I hope Tillerson will now take the opportunity to call Trump a moron in public and confirm that he said it months ago. Someone with gravitas and seriousness, who has been on the inside, needs to go ahead and state what they know and save others from making the same mistakes they did.
What does Tillerson or anyone else have to lose at this point? Dignity? Pride? Those are long gone. They've been fired. Disavowing Trump could actually help reclaim some of what they've lost and take control of their stories and reputations.
5
Nowhere in this otherwise fine article is there mention of the fact that we now seem to have foreign governments running the president's political choices.
Secret meetings with the UAE, rumors that Putin nixed Trump's candidates for State a year ago, preferring the friendlier to Russia Tillerson over Romney.
What I fear now with a total cadre of loyalists, that a newly confident Trump, but still lacking a total vision, will emerge and make some serious mistakes.
Since Pompeo is clearly a loyalist with strong ambition, it's doubtful he'll reign the president in much which in and of itself is terrifying.
We should all be alarmed if the rule of law, up to now just challenged, gets thrown out and Trump is encouraged to act on his worst impulses.
When loyalty takes precedence over skills and wisdom, we may devolve even further into autocracy and banana republicanism.
1
No, Trump is not going with America first loyalists. No, no, no that is not the game plan.
Trump is hiring a hawk to ensure that when Trump's impeachment begins the hawk will be ready for a nuclear war with somebody in order to justify quashing the impeachment due to "a time of war" and to ensure the complete takeover by the dictator. I am loyal to the USA. Trump is a traitor.
I don't know who we will bomb first: Iran or North Korea, but I hope they don't retaliate because then Trump could and should be forced to resign. He should have been forced out already for his many conflicts of interest, not the least of which is his absolute collusion with Russia.
You have been warned.
3
“I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want,” Mr. Trump said.
“Only another ten or twenty people to fire,” he failed to add. “I can't think why I didn't appoint the cabinet I wanted in the first place.”
I am not a great fan of Tillerson but he was a voice of reason in an administration that is a reality show on steroids. The manner in which he was fired just goes to show how truly classless Trump really is. How on earth did the United States come to this?
3
Rex was treated the same way as he treated his staff: as “hired help”. In a way it is ironic. Am waiting for the book.
1
I have no problem with Mr. Tillerson and am sorry to see him go. In addition to being chief diplomat, the job of Secretary of State involves being chief administrator and managing the bureaucracy. The State Department bureaucracy has become bloated and unwieldy over the years and needs pruning and optimization. In spite of the whooping and hollering, Mr. Tillerson was addressing an important problem that his predecessors neglected. His boss wanted him to cut the budget by 30% and he did what was asked of him.
Unilaterally abrogating the JCPOA treaty with Iran without the agreement of China, France, Russia, EU and UK would be ludicrous. Doing so would remove all constraints on Iranian nuclear weapons development and leave war as the only recourse for checking Iranian nuclear ambitions. Right now, in spite of its government, Iranian public opinion is strongly pro-American and that is a strong check on Iranian mischief. Making war on Iran would galvanize Iranian public opinion against America, widen the war throughout the Middle East with strong public support, would be financially ruinous and greatly impair American security. Mr. Tillerson was right to steer Mr. Trump away from that folly. Mr. Trump should have been grateful.
Gen. Mattis and Gen. McMaster are the only remaining players with the gravitas to squelch Mr. Trump's foolish impulsiveness. If either of them are purged, then the 25th Amendment needs to be invoked and Mr. Trump removed from office.
THAT'S the way it should be.
Dear President Putin Puppet
Remember, A players hire A players because they want healthy debate and dialog. B players hire C players because they’re insecure.
And F players, well, they’re just, as Rex said, “morons!”
6
"After a year of chaotic on-the-job training, Mr. Trump has developed more confidence in his own instincts."
He has had no "on-the-job training"; he refuses to listen to anyone around him, or even pay attention to the PDB. Bringing in people who only regurgitate what you want to hear does not constitute training.
If we are relying on Trump's instincts, the US and the world are in big trouble, although it's not as if most of us have not already recognized this.
2
I see what we have to do: the strategy is clear. After all, President Trump has modeled for us the most effective way to "do away" with employees who are not doing their job.
Those of us who oppose Trump need to create Twitter accounts so that we can all Tweet at the exact time and day we choose. The message will be simple and succinct. President Trump: You are Fired!
1
Donald Trump tried to justify his cowardly Twitter-firing of Rex Tillerson and replacement with Mike Pompeo by saying that he is trying to get the cabinet he wanted from the beginning.
That outrageous piece of distorted reality ignores the fact that, at Trump’s behest, Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn and other Republicans in the Senate shoved through the approvals of every Trump nominee at breakneck speed with little real debate.
Those Republican senators permanently disgraced themselves to keep Donald Trump happy.
10
"trying to get the cabinet he wanted from the beginning." Makes one wonder, why didn't he get it from the beginning? Who picked his cabinet, did he have any input, or did he just sign off on whatever was put in front of him?
1
It took Mr. Tillerson fourteen months to figure out that he was person non grata in the Trump debacle? Rex had to know........why did he wait to be discarded like the "help".
1
Can’t wait for his book.
2
Eventhough he was right, as a cabinet member he should have never called
Trump a Moran in a meeting. Trump says “I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want,” He wants to be surounded by yes men. This is a message to those who remain Push Back and you will be Tweeted out.
1
Let's not be fooled by Trump's administration bashing. Trump's "America First" Mantra to build his administration can be easily translated into "Trump First", which means an accelerated decline in all phases of life here. Trump loves to grind down people to their knees to show his personal power, the same way he wants to destroy
This country for his own narcissistic ego. And the Republican puppets will applaud him all the way
2
May I remind the world of Trump's response when asked about making key diplomatic appointments...
Trump: "I'm the only one that matters."
Of course.
5
"Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect ‘America First’ Views"
I think you meant to say, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect ‘Trump First’ Views. That is more in keeping with the reality a lot of us see.
4
With Tillerson's firing, it's no surprise that Trump has lost more senior staff in his first 14 months than any other president in memory for an entire term.
Snakes must molt.
2
Tillerson stood up to Trump. That's good enough for me. How many others have even accomplished that much?
3
I believe in America first too, but not quite how our current supposed leader does. We can be first without prejudice, name calling and childish reactive policies. We can be first, by setting an example of honoring all people, people of color, immigrants, religious diversity, gender & sexual identity. The list is long.
6
We approach a dangerous level of instability in this country. Institutions are being dismantled, protocol broken, allies insulted and positions important to the running of the day-today functioning of the nation are unfilled or have been removed. A dismantling of government is the wish of the hardline GOP, but anyone with a brain knows it is a dangerous proposition. Crumbling infrastructure, the ruination of our environment, the loss of ethical controls on business practices and insurance companies,instability both internationally and domestically. The continuous revolving door at the white house is a threat to national security. Trump needs to be fired.
3
When my sister and myself were growing up, our parents had a phrase that they used any time they didn't think our actions were appropriate. They insisted we had to learn the " fitness of things" This expression was drummed into our head when we acted inappropriately, or they thought we acted inappropriately. The President of the United States rarely seems to know " the fitness of things". This is best exemplified by his recent dismissal of his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. Instead of calling in his Secretary face to face and explaining to him why he was being replaced, he fired him with a Tweet. An excellent example that Trump simply doesn't know, "the fitness of things"
3
One minute he says he wants conflict, dissention and other points of view so that he make an *informed* decision.
Now, with firing of Tillerson (and evidently more to come), he doesn't.
The only constant is Trump's need for attention--no matter what. This presidency is nothing short of appalling, in my opinion.
3
Trump is anything but "America First", unless that is a reference to the wealthy financial backers and his hardcore supporters ready to surrender the country's fundamental principles of life, liberty & happiness. Trump and his soldiers prefer racial, religious, ethnic and gender bias when it comes to government policies. And they eagerly await Donald's proposed Space Military force!
