Posted on 12/01/2017 9:02:14 AM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
Multiple reports surfaced this week that the White House was looking to ouster Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the next few weeks, with talk of replacing him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
When the press asked about the reports Friday during a meeting with Libya's prime minister at the State Department, the former Exxon Mobil CEO said the claims are “laughable.”
The New York Times said the plan was developed by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly ever since Trump’s relationship with Tillerson is said to have “soured.”
Mr. Trump spoke harshly about Mr. Tillerson in front of White House aides as recently as Thursday but did not seem ready yet to replace him, according to one person close to the president. For all his public combativeness and his “you’re fired” reputation from reality television, Mr. Trump is often reluctant to dismiss advisers. The disclosure of Mr. Kelly’s transition plan may have been a way to nudge him into making a decision, according to that person. It may also have been meant as a not-too-subtle message to Mr. Tillerson that it is time to go. The ouster of Mr. Tillerson would end a turbulent reign at the State Department for the former Exxon Mobil chief executive, who has been largely marginalized over the last year. Mr. Trump and Mr. Tillerson have been at odds over a host of major issues, including the Iran nuclear deal, the confrontation with North Korea and a clash between Arab allies. The secretary was reported to have privately called Mr. Trump a “moron” and the president publicly criticized Mr. Tillerson for “wasting his time” with a diplomatic outreach to North Korea. (NYT) White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded to questions about the reports Thursday, saying when President Trump loses confidence in someone they will be removed from their post.
“When the president loses confidence in someone, they will no longer serve in the capacity that they're in,” Sanders said.
Trump and Tillerson are “continuing to work together to close out what we’ve seen to be an incredible year,” she added. “I think his future right now is to continue working hard as the secretary of State, continue working with the president, to carry out his agenda.”
All the president has said about the reports so far is that “He's here. Rex is here.”
I have a theory about some of these senior cabinet positions: The only ones who can survive in them for long periods of time are stupid and/or crooked people. Most normal, law-abiding citizens don't have the interest or the patience in them, and those who are willing to take on those responsibilities get worn out quickly because they are concerned about a lot of the sh!t that never bothers stupid and/or crooked people.
Yep. Most FReepers are no better at predicting the future despite of how fast they are to jump on every morsel dropped by the MSM or some idiot’s blog.
Tillerson will either go or stay, and there’s nothing people hanging out on online forums can do about it ;-)
Two strong men speak their minds and the lefties think that is a bad thing just because of some disagreements. DJT doesn’t fire competent people and Tillerson won’t leave until the job is done. If he finishes his mission before the term is up, he may leave, but he will be leaving a boring job where all is in order that a lesser person can hold successfully. . .until or unless they screw it up.
> It will be an amicable parting on his own terms.
I think so too. If he does leave, he will blow it up first (with Trump’s approval). I’m sure there are LOTs of changes that need to be made, but would destroy organizational moral and limit capabilities. Tillerson knows the necessary changes, but is limited in what he can do because of the opposition within state. The best thing he can do for the country is very likely
1) blow it up,
2) let Trump fire him,
3) let a “savior” come in to clean up the “mess”.
Or, Tillerson could leave calmly and amicably then someone else could come in like Scaramucci to blow it up for a couple of weeks then let the next person start over and bring state and Trump together. I like Tillerson but think he’s in an impossible situation between state dept. lifers and Trump - once that is destroyed the department can be led by someone on Trump’s side. The lifers say they understand diplomacy, but I bet they wouldn’t even know what hit them if this happened and a month from now they were on Trump’s side. “Business diplomacy” is far more advanced than what they do and Trump is running a business.
Comey was laughing when he got the axe too. :-)
This isn't even good nonsense. If Trump wants a cabinet secretary to leave, he has a really not-too-subtle way of doing it. Hey, Rex, you are resigning for health reason. Sign here.
There is a big difference between how you treat a hanger on who betrayed you and how you treat someone who you invited to work for you and has provided competent service.
Ralph Peters is a RAT dickhead! Glad hes’ no longer associated in any way with our military any longer.
I agree with your theory. Most of those Cab positions are filled with no nonsense business type guys who do not put up with B/S.
I think this is a psychological tactic to keep pressure on Tillerson to keep him in line. If Tillerson starts to get ‘swampy’, leak a report that there are ongoing talks to replace him while denying it officially. I like it.
It might help if you agenda is not different than the President's. Trump has plenty of rogues in his cabinet, time he eliminated a few.
Rumor that Cotton would take Pompeao's Job then Sarah Huckabee would e appointed to Cotton's seat.
That is absolutely true, but that doesn't keep us from being right in our speculation, unlike you. Tillerson will go, unless Trump goes first.
He's a sniveling little chitbird. Desk jockey all his career which is probably why he is still breathing.
Ralph Peters tried to thread the needle and line himself up with a nice gig somewhere in the Clinton administration with his grandstand play announcing that he was voting for Hillary.
That didn’t work out, and he’s the spy left out in the cold. Team Trump won’t return his calls, Team Hillary is in no position to give him a sweet gig for eight years.
He’s a complete, self-serving asswipe.
“2.True believer in “Religion of Peace”.”
Have you been keeping up on what’s going on in Saudi Arabia?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3608007/posts
I might not be remembering correctly, but I thought T-Rex mentioned being in the position for a year when he first took his position.
“...claims are “laughable.”...”
The best way to handle the pathetic pissants in the press.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.