Posted on 10/4/2017, 5:28:44 PM by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would not directly state whether or not he called President Trump a "moron," as alleged in an NBC News report, but said at a morning press conference that his "commitment to the success of our president and our country is as strong as it was the day I accepted his offer to serve."
According to the report, tensions between Trump and Tillerson peaked over the summer after Trump gave a politically charged speech at the Boy Scout Jamboree in July. Tillerson once led the Boy Scouts of America, and reportedly threatened not to return to his post in Washington before other cabinet officials -- John Kelly and James Mattis -- convinced him to stay. Vice President Mike Pence reportedly gave Tillerson a "pep talk" afterward that included encouragement on toeing Trump's policy line.
The report said Trump and Tillerson have battled on issues such as Iran, North Korea, Qatar and the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville; Trump has also wanted Tillerson to publicly defend him more. Tillerson allegedly called Trump a "moron" in a July 20 Pentagon meeting in response to the president suggesting that he would can the commander in Afghanistan and comparing troop-level decisions to a 1980s N.Y. restaurant renovation.
Tillerson emerged at the State Department for an unscheduled statement after the story broke, saying he wanted to "dispel this notion that I have ever considered leaving."
"There's never been a consideration in my mind to leave. I serve at the appointment of the president and I am here for as long as the president feels I can be useful to achieving his objectives," he said.
Asked if he called Trump a moron, Tillerson replied, "I'm not going to deal with petty stuff like that."
"I mean, this is -- this is what I don't understand about Washington. Again, I'm not from this place, but the places I come from we don't deal with that kind of petty nonsense. And it is intended to do nothing but divide people. And I'm just not going to be part of this effort to divide this administration," he added.
Tillerson said he had not spoken yet today with Trump, who was on his way to Las Vegas.
Trump went after NBC on Twitter: "NBC news is #FakeNews and more dishonest than even CNN. They are a disgrace to good reporting. No wonder their news ratings are way down!"
"The @NBCNews story has just been totally refuted by Sec. Tillerson and @VP Pence. It is #FakeNews. They should issue an apology to AMERICA!" he added.
Asked en route to Nevada if Trump has confidence in Tillerson, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders replied, "As we've said many times before, if the president doesn't have confidence in somebody, they will no longer be in their position."
Good for Tillerson not to take the bait.
A simple “No I didn’t” would have been a good denial.
Did you call Trump a moron?
I did the job that—
Did you call Trump a moron?????????
You’re goddamn right I did!!
Or maybe I didn’t.
Media playing the tiresome game of “lets you and him fight”. They don’t give a crap about truth. It pushes their narrative and ratings. That’s all that matters.
A simple “No I didn’t” would have been a good denial.
It really is a bit like the old “is it true you’ve stopped beating your wife?” scenario. Calling it an undignified question and moving on from there is the right course. If the media wants to continue pursuing it, they can, but they start looking like the bore at a dinner party that won’t let a subject go.
Yes, you did! Maria told me so and she never lies.
Look, in Tillerson and Trump you have two guys with BIG egos and who are very used to telling people to “jump”. Do you think it’s always going to be peaches and cream? How about your own work site always harmony.
Just another attempt to divide and conquer.
Who was AT THAT MEETING who reported that e called Trump a moron?
There could not have been that many people...
The correct answer to such a petty media question is “Yes, I called him a moron right after he called me a douchebag, then we fake slapped each other around...is there any other earth shattering issues you need an answer to?”
Better yet - JUST STOP TALKING TO THE MEDIA
While I’m not the YUGGEST fan of Tillerson, I definitely would rather have him there instead of some career, Radical Leftist Diplomat that hates America(of which, there are many in the State Dept).
I don’t know what he knows nor do I have the responsibilities that he does, so I’m not going to spout.....If I were him, this is what I would do....crap, because I’m not him, I don’t do what he does and I don’t know what he knows.
He’s a man, that at one point, ran a multinational, billion dollar company. He is the kind of guy that expects and demands results. He is the kind of guy that doesn’t have time for the petty BS that the Leftist media, plays 24/7. I would imagine that in his former life, if an issue came up at Exxon and he tasked someone to handle it, they either handled it or their ID cards taken away as they were escorted out of the building. I doubt there was any way to pass the buck, delay or obfuscate their incompetence like a career diplomat or civil servant can.
I’m quite sure that there are times he’d like to walk into that crowd of reporters and smack the living daylights out of some of them, especially when he’s repeatedly asked the same ridiculous questions.
Looks like he’s finally on his way out now. Trump can choose, probably has, a better person for the job
If Tillerson said this he needs to resign. Trump is not a moron, even if some of the people around him like Mattis are.
Not sure which media narrative to go with.
1) Trump is a thin-skinned, insecure person who would fire anyone on the spot for calling him a moron.
2) Trump is an authoritarian who will only work with people who think like him and do what he demands. So he’d never hire anyone in the first place who could possibly call him a moron.
Or maybe the media has been wrong and Trump is a good manager who wants people to disagree with him, and listens to people with more expertise, and doesn’t mind when subordinates have strong feelings in disagreement with him. Plus, Trump’s able to get past emotional disagreements, even name-calling ,and focus on results as long as everyone has the same goals even if different paths to get there.
Hillary, being a thick-skinned/strong leader, would have fired the subordinate on the spot, so that must be the right thing to do. /sarc
Trump does not want “yes” men and women. Of course he’s going to disagree with his cabinet and vice versa. The left does not understand passionate debate as they are all mental and emotional robot midgets who’s highest social skill is pushing buttons.
They are all united in the desire to make America great again. If the route is sometimes messy, Trump and his team can deal with it.
Reporter: Secretary Tillerson, can you give us more on Trump’s collusion with Russia.
Tillerson: i cannot give you more on Trump.
Reporter: You just called trump a moron.
Perhaps he wants to be truthful.
It’s because one is important, the other is not.
Anyone who did not watch reruns of all of the Celebrity Apprentice seasons and did not follow the campaign probably was in for a shock when they joined the team.
Bravo!
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