2
I think the key word here is "mold"......that seems to be the condition immediately observed in anyone chosen by Trump for any office.
1
Why can't this guy build a team and get going? I'm tired of his buyers remorse over his bad choices. DJT, do your homework and stop wasting time.
Wait! I thought the original cabinet was in his image. Confused.
2
With no one in the cabinet to rein him in, Trump is sure to enact more and more un-American activities, but because the cabinet is now full of fascists rather than communists, Congress will never step up. North Korea must be rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter. Europe will desert us, and since we have been rotten to Canada and Mexico for years, we are certain to get "America alone". Which is not the same thing as "America First". I have said repeatedly in these pages, Trump is a disaster.
2
Everyone was so worried about communism for so many years. Turns out that capitalism is equally as bad and is now ending the "American empire." Oh, well.
4
Please everyone remember where the words “America First” come from. It was the fascist-leaning political party led by Charles Lindberg in the 1930s, and they stirred up hatred of Jews, and were pro Nazi Germany. Words matter!
22
Nothing at all wrong with an America First view point, unless you are not an American or not living in America!
1
Another cowardly and classless act from DT.
10
All the adults have left the room and the children
2
Tillerson called his boss a moron. It was just a matter of time.
I hope that Mr. Pompeo cleans out the State Department of Obama hangovers. You know. The ones who still think that Obama was from Olympus.
2
Clap Hammer: Regardless of what YOUR delusional opinion is, Obama was a bright, honorable man, and closer to Olympus than BeBe or Trump will ever be.
The trust that you place in the Dotard will be rewarded by abandonment as soon as that suits his narcissistic agenda. Trusting him is as good as trusting Iran or North Korea - or Hitler. You should know better!
No. It's not Olympus -- it's Africa.
Another thing.
Tillerson's downfall came when he publicly agreed with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May that Russia is to blame with those poisonings ... and we all know how Trump feels about Vladimir Putin.
I wonder if this has anything to do with reporting on how Russia had a say in picking Tillerson in the first place. There is a pattern of Trump reacting to his picks once things become public.
4
Obviously Tillerson fell out of favor with Putin.
A rally in Alabama will keep the opiod zombies sedated.
1
This is ridiculous. Trump had the chance to staff his cabinet with America-first loyalists a year-and-a-half ago. The fact is he did but he will always turn on his own people at the first hint of what he deems to be disloyalty. These new folks will be gone by next year as well, even sooner if one slips and tells the truth that Trump is a blankety-blank moron.
5
America is one country among other countries in the world. Our being first should not mean isolation. Isolating America from the world is 18th century hogwash. We live on a small crowded planet in a global community. In order for America to survive we must join our allies. Anything less is shameful. But then our president is shameful, a selfish man totally lacking in humanity and without a grain of common sense. His senility is showing.
5
Rex.
I'm not a fan of big oil. (I think its destroying the planet)
But thank you for identifying our incompetent egomaniac leader as a moron.
(Which of course, he is.)
Donald's foreign policy, in no uncertain terms, is "Get Out of My Way!"
Of course, you never had a chance.
He undermined you at every turn, publicly.
He threw you off the bus.
Then he ran you over! (With a tweet!!)
Be grateful you are no longer on a team of bootlickers and lackeys!
9
New Cabinet = simpering synchophants!
6
Do we want people that are loyal to Trump or loyal to the Republic and the Constitution?
7
I think Donald Trump thinks he is the host of a new reality TV show called "Political Apprentice."
6
The only way Trump can relieve his tension from the Russia investigation is to create constant chaos in the WH and/or perform at campaign rallies to feed his massive ego with some rousing cheers from his base.
Expect more rallies.
2
"“I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday"
and that would be a cabinet of all doormats most importantly followed by "america first" beliefs.
trump has always surrounded himself with apple-polishers so expect several more to go including mattis.
btw: twitter firings betray a cowardly heart.
3
So if you work for Trump you never know how long you will last particularly if you don't do what he wants. Now he is placing more 'yes men and women' in position. Perhaps it should be called 'Trump First' With his action and lack of action the U.S. is becoming a third world country and the laughing stock of the world. Shame on Trump and the Republicans.
5
The title of the article is wrong. It is not "In Replacing Tillerson With Pompeo, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect ‘America First’ Views" but should be: "In Replacing Tillerson With Pompeo, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect HIS Views First."
3
The key word here is "loyalists". Trump doesn't have any views.
3
Progressives seem amazed that a successful seventy-year-old wants to have the people under him willing to see things as he does. This President has a strong enough record of getting things done to justify his being picky about his Cabinet agreeing with him on important details.
Today's progressive dolts also seem unfamiliar with their wonderful Mr. Obama going though Secretaries of Defense every couple of years.
2
In your imagination. Nobody in the business that he’s in who is successful has so many failures. He’s a bad businessman but an excellent confidence artist and reality television performer.
2
I don’t get what’s so wrong with being a loyalist or nationalist. Just because some jerk took the word Nationalist and put “White” in front of it and created a racist analogy doesn’t mean that Nationslism is a racist term by itself. In fact I’m proud to be a Nationalist. It simply means “Having Pride in one’s Country. What’s wrong with that? I’m sick of people saying Trump as a racist. Jesse Jackson didn’t think he was a racist in 1999 when he gave Trump an (the highest) award from the black community for all the charitable work he did for inner city children/poor families. In fact the “Great” Al Sharpton was happy to take Trump’s money when asked to donate. Lest you forget where Al got his start from, the Tawana Bradley case... the story of a young black girl raped by 3 Fishkill police officers force do to lay in feces sand urinated on her........ then we all found out it was the girls stepfather. She lied and lied and ruined those men’s lives. Try to remember where you hear your stories from. When it comes to building the wall, the people who live on the borders, American citizens are terrified to go to sleep at nights in their own homes for fear of illegals/drug mules (by the tens of thousands) breaking into their homes and killing them. They have been begging for a wall for decades. Think for yourself. You’d be devastated as to how long you’ve been lied to. It’s shameful how much Dis information has been spewed and no one ever thinks to go to Wiki and check it out.
Count Vlad and the Russian oligarchs and "mob" have a lot of influence around the world. Rex Tillerson was just fired as US Secretary of State hours after he blamed Russia for poisoning an ex-Russian spy and his daughter living in England. "Beware the Ides of March" if you offend or double-cross Russia's or North Korea's regimes. As today's story from "The Guardian" tells us, British forensics units are now combing areas including pubs, restaurants and the cemetery where the ex-spy's son and wife are buried for evidence. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has vowed to "punish" Russia if they were behind the crime. British Prime Minister Theresa May and former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (who was just fired by President Trump yesterday) both stated they believe Russia was involved. Years ago, a Russian expat living in England was "accidentally" pricked on a foggy London day by the tip of an umbrella carried by a Bulgarian "Diplomat"....which contained a tiny bit of deadly ricin. Another Russian expat drank some tea laced with radioactive polonium. He died a slow, painful death from radiation poisoning. "Law and Order" did a show about his horrible murder. Even the Russian grrrlllll band "Pussy Riot" was imprisoned for mocking Count Vlad's shirtless poses, though they were later released.
2
Another distraction from the real news of the day. Google Roger Stone in the News.
Donald Trump is molding his Cabinet in the image preferred by Vladimir Putin and making more for himself and his family from being President of the United States.
3
Beypnd the wildest imaginings - a President who bases his appointments on "chemistry" ( interpretation: sycophants only), and who is modeling a cabinet based on himself: impulsive, egotistical, determinedly ignorant, and greedy. Someone with no core values, who regards commitments as one sided ( they owe us... or me -) and who snubs allies and grovels at the feet of tyrants. Someone who hates the framework of law.
The only hope is that his excesses become so repugnant that a coalition of reformists is able to reclaim the federal government and make major reforms.
3
Just a "heads up", in case you need reminding - the Secretary of State is in the line of succession behind the Vice President, you know, in case of impeachment or something like that! I hope the confirmation hearings reflect that kind of consideration.
