and an offshoot of Islamic State. Mr. Tillerson, speaking from Bagram Air Field north of Kabul […]
10/22/2017
IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRADE DEALS: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson warned Europeans on Sunday [10-22-17] not to invest in certain Iranian businesses as the Trump administration considers walking away from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions against Iran. Speaking during a visit to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Tillerson said, ‘Both of our countries believe that those […]
10/19/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described how he seeks to manage an often-fraught relationship with President Donald Trump, saying he tries to deliver short-term victories to an impatient commander-in-chief while focusing on a longer horizon himself. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Thursday, Mr. Tillerson acknowledged the contrasting […]
10/7/2017
JOHN KELLY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump addressed questions Saturday [10-7-17] evening about his relationships with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and White House chief of staff John Kelly amid reporting about tensions among his top aides. ‘I have a very good relationship’ with Tillerson, Trump told reporters as he left the White House […]
10/5/2017
FAKE NEWS/REX TILLERSON: “Rex Tillerson never threatened to resign. This is Fake News put out by @NBCNews. Low news and reporting standards. No verification from me.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 5, 2017 06:50am […]
10/5/2017
FAKE NEWS/REX TILLERSON: “Rex Tillerson never threatened to resign. This is Fake News put out by @NBCNews. Low news and reporting standards. No verification from me.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 5, 2017 06:50am […]
10/4/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday [10-4-17] that he has never considered resigning his position, disputing an NBC News report that he was on the verge of such a move over the summer… Tillerson told reporters that he had not spoken to Trump Wednesday morning… NBC News reported Wednesday that […]
10/2/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House said Monday [10-2-17] that President Donald Trump has confidence in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, after saying a day earlier that the chief diplomat was ‘wasting his time’ by trying to negotiate with North Korea. Mr. Tillerson disclosed over the weekend that the U.S. has had […]
10/1/2017
REX TILLERSON/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man… Save your energy Rex, we’ll do what has to be done!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 1, 2017 09:30am and 09:31am […]
9/26/2017
CUBA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with his Cuban counterpart Tuesday [9-26-17] amid an investigation into mysterious attacks that have affected the health of at least 21 American diplomats and strained ties between the two governments. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla told Mr. Tillerson that Cuban officials haven’t identified the cause or origin […]
9/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. would remain a part of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement only if it is modified, a position that could heighten tension at a planned meeting Wednesday [9-20-17] of countries that are part of the accord, including Iran. Mr. Tillerson’s demand for modifications, […]
9/18/2017
IMMIGRATION/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The State Department is giving immigration and consular officials new grounds to deny entry to visitors to the United States or to kick them out if they are already here. In a cable to American embassies around the world, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson wrote that visitors who require a visa before […]
9/17/2017
CUBA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. is considering closing its embassy in Cuba in response to what he has described as ‘health attacks’ on American diplomats there that have caused hearing loss, concussions and other symptoms. Mr. Tillerson said in a television interview Sunday on CBS that he is considering calls […]
9/14/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said Thursday [9-14-17] that the most important thing he could do during his tenure was to make the State Department more efficient, and in a lengthy letter to employees he promised that the efforts would yield significant savings. To his critics, his remarks and the letter outlining […]
8/28/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent a letter to Congress on Monday [8-28-17] outlining plans to eliminate many of about 70 special U.S. envoys and special representatives at the State Department. Mr. Tillerson is eyeing several posts that were given prominent roles during the Obama administration, including the special envoy for climate change, […]
8/27/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in an interview Sunday [8/27/2017] on Fox News, said the U.S. maintains its commitment to freedom and equal treatment of people around the world after receiving international criticism for the White House’s various responses to a white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., earlier this month… Asked about […]
8/23/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Hours after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praised him for exercising restraint, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared in state media visiting a missile-development factory and ordering the production of more warheads and rocket engines. Mr. Kim’s visit, the date of which wasn’t disclosed by Pyongyang in its report […]
8/18/2017
BUDGET/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Lawmakers and activists are preparing for the possibility that President Donald Trump’s administration, in its zeal to slash the federal budget, will take the rare step of deliberately not spending all the money Congress gives it — a move sure to trigger legal and political battles. The concern is mainly focused on the […]
8/14/2017
JAMES MATTIS/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was wrapping up a talk a few days ago to sailors of the submarine Kentucky, which carries two dozen nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, when he sent them off with this sober message: ‘If we’ve got to turn something off in a hurry,’ he said, ‘we’re counting on […]
8/10/2017
NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “White House aide Sebastian Gorka said Thursday [8-10-17] that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was out of line with remarks he made a day earlier assuring Americans that military action against North Korea is not imminent, telling BBC radio that it was ‘nonsensical’ for the nation’s chief diplomat to speak on military […]
8/9/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday [8-9-17] that ‘Americans should sleep well at night,’ free from worry that North Korea’s ever-progressing nuclear program presents an ‘imminent threat’ to the United States. En route to Guam, the U.S. territory in the Pacific that North Korea has threatened to destroy with an […]
8/7/2017
REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Russia’s foreign minister that the U.S. would respond to that country’s recent expulsion of American diplomats by Sept. 1 and that the nations must confront the distrust created by Moscow’s meddling in the U.S. presidential election. Mr. Tillerson, speaking with journalists Monday at an Asian regional […]
8/5/2017
NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson will for the first time on Sunday [8-6-17] be in the same room with his North Korean counterpart, and much of the world will be watching for whether the two even acknowledge each other. Joining them in Manila will be representatives of other countries with a […]
8/2/2017
BUDGET/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is resisting the pleas of State Department officials to spend nearly $80 million allocated by Congress for fighting terrorist propaganda and Russian disinformation. It is highly unusual for a Cabinet secretary to turn down money for his department. But more than five months into his tenure, Tillerson has […]
8/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The U.S. doesn’t seek regime change in North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday [8-1-17], a statement at odds with suggestions last month from Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo that the U.S. would like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to go. Mr. Tillerson, speaking at a news […]
8/1/2017
REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia Aug. 5 to Aug. 9, the State Department said on Tuesday [8-1-17]. Tillerson will participate in meetings of diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila, and discuss ‘denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, and counterterrorism,’ […]
7/26/2017
STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flashed a grin Wednesday [7-27-17] and insisted that he is ‘not going anywhere,’ comments that came amid tussles with the White House over policy and staffing as well as questions about his future as the nation’s chief diplomat. Mr. Tillerson told reporters at the State Department on […]
7/20/2017
RUSSIA/TREASURY/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “The Treasury Department said Thursday [7-20-17] it is fining Exxon Mobil Corp. $2 million for violating sanctions related to Russia in 2014, when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was CEO of the company. In May of that year, the presidents of Exxon Mobil’s U.S. subsidiaries ‘dealt in services of an individual whose […]