5
You mean behind the speaker of the house...
4
These loyalists reflect "Trump First"!
5
This white house has become a toilet of spinning debris that cannot be righted by this plunging president. Each new toilet entry is worse than the last: odious and obnoxious. Strangely though, it seems like every swirl is the perfect plan to flush republicans from both houses...
4
The cascade of chaos continues. The lucky ones are leaving.
3
Too little, too late.
This is just inviting more passengers onto the Titanic. Your captain..... DJT!
DJT is thrashing now. Russian dissidents are poisoned in the UK, Tillerson is fired on Twitter.... (DJT) “quick, let me go stand by a border wall mock-up”
There is no plan. There is no president. Just DJT living in DC part time and working for Vladimir.
And Mueller tightens the noose a bit each day! DJT is panicking. You can see it!
5
"Trump molds cabinet in his won mage", I hope they have psychiatrists on stand by.
1
Tillerson is gone, good riddance. He destroyed the State Department and no-one knew what he was doing at any given time. He was a stealth Secretary, so stealthy that not even Trump knew what was happening with him.
1
Did Putin give his OK?
5
I am no fan of TIllerson, but isn't ironic how Trump's behavior pushes me to sympathize with Tillerson. And Gary Cohn, And Jeff Sessions. And on and on.
2
Pompeo, the head of the CIA becomes Secretary of State. Now who is going to believe that the State Dept. is not an extension of the CIA?
5
It’s kind of a shame that Mr. Tillerson is gone; he seemed to be the only “reasonable” person in Mr. Trump’s cabinet.
1
With the firing of Tillerson, Trump removes the last vestige of hope that he might run an acceptable presidency.
Once in the White House, Trump made an incredible series of blunders. The shouting match with Kim Jong Un, the disavowal of the nuclear treaty with Iran, the pulling out of the Paris climate accord. In each case, Tillerson tried to mitigate the damage, find a way to achieve what Trump demanded that was a little less damaging to American prestige.
In short, Tillerson presented an alternate viewpoint in the White House, an argument for a less extreme position.
Indeed, the President should listen to many viewpoints. The world is not black and white, but gray. And many times one can achieve desired goals without needlessly antagonizing ones allies.
But Trump doesn't seem to want to understand all sides. So he dispenses with the person who suggests less confrontation.
And not with a personal discussion, an opportunity to reason. With a tweet broadcast to the world designed to inflict maximal pain with no reason.
This firing is the action of a petty man, a man uniquely unqualified for his position.
Many voted for him because they felt ridiculed by liberals who hold rigid positions and have forgotten the problems faced by the poor.
We need a replacement for 2020. Somebody who will argue against the facile position of liberals, yet call upon others to craft a sensible alternative.
We need a third party that articulates the interests of the poor.
1
"liberals who hold rigid positions and have forgotten the problems faced by the poor"
Hmm. Health care was a real issue in 2016. Affordable college for young people. Democrats desperately want to fix the problems.
The 60% of adults in my immediate family voted for Trump because he would back the cops against unjustly treated poor black residents.
Because he would round up 11 million immigrants and send them home.
Because he would make abortion illegal.
Because he would make sure they could all carry guns and rifles wherever they went.
They never thought twice about poor people -- even though the same 60% all have extended family members on heavy government subsidies.
1
From the outset, it was unclear whether Mr. Tillerson was the right choice to head the State Department. The only understanding was that as CEO of a global multi national company, Mr. Tillerson, with relationships around the world would help fit himself in a similar function to be US Sec. of State.
Coming from a well structured organization like Exxon Mobil did not help Mr. Tillerson. Because, the set up at the State Department is different. The management skills which Mr. Tillerson was trying to apply there did not work either.
What Mr. Tillerson forgot was, as a former CEO, he still had to report to another CEO. A CEO with whom he has to agree, whether he likes it or not. He has to be a "YES" man. This was no longer the private sector. The environment was different. It has all to do with politics, where the way you do things is not the same. While it is a bitter lesson for Mr. Tillerson, others who excel in the private sector may want to make note of this. It is better to be where you are.
2
Interesting concept, however Wall Street and CEO's are a pretty corrupt group of folks. It was the banks, Wall street that pushed us into the almost depression of 2008. It has been CEO's who shipped jobs overseas so they wouldn't have to pay employees more money. It was CEO's that cut health benefits, pensions. Tillerson soared in that type of old white man world and he brought his negative traits and superiority over to his new positions and fired his staff .
He didn't realize that there is only room for one King in this administration and it wasn't him. Stupidity is in charge in this administration
With Trump's leadership style, his cabinet will end consisting of only yes men and those who are as corrupt as he is. That's the only type of people who can work well with Trump and survive.
As the saying goes, kindred spirit attracts kindred spirit. They see eye to eye to appreciate each others' dishonesty, corruption, unethical doings, and backward ideologies.
2
The title of the article is wrong. It is not "In Replacing Tillerson With Pompeo, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect ‘America First’ Views" but should be: "In Replacing Tillerson With Pompeo, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect HIS Views."
1
Although never hold a public office before, Tillerson had thousand times more experience that his former boss.
2
I think Tillerson has the politician bug. I believe he found some sort of gratification which he never experienced in his business career. I think he will resurface. Senator Tillerson is my bet.
2
My "take away" from yesterday is that in this administration, it is not only acceptable to lie all the time, but that if you tell the truth, or express an opinion rooted in reality then you will be fired. Also if you are fired because of investigation of serious criminal charges (the bag man), no worries, within a couple of hours you will be hired to the Trump campaign. How did we come to this?
2
Trump's ruling style remains me what Xi Jinping of China is trying to do last week in China. One man rules a country based on personal royalty and trust. Trump wishes that he could control the minds and thoughts of American people. Trump would like to be the president of the United States as long as he lives. Tillerson is the victim of Trump's purging process. Next one will be Pompeo.
1
It's a sign of American decline that there can be the slightest amount of empathy for a billionaire international oil cartel CEO fired from his 'job' as Secy of State by an even more reprehensible billionaire president. If Trump's view is "America First," Tillerson's was always "Exxon First." He received Russia's highest civilian award from Putin, who he came to know while helping Exxon secure the rights to develop a gajillion dollar oil reserve in Russia, a project held up by sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine & which Tillerson hoped to have lifted so he could make a real killing on his vast holding of Exxon shares.
4
What did Pompeo say when Trump asked him to be personally loyal?
1
He does not have to answer.
His actions speak louder than words.
Mike Pompeo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. It is a grave mistake to further enable the Koch oligarchs, who act only for their own financial benefit to the undeniable harm of all other Americans.
8
It's kind of like a game of musical chairs in the White House. A president who hasn't got a clue appoints people who also don't have a clue and then moves them around, in and out, round and round like pieces on a chess board. Wow ! Doesn't that give us a feeling of security though? NOT!
6
Knowing that a hectic day awaited, what could have been more welcome than being told you get to go home early and there's a limo downstairs waiting to whisk you off to your country club estate. I know Rex must really be bummed this morning waking up to breakfast in bed.
4
Whatever his defects, it appears that Tillerson took his public service seriously. If he had been a man who wanted breakfast in bed, he would never have been CEO of Exxon.
I think Mr. Trump thought Mr. Tillerson's experience in Russia would make him a pro-Russia/Putin Secretary of State. The business world has its own ethical system and public service ha sits own. Mr. Trump failed to foresee or understand that.
2
Exactly, Trump failed to foresee they Tillerson would flip to becoming a genuine public servant, and would be strong enough as a character to stand up against Donald Trump.
Trump just got his Roy Cohen character in the bare toothed beast that is Mike Pompeo. There is no autonomy here, he will lie, cheat and steal to remain on top, same psychosis as his boss. No lipstick on this pig. none.
His mild manners are like that of a crocodile, until you are snapped shut in his morally corrupt jaws.
7
Twitter is a great boon to a man like Donald Trump. Not only can he address his base directly whenever he gets the impulse, but he can fire people without looking them in the eye.
6
And, he doesn't need help to make his message understood as Twitter is for those that can't speak English good.
2
Didn't Donald Trump recently say that he liked having people around him have different opinions? Didn't he deny that was chaos?
4
What is a loyalist if incompetent and corrupt? A liability, to say the least. And worse if abusive to begin with, and with a closed mind to the facts, and the truth and justice. And we haven't even mentioned the ravages that occur when we are forced to lose the trust in each other, and in the badly bruised democratic institutions when a scoundrel is in charge, a despot so self-centered he is disabled to grasp reality as is. Trump's propaganda "America first" is pure demagoguery, as he goes on trampling on the rule of law. Not that Tillerson, fired ignominiously via a tweet, was an angel and a real diplomat...but wasn't the devil either. And now Pompeo, another bully akin to Trump; what could possibly go wrong?
5
The FDA just ruled that Trump's cabinet and staff members must wear labels with expiration dates...like milk.
4
True, but cheap people look for expired goods cause they are cheap.
Trump's America First ideology puts Americans last. Oh, the irony!
3
Hang on — Trump appointed Tillerson and his entire cabinet. Wasn’t the cabinet already in his own image? Does Trump even know what his own image is? Because from what I’ve watched for the last two years since he started running, that guy has absolutely no clue what he’s doing. It’s like he’s throwing stuff at the wall and just trying to see what sticks. That’s no way to lead the greatest civilization in human history. Trump has to go. Come November, show that chucklehead’s devotees the door.
8
Tillerson was Putin's choice after he vetoed Romney. But then Tillerson started saying nasty things about Russia and so Putin fired him.
2
In the Secretary of State's farewell speech, some of the highlights revealed both his conscience and his consciousness. For example:
His position dealing with other heads of State began with the "use of diplomacy", toward "achieving the peace", "free of conflict", with "acts of kindness toward one another" and being fully "dignified" during their exchanges.
It's no wonder his views and actions were inconsistent with the present administration.
4
So SAD that the guy who's famous for roaring "YOU'R FIRED" across the shiny conference room table now resorts to firing by tweet. Perhaps that's more presidential behavior??? Wonder how many 'likes' and 'shares' he got...
5
As always, Sad Donald once again surrounds himself with "yes men." We'll know he's in real trouble when he starts his public demeaning of them. So long as they stay in DC or Palm Beach, though, they'll be safe, as he doesn't have the wherewithal to fire them when they are near.
1
The Dems are gleeful. Trump is the gift that keeps on giving.
I am sure the lastest firing had an effect on the Pennsylvania congressional election. Why the day before a critical seat? This chaos is eroding his base.
Tillerson was the wrong pick, but he did not need to be humiliated.
Trump’s style is to use Tweets which are nonconfrontational to insult someone he views smarter or stronger than him.
Too bad Tillerson did not heed the warnings before he accepted the post.
I could never understand why he would want to work with someone like Trump after being the Chairman of Exxon.
I hope Pompeo can bring order to the State Department.
November 2020 can’t come soon enough.
2
"Trump’s style is to use Tweets which are nonconfrontational to insult someone he views smarter or stronger than him."
Which is why he only takes guidance from ex-models who are in their 20s.
There are the only people who he comfortably feels superior to -- for his entire life.
The saying, “be careful what you wish for”, applies here. Trump’s used to screwing up poorly implemented business ventures, with more bankruptcies and suits with business associates than thousands of business people could expect to have in the worst of times. He’s never run an enterprise like the U.S. government and he will not learn how—he refuses to learn. He thinks that he has some inner instinctive source of knowledge that guides him. All he has to do is follow his gut. He picks his people because the tell him what he wants to hear not because the are the better performers of the jobs. His administration is in chaos and he really does not care. Trump is going to end up a very disappointed person.
3
Could there be a scarier headline than this one, "In Replacing Tillerson With Pompeo, Trump Turns to Loyalists Who Reflect ‘America First’ Views".
How in the world did WE THE PEOPLE let the democracy-destroyers get control of OUR governments at all levels?
WE are the only ones who can/will stop them and WE must use every non-violent tool at our disposal to do it NOW!
8
"How in the world did WE THE PEOPLE let the democracy-destroyers get control of OUR governments at all levels?"
It starts with a hostile foreign government owning at least 1, if not 3, of the major candidates -- Trump, Stein, and Sanders.
Then 50+% of the Eligible Voters did not vote.
That, ladies and gents, is how this happened.
To say that a hostile foreign government owns Sanders is absurd! Bernie Sanders is a dedicated public servant!
If I was nervous about having the erratic Trump as president before he fired Tillerson, Cohn quit, Hicks quit and countless others, I am doubly nervous about the lackey sycophants who replaced them. Kelly was a sobering voice but w/o him, Trump is likely to follow his fantasies. God knows where that will take us. The midterms cannot come soon enough and hopefully the dems won't screw it up.
7
All Trump has to do is announce, by Executive Order, that the Nov 2018 elections were compromised by a foreign government and the results will be thrown out.
Then what?
Now that Rex Tillerson is unshackled from the Trump administration, he hopefully can share with the country his experiences that led him to call Trump a moron. Yesterday’s election suggests that the Heartland has begun to understand, but Tillerson should have some great insights and stories. Can’t wait for the book.
8
Mike Pompeo traded his soul in for a Koch Brother flack jacket a long time ago. He is the "stealth junta" for the Koch Brothers, nothing more, and nothing less. He deserves prison as an accomplice after the fact for treason.
9
Interesting insight. Worth checking out. So far all the points of intersection I've reviewed support your set of theoretical conclusions. What a mess.
3
Blah, blah, blah - no one cares about your opinion or the opinions of the politically-obsessed "comments" department. Compared to the policy of "America last" the deal of the previous administration, I find it breathtakingly refreshing to live in a world where America is first - ironically, at long last.
Do you really think that a man who refuses to learn to do the job for which he agreed and just talks like he does is going to accomplish good things? I think you need to take another look at what is going on. Trump is not an honest person who cares about others.
7
Can you please give any concrete example of how Obamacare, for instance, which insures 20 million more Americans (= 40,000 less American deaths a year) somehow puts "America last" ... ?
Or how turning a -9% GDP into a decade of steady economic growth did?
Or how turning a job market where 700,000 people lost their job a month into an economic expansion where an average of 250,000 new jobs a month did?
In other words, any concrete example of that horrible lie ... ?
6
Do some research in the history of “America First”. If we would have listened to that crowd the first time around the Nazis probably would have won WW2.
1
I can't believe , an actual new story, no obvious opinion, or slant, actual REPORTING! Thank you, would love to see more.
1
The presidency of Donald Trump, in style, is a continuation of his popular TV show "The Apprentice." His comportment is the same in every regard. He plays fast and loose, adheres to his judgment being the best, and has no regard for the personal feelings of others.
Any alternative views presented to him are an affront. He's not able to perform any critical thinking because it may lead to his idea being the inferior choice. Every waking moment is accompanied by an outsized ego wrapped in a narcissism shell.
He couldn't be half the man Rex Tillerson is on any given day. Tillerson was kind in calling him a moron. I believe Mr. Tillerson took the job to serve his country. There was no ambition or ego needs attached. He is in a class of just a handful or less of people working for Trump who did sign onto a Faustian deal. He kept his soul.
Having a presidency with all yes people on board scares me to death. It should scare you as well.
3
The only surprise is that Trump waited as long as he did to fire Tillerson, especially after Tillerson called Trump a [blank] moron. But don't feel sorry for Tillerson: he eviscerated the State Department, forcing many distinguished and skilled diplomats out of State. Tillerson is a big reason our diplomacy is in disarray.
7
Please Henry Kissinger stop kissing Trump's behind, he's not to going to hire you.
I think the best thing one could say about Larry Kudlow possibly be hired to replace Gary Cohn, is that he's not Lou Dobbs.
6
Let’s hope that Mike Pompeo, who served in the military and had spoken of how other countries want American leadership instead of American boots on the ground, doesn’t change his stance once he takes over the State Department. Even though he has a strong relationship with Trump, and has his ear, he would have a hard time standing up to the three level-headed generals – James Mattis, John Kelly and HR McMaster – implementing his hawkish foreign policies.
He is more forceful than the reclusive Rex Tillerson, which is both good and bad for conducting diplomacy on the world stage. More than a year of chaos in Foggy Bottom, some in Washington place hope in Pompeo to remedy the contempt Trump holds for diplomacy and burnish America’s global image. Of course others brace themselves for the worst. Uncertain times lie ahead of US diplomacy.
2
The military is a structured environment in which everyone has a job and knows what is expected from them. Few ex-military carry that with them into the unstructured life outside. Pompeo is now a political animal who does what he wants.
3
Trump is no diplomat. As a pathologic liar with an unstable major personality disorder, he is the last person we would want to see cloned into critical Cabinet positions. A would-be "Emperor for Life" (ala Idi Amin Dada), Trump is a clear and present danger to the future of this country both domestically and on the world stage.
Our allies cannot trust him; our enemies will become more aggressive because of his manic ignorance and mental instability. Assembling a larger group of egocentric sycophants must be blocked by the Senate. One Trump is more than enough; multiple ones are totally intolerable.
5
Trump seeks what he wants to hear. He refuses to accept what he does not like. He will not learn.
2
" deferential, glad to be of use" The primary job of these second and third string replacements is to blow air into Trump's flagging sails. Trump has gathered the worst of the worst around him and many more rats will soon exit this ship of state.
4
Trump continues to ireversably walk the USA back from world leadership and hand Europe over to Russian influence, and the rest of the world to China
2
Seriously, the White House "had crafted its talking points with lawyers in the State Department to keep the United States in lock step with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain?" Theresa May just expelled 23 Russian diplomats from Britain. So far, Tillerson's statement is the only acknowledgement on the part of the US that the Russians were behind the assassination
7
A couple of points:
1. Cabinet secretaries are not interchangeable like coaches on a Little League team. Placing ideologues -- instead of experienced experts -- in charge of federal departments courts disaster.
2. Congressional complicity in allowing Trump to surround himself with yes-men will come at a serious price for this country, our economy, and our foreign relations. While destroying our relations with allies, Trump simultaneously advances global warming, wrecks our safety net economic system, and conducts a personal wealth-enhancement scheme for himself and his family. It will take decades -- at least -- for this country to recover from Trumpism.
7
Trump is forming a cabinet in his image; a president with a 35 percent approval rating president. Guess he doesn't realize he's but a clown in a dunking booth.
2
Mr. Tillerson may be lacking in finesse expect of a diplomat. But at least on three critical issues confronting the world right now, he took a stance that befits a mature diplomat, while his boss behaved like a bully and a “moron”.
The Paris climate accord was arrived at after years of deliberations and after weighing the economic interests of all nations, including the U.S. In arguing to remain in it, Mr. Tillerson was not showing insubordination to his boss, but displaying the courage of conviction. In taking the U.S. out of it, Mr. Trump has shown his disdain for scientific facts on climate change and alienated the U.S. from all civilized nations.
The same can be said about Mr. Tillerson’s support for the Iran nuclear deal which Mr. Trump calls “an embarrassment to the United States.” He has not produced one evidence to prove his case. His characterization shows his utter contempt for the expertise put in by Americans, Europeans and those at the International Atomic Energy Agency to arrive at the deal.
And when Mr. Trump unleashed childish threats to destroy North Korea when it threatened to send missiles across to the U.S., Mr. Tillerson behaved like a seasoned diplomat, which he is not, by calling for dialogue with the North Korean dictator. And what did Mr. Trump do after belatedly seeing wisdom in Mr. Tillerson's suggestion? He booted him out of his administration. Shame on you, Mr. Trump.
4
Yikes, the man that Tillerson called a moron is going to NK without the man who paved the way to make the trip possible... Okay, there’s a bit of hyperbole in that last statement, but still... And what an unfortunate time (I am being polite) to switch horses. A difficult, challenging meeting, and it now seems doomed even before it is scheduled.
3
Don't the old days of the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal seem quaint by comparison to current events?
7
Read Philip Roth's Plot Against America, and substitute Muslim and Hispanic for Jews, and this is a scary read with this President and Congress in place.
3
Trump's idea about possibly hiring Larry Kudlow to take Gary Cohn's place, is a real corker.
I guess the best thing one could say about Larry Kudlow, is that he is not Lou Dobbs.
2
I wish you would stop adorning Trump with his campaign slogan and be a conscientious journalist. Trump does not believe in America first he believes in Trump first last and always. He doesn't give a rip about the American people, the rule of law, the Constitution, a free press, equal rights or equality on any level. Me is a narcissistic, paranoid liar who only cares about himself and is using all the best America has to offer to enrich himself under the guise of his love of country. Stop being one of his pawns and look at his history.
7
"Firing Tillerson, Trump Starts to Mold Cabinet in His Own Image"
I'm sorry...wasn't he supposed to do that over a year ago?
Otherwise: "But he had gotten a warning last Friday when the chief of staff, John F. Kelly, called to tell him to cut short a trip to Africa and added, “You may get a tweet.”"
Thanks Trump voters for electing a "tough" guy who can't even face the people he's firing like the rest of us have to do every day in the real world.
Rex Tillerson: rose the ranks of one of the largest companies on the planet. Trump: inherits millions and goes bankrupt 5 times. Cheats on his wives. Pays off porn stars. Doesn't pay contractors. Swindles with Trump U. Yeah - he's all in for the "working class."
3
How does one make sense of articles on Trumps supposed Nazi sympathizing with respect to Charlottesville, with today’s article of Kissinger endorsing Pompeo, replacing Tillerson, the only rational player with an understanding of the area; he did successfully run a huge oil company in the Middle East, had a working relationship with the players there, knew Putin and dealt with Russians for decades; experience and the ability to talk to people apparently takes a back seat to bluster, threatening and offering the possibility of actual boots on the ground. They may not have got the Woman they wanted in the Whitehouse but it certainly seems they are getting their cabinet and advisors like Kushner, Kissinger, Eliot Cohen, Robert Kagan, Max Boot and The rest of the neo cons who are solidly behind Pompeo, just as they were Hillary and her crew Victoria Nuland and Michele Fluornoy. If this cabal doesn’t scare even Hillary lovers I’m not sure what will. The money men and profiteers will get their wars with Iran and Russia, the men who want to dominate the world will get their chance. Let’s hope The Times steps up their responsibility this time and not give a blank check journalistic approach to the hawks as they did in the run up to the Iraq Invasion. Thanks to that colossal blunder over a million people have died, millions were displaced, Europe is fragmented, Brexit and Trump are part of our verbiage and that’s the easy part; war with Iran and Russia will be on our door step as well.
1
Too wordy, o.k., Ill try again. The “America First” analogy is ridiculous if anyone bothers to analyze and report on those who support Pompeo; aside from some “highlighted” chump change from the Koch Brothers(the last time I looked they weren’t Aramco or one of what used to be referred to as the Seven Sisters involved in M.E. Oil)but always useful villains. The article should read Loyalists to “ Israel Firsters” or “Saudi Firsters”, or even to a lesser degree these days, ”Big Oil Firsters” but certainly not “America Firsters”, we have nothing to gain and everything to lose from waging war with Iran and Russia, our foreign policy in the M.E. has been a case of the tail waging the dog for decades(for the benefit of our allies and special interests)and we are the dog.
1
About time someone put America first.
Very concerned with the number of Tea Party extremists like Pompeo, Zimke, Pence, etc who are now in a position to destroy the government they seem to hate so much!
5
Mike Pompeo will align the State Department with the Presiden’s policies. Fire State employees who go rouge, buh-bye spokesmodel Steve Goldstein, under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs.
It is no surprise that a President wants a cabinet which supports his views, rather than thwart them. So while this is a disappointment for those of us who opposed Trump, and hoped for a cabinet which could moderate his views, his current purge is understandable. I have mixed emotions. Part of me wants to give Trump everything he wants, so that finally his actions will have consequences and the electorate can hold him accountable. On the other hand I worry that giving him what he wants will result in economic collapse and WW3. Its a tough call.
1
Oh, please. "America First" sounds like a viewpoint, like something someone would develop policies around. Whatever this phony president does, it has only to do with enriching himself and his family; following the orders of the Russian mob who own him (is his net worth even in the plus column after subtracting the loans the mob has given him?); and of course basking in the silly smiles of his courtiers at Mar-a-Grifto. That's it. There is no there there with this person.
4
'America First' is the least of what should be our worries about Trump's instability and willingness to gamble the ranch. Our losses will be largely in money which is replaceable, but the real loss is national security. He wants to start a war with Iran, which will not be the comparatively quick and easy one we had with Iraq. It could be he is just crazy enough to order a strike against NK and wind up getting a few million of us killed.
Congress needs to remove him.
There is a typo---it should read:
Trump Turns to Minions Who Reflect "Trump's Money First" Views
Anybody else think these govt. purges resemble the actions of the Ironmen dictators that Trump holds so dear. Its funny how so many of these flawed officials were acceptable to Trump until they dis-agreed or were caught red handed. Then Trump jumps in, all aghast, and says I will fix it as only I can and it will be the best fix ever. Well guess what, the fix has been is in all through Trump's Republican party even before he was elected.
2
The number one selector has always been Trump. Witness all the “great people” populating his White House.
And, so, Nero surrounds himself with his "favorites" while he plots the downfall of his enemies -- US.
1
The Trump presidency is like an aging 1950s crooner who doesn't write his own songs or have any vision beyond what the A&R guys bring him. We need a John Lennon and Paul McCartney of politics, i.e., someone with irreverent originality and independence who can excite Millennials and emphatically break with the lingering post-WWII paradigm. No more Boomer presidents, please.
2
We should think Mr Tillerson can add some pertinent details to Counsel Mueller's timelines regarding the Russian meddling in our elections and some first row views on follow the money oligarchs.
1
Trump just now "starts" to mold the cabinet in his image? Every cabinet choice that he has made from the beginning is a know-nothing like himself whose job was to blow up the very thing that they were hired to protect for the sake of empowering the oligarchy. See Tillerson, Devos, Pruitt, Mnuchin, Puzder, Carson, Price...
3
It is almost beyond belief (and certainly unprecedented) how ineptly this administration and its titular head are performing, yet we allow them to continue pretty much unchallenged by almost everybody. So have we reached a point where the electorate no longer is outraged enough by anything to get out on the streets to protest? Sadly, I think so.
We have as President a man with a huge chip on his shoulder and an almost non-existent civic education. Add to that a bunch of self-dealing thugs and their ever-attendant and well-paid toadies. Together they are riding roughshod over centuries of decorum and precedent. When this nightmare finally ends, we will have to re-write much of government policy law to make sure that another President cannot ignore rules and tradition because he wants to pad his wallet, that of his family and especially those who are really pulling his golden strings.
1
Rick Perry in charge of Veterans Affairs? What could go wrong.
2
"Firing Tillerson, Trump Starts to Mold Cabinet in His Own Image"
That's a scary headline. Anything molded in this man's image will be as vile as he is.
Reasons for concern. First: “It was a different mind-set.” Good managers realize that sycophants are counterproductive: successful leaders rely on different ideas, as to avoid missing opportunities and making bad decisions. Not so if the great leader is too megalomaniacal to even conceive of needing anyone else’s input. Those who might dare to disagree, who might not think the same, are useless.
Second, if “Trump is determined to surround himself with loyalists more willing to reflect his “America First” views,” then who is next? Trump says “we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want.” Who will be left to advise against firing Mueller? You can bet that number one on Trump’s list of ‘other things’ he wants is firing Mueller.
Too many pundits of late have been making pronouncements of Trump’s pending irrelevance; I disagree. He doesn’t think he’s in trouble, he thrives on the kind of turmoil which his opposition thinks will bring him down. Hardly, as it all works perfectly into his scam: start from zero, create a lot of chaos, return to zero, and then claim “I alone was able to save us from this crisis!” Nothing was done, nothing was accomplished, but by creating disorder, even returning back to where you started can be spun as a victory.
We are only now entering the period of greatest danger; the past year has seen Trump dipping his toes into the pool. He’s preparing for a cannon ball, and everyone will be getting wet. Watch out.
1
Jared and Ivanka need to be gone asap. And any adults in government worried about Putin manipulating the U.S. need to speed up efforts. Groundhog Day government is not a government.
1
Firing someone, anyone, by Tweet is utterly crass and cowardly. But then that is why Trump uses Twitter for almost all of his pronouncements: No need to face people nor directly accept questions or feedback. No empathy, no bravery, no sense of personal responsibility. Crass cowardice, not leadership. It’s the same dynamic that pollutes so much of social media: People saying horrible things that they would never say in person, often anonymously or under pseudonyms.
1
A Whitehouse made of mini Trumps and other extremist should help make the perfect storm.
3
This is just one more episode of the reality TV show that Trump is acting out under the guise of a presidency. It's all about 'ratings' and keeping the audience breathlessly guessing, while creating distractions from what really terrifies him: Mueller and Stormy Daniels.
In this respect he is very successful. But it is naive to imagine there is any deep political agenda at work other than the destruction of America's democratic institutions carried out at Putin's behest.
It'amazing but that is the only way I can make sense of the situation.
1
No President in the history of this country is so unfit and ignorant to be in this office as this Dope, Donald Trump.
When I listened to Donald Trump's remarks in California, I had to shake myself and wonder if it was like a reincarnation of Buddy Hackett up their talking, but then I realized that even Buddy Hackett sounded a lot smarter than Trump.
Trump is Embarrassingly Dumb!
4
How is that "America First" project coming? So far it appears we have ceded leadership in every corner of the planet, opening the door for -surprise!- Putin to take a leadership role in the Middle East, and to spread his influence into elections in Italy, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and England as he goes about his publicly stated goal of disassembling the EU. "America First" has also opened the door for a surging China to become the world's lending partner, setting up an infrastructure bank that Asian, Middle Eastern, and some European countries have eagerly shown interest in.
Meanwhile, The Dilettante Without A Clue continues to mouth inanities, strut and posture, and display his atrocious ignorance every time he opens his mouth, to which his fans swoon and say "now that's leadership". Is it 2020 yet?
4
To echo the thoughts of another poster, what kind of boss fires an employee on Twitter? A cowardly, impetuous, vindictive, and ruthless one. Only this "boss" is
the President of the United States, cowardly, impetuous, vindictive, and ruthless.
And a proven liar. One can only fear for the country as he continues to fashion his cabinet in his own image.
2
Jesus. Is this opinion or reporting?
“Mr. Tillerson was ill suited to the public duties of the United States’ chief diplomat and was isolated from the career officials whom he often froze out of the most important policy debates.”
It’s pretty much fact, actually.
2
Trump and Pompeo will have us in a new war within six months. At his core Donald Trump is a very cruel and vindictive person. You saw those character traits on full display this week with his handling of Tillerson's dismissal. Trump is also a coward. Except when reading from a script Trump has never fired anyone in person face to face. He is too weak of a man to do that.
3
Irrespective of what one thinks of Tillerson as a Secretary of State, this is yet another thoroughly classless act from Trump.
Those in authority has the right to a support staff of their choice. However, with that authority comes the responsibility to treat that staff with courtesy and respect.....a responsibility apparently having been surgically removed with other ostensibly unnecessary parts at Trump's birth.
This man is no Lincoln.
1
Trump has 40+ business foldings, closing, bankruptcies, failures to his name because of his chaos-creating "management style". No US Bank lent to him since 1998 due to his 'poor business practices'. The fines for money laundering out of casinos didn't help, and neither did his myriad of versions of tax returns to chose from. How this didn't raise any red flags for most of America I'll never understand. How Republicans in Congress have abrogated their sworn responsibilities to the country, destroying centuries of American democratic rule to prop up a Circus Carny. For that there will be little forgiveness. The world has set America to the side - we have no leadership, we no longer have a role as World Leader - we're just trying to survive the Circus and world leaders do get that. There's no trust for this Administration and this Congress from the world or from majority of Americans. Resistance and Survival is the plan for us.
1
This is Trump's purging of any semblance of normalcy. Crazy is now officially the official policy of the United States.
1
Dear Mr President,
I’m presently unemployed, know how to operate a baling machine, and am a proud high school graduate. I’m kinda old but strong as an ox and work like a hoarse. You have a lot of openings which need to be filled. I’m confident that I can please you. I’m an excellent driver. I’m confident I can pass a background check. I’ll keep my head down and my mouth shut. Having lived a mostly immoral life, I can be trusted and will be loyal for a good price. I will work for you for $120,000/yr. Contact NYT for my info.
2
How far the once mighty office of the President of the United States has fallen.
Trump has disgraced the Presidency and turned it into an ugly reality show starring himself.
2
I'm curious (among other things) about the line about the Trump administration being "in lock step with Theresa May." Theresa May has been pointedly blaming Russia (and Putin) for the poisoning, and laying out a deadline for Putin to respond, which albeit passed. The deadline was the end of the day yesterday. And yet Sarah Huckabee Sanders - I don't know if she even mentioned the word "Russia" during her press conference yesterday. It seems like Rex Tillerson's response was more "in lock step" with Britain's.
2
Trump has sound bites, not views; whims, not plans; fantasies, not perceptions. His entourage will pat him on the back while they do as they please, occupied with matters of their choosing that escape Trump’s rather limited interest and ability to focus.
3
It is preposterous to assign Trump a point of view by any standard of intellectual, historical, expertise. Claiming he is assembling advisors who see things his way supposes he has a coherent, smart perspective on any policy.
He obviously does not.
He likes tough guys who make his shrinking raging base happy. This is salesmanship, not statesmanship.
Relying on military bluster is a 1950s fantasy. Nuclear war is not an option.
The great deal maker has been exposed as a naked Emperor, demanding deference, not wise counsel.
Trump is casting his Administration with the most shallow instincts. He hadn’t Shown the capacity to weigh strategic policy choices, study intel, learn from professionals. He pretended he wanted an all star team, but all he does to assert leadership is fire his chosen staff. That alone reveals his blundering cluelessness.
3
Look at the 25th amendment. This is a pre-emptive defensive strategy.
1
We all need to prepare for impact. The storm upcoming to me is not going to be about a financial crisis but a sovereignty war. Trump strategy is suicidal and loco , ill advised. it is all going to crash. Gloomy?, wake up. the country affiliation and politics fuel the demon in charge of our American values and the world leadership. I think of my family future!
It's a struggle to feel sympathy for a former member of the greedy corporate elite, but Rex Tillerson appeared to bring a level of common sense and above all, sanity, rare in the White House under Donald Trump.
1
What is happening? Is this a dream? Why do I (we) seem to be powerless to rid us of this awful predicament?
Paul Ryan is a coward...if he is alive at all, considering those dead eyes.
2
"Molding Cabinet in his own image". Meaning that the cabinet must be delusional, paranoid, narcissistic, and completely unqualified for their positions? Chump's done that for his entire campaign and "reign".
4
It seems unrealistic, even faux naive, to attribute 'views' and 'positions' to the individual who occupies the Oval Office. With the Mueller investigation set to break over their heads like a tsunami of sordidness, the ruling group needs cohesion and the ability to instigate rapid military action. Normalize all you want, but you're going to have to tell your grandchildren what you did in the Trump years.
6
I'm not going to shed crocodile tears for Tillerson. He was a questionable choice in the first place, took a one man wrecking ball approach to the State Dept before understanding anything about it, surrounded himself with aides who didn't know anything, either, and leaves the Dept in a far, far worse shape than when he started. But his dismissal was graceless, boorish, and crude. With the revolving door of this Administration and its increasingly capricious leader, I'm reminded of two eras: those of Stalin and Nixon. At least no one's being shot in the back of the head after a five minute trial or being exiled to a labor camp in Siberia. 45, with no experience and in a little more than a year, has out-Nixoned even Nixon in paranoia (which Nixon honed in a long political career).
5
once the Russian oil deal with Exxon collapsed a few weeks ago Tillerson was leaving after that,he only wanted to preserve that deal.
1
While Trump is purging staff in the White House we voters can purge this un-American GOP Congress in the mid-terms - just get out and VOTE.
15
Whether the Senate can get Pompeo confirmed before Trump’s meeting with North Korean, replacing Tillerson with Pompeo is a game saver for Trump. Kin Jong Un will know that the CIA is in the room. Perhaps, Trump should have waited until a few days before the actual meeting.
It’s impossible to make long-range predictions or measure the consequences of Trump’s actions. We are now passengers on a runaway train. The best thing American’s can do is hope that Trump has a plan and doesn’t scuttle it himself.
1
Trump NEVER has a plan.
Five minutes after he says "yes" he is likely to say "no.'
1
Great. With Pompeo moving over and the torturer moving up at the CIA we can only expect good things? Reminds me of the jubilation of Karl Rove with the start of the GW Bush Gulf War "this guarantees our re-election!" Trump is jubilant that his cabinet will be like him. God help us all. The inmates have complete control now. The key to safety of the republic may now be with Mattis at Defense. What a mess.
6
"Trump accidentally fires himself, only to rehire himself minutes later."
Look at it this way, in his first year on the job, Trump has fired less then 68% of the people he's hired... he's just making sure things stay "fluid".
A consequence of this turmoil is the possibility of a new head at the VA. Rick Perry has no qualifications to do that! Obviously Trump has no appreciation of the needs of Veterans.
4
Wrong analysis. Trump is not trying to mold his cabinet into a "America First" administration.
He is trying to mold his cabinet into a "Trump First" administration.
12
Many of Trump's decisions were announced before Tillerson was even advised of them. There's no reason to believe that Pompeo will be any more involved. Trump is a one-man show. He doesn't think he needs to run ideas or policies past anyone, because he knows more than anyone else and thinks his instincts are impeccable. Never mind that almost every announcement he makes is modified after the fact, or that Sarah Sanders has to explain to the country that he didn't really mean what he said. It doesn't matter what Pompeo's "world view" is. He wasn't hired for his expertise or experience. He was hired to be a loyal spaniel, and apparently he relishes the role.
3
This public spectacle by Donald Trump is unnecessarily cruel.to Tillerson, no matter how they might have differed. Plus, Tillerson was so distraught on national TV at the personal humiliation afforded him by the President's TWEET. WHAT is the matter with Donald Trump that he should be so callous, throwing the weight of the Presidency around like this for the world to see? It reminds me of the time that DT would not let Sean Spicer go to see the Pope along with him even though he knew how important to him. Donald Trump should not be known as the President of the United States: instead he should be called the SNUBBER IN CHIEF! I hope that his comeuppance will be commensurate with his petty cruelty towards others no matter when it comes down the pike.
3
Good for Trump. Let's start with debunking the idea that the US has allies. We don't. We have a lot of dependents: Western Europe*, Saudi Arabia, Israel, S. Korea, Japan, etc.. Time to end the US taxpayer gravy train and let these "allies" pay for their own defense.
*We have been supporting Europe for over a century - WWI, WWII, Marshall Plan, cold war, NATO. Europeans might have to give up cradle to grave health care, six weeks vacation, retirement at 60. But it's not the US taxpayers' responsibility to subsidize Europeans' lifestyles.
Viva Trump!
1
Our principal ally is a Russian dictator, who loves nothing more than Trump turning his back on our true European friends.
2
Thanks for the review of the "know- nothing's" version of US foreign policy.
2
Trump will certainly make Russia great again! #MRGA
I don’t understand the headline, “...Trump Starts to Mold Cabinet...” He had already been “molding” his cabinet based on a combination of loyalty, greed, and a goal of destroying whatever cabinet for which the given appointee was responsible. Nothing has changed, has it?
4
I protest the implication that other more capable did nbot do their best for American interests.
"“I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want,” Mr. Trump said"
Wait a minute... Trump doesn't want the staff he currently has? Didn't he hire all these people that are now leaving? Yes, he did. So who's to blame for any chaos in the White House? The Tillersons of the world? Not hardly. It's Trump who's to blame.
What about all these people being the "best"? That statement turns out to be as false as the statements Trump made about supporting immigration and gun control. But the President will never have the intestinal fortitude to admit that HE is the one behind all the dysfunction in the government, not the people he's ousting. Like, Tillerson. He may have been the worst Secretary of State in history, but his real mistake was to speak the truth about things, like the Russian assassinations in Britain. Trump wants to hide all that and play soft with the Putin crowd. And why? Only Bob Mueller knows the real truth behind that.
The staff he hired is certainly a reflection of himself. But their advantage is that they get to leave and go back to normalcy. Trump is stuck in his asylum, drowning in his own insanity and incompetence. And destroying our beloved country in the process.
3
Loyalists, sycophants, toadies, yes men. Call them what you will. Trump has repeatedly asserted that "I am the only one who matters" or "I alone can fix it".
The Oval Office is now officially the Throne Room where advisors and staff come to bow before our Dear Leader and await his pronouncements.
Dear Leader no longer needs advice or briefing papers. Too much bother anyway for Trump. His 'gut', his instinct will produce the best answers and way forward.
Dear Leader tried learning on the job for his first year and that was not to his liking. So much easier to watch TV and get policy from Fox noise.
Dear Leader now understands the full scope of the powers of the office and he can now ignore all past practice and experienced points of view and just be Himself. How grand!
Trump's narcissism is a malignant force which is bringing down the presidency and our country. And now Trump has turned to wrecking foreign shores. Combined with his greed for more money, we will never know what leads Trump to make a particular decision.
4
Having a new stuff elected by the President to fit his image is it not of graver concern?
1
Trump does not have an "America First" policy, no matter what he says. It is "Russia First", and always has been, notwithstanding his dumping Putin's choice at State. Putin still has Trump in his pocket. Biden was right about treason by Trump and his minions.
1
With Tillerson's exit and Pompeo's rise, to what extent did Pompeo's oversight of the CIA's Counterintelligence Mission Center, aid or impede the investigation of Russia's involvement in Trump's election? Also to what extent did Ms. Gina Haspel know about Al Qaeda's presence in the United States prior to the 911 attacks? The CIA having followed two of the 911 hijackers from Malaysia into Los Angeles, did not notify the FBI's counterterrorism task force, and most importantly it prohibited FBI agent's detailed to the CIA from informing their leadership of Al Qaeda's presence in the United States. Look at the infamous Footnote 44 of the 911 Commission. Maybe at this late date America will finally receive those important answers? Ms. Haspel's shadowy work deserves the light of truth.
2
Trump is engaged in the most anti-American of activities: conducting political purges.
Instead of allowing Americans who work for the government to have their own political opinions and retain loyalty to their country, he is insisting upon loyalty to himself - the ultimate in despotic behavior - and surrounding himself with no one but "yes" men and women: cowards and sychophants who don't dare to cross him.
Apparently, some of my fellow Americans voted for a dictatorship and complete conformity to one ideology. Hard to believe that they grew up in the same country I did, where we were taught that all Americans have the right to think for themselves, form their own opinions, and not be fired from their jobs for holding different views.
I suppose they'll support the formation of a thought police agency, as well?
Vote as many Trumpists as possible out of office in November 2018!
Make America Free again!
10
If Trump had spent more time taking his job seriously over the last year, and less time playing golf, publicly bashing members of his cabinet, and scheming to block the Special Counsel's investigation, he might have been a more effective leader and manager of his team.
The problem may or may not be his team, but it is most certainly the team's leader.
2
Let's not kid ourselves that this has been anything but his Cabinet all along. He chose them, and they've done a spectacular job of running off valuable, veteran employees, destroying agencies, ruining America's credibility at home and abroad and undermining democracy. Shame on Trump, and shame on them all.
3
With the firing of Rex Tillerson and resignation of Gary Cohn, Trump gets more and more people surrounding him who reflect his "America First" views. Coupled with the new tariffs and other statements on trade and foreign policy, the U.S, may be entering the most isolationist state since the 1930's. Given how that decade turned out, this is not comforting
3
Back to Haspel. How do the authors keep in the same paragraph, the word respected and the facts of the nominee's role in torture? Not that the authors hold those views, but report them?
1
Russia used chemical agents against citizens of the UK.
Tillerson condemned Russia while Trump remained silent.
Trump fires Tillerson.
It's not so much 'collusion', or that Russia is working for Trump. It's looks more like Trump is working for Russia.
3
What is this headline, " . . mold the cabinet in his own image"??. He CHOSE the cabinet. He CHOSE Rex Tillerson. I think he fired Rex Tillerson because Tillerson said plainly this week that the Russians poisoned those two poor people in England - something Sarah Huckabee Sanders would NOT say from the podium at the White House. (Also, I think Trump wanted a distraction from the PA 18 race, which he knew Conor Lamb would win.)
The 25th Amendment option is becoming less likely as Trump packs his Cabinet with loyalists.
So if Tillerson was emptying out the State Department of expertise to please Trump, Pompeo might be expected to close it down? America First = America Alone. That didn't work before and with international trade being part of our economy, we can plan to go back to being cobblers and milking our own cows.
>>Mr. Trump is determined to surround himself with loyalists more willing to reflect his “America First” views
BRAVO! That's what we elected him for. Americans are safer and more prosperous. Trump Haters are just that, Trump Haters. They all expected to be Clinton Apologists and still/just can't believe, ... And they call Trump Supporters hate filled, anti-everything 'deplorables'. HAH! Try PATRIOTS.
4
Where is the laughing icon like the one they have on Facebook?
1
Your comment certainly demonstrates the rational and informed mind set of Trump supporters. Sounds like you need to be considered for a top level cabinet position.
3
It is one thing to hire like-minded people. It is quite another to value loyalty above competence, or to demand acquiescence rather than foster debate.
2
What a rich time to be a publisher of vile unsavory backstabbing tell-all book!!
3
Many people believe that bullies are cowards. Trump proved it once by dodging the Draft. I’m sure there have been more examples since then but he’s proven in his presidency that he is a complete coward... firing Comey and now Tillerson without the backbone to be able to look either one of them in the eye. To think that this pathetic individual is charged with being the leader of our country is simultaneously embarrassing and frightening.
14
Trump is trying to follow Xi Jinping playbook now.
7
If Rex Tillerson called Donald Trump a moron, maybe he was the only one who was telling the truth.
Certainly Mike Pompeo will just be a yes man. This isn’t about country, or statesmanship, or democracy being upheld. This is about the untoward power of Donald Trump.
And Trump supporters are cheering?
I think now we have great cause to be divisive. Forget working together.
Just get to the polls, Democrats. You owe that to your forefathers, this generation, and future generations.
25
The final hole in the Republican sinking ship in Pennsylvania was drilled when their president, Donald Trump, fired Rex Tillerson on the morning of the election; illustrating once again the chaos of the Trump administration, stupidity and selfishness of Trump, and fact that the Republicans are sinking their own boat by embracing the unstable, incompetent confidence man in the White House.
11
To whom does Trump demand such loyalty, to himself or to Putin? Remember Tillerson was not fired for unrepentantly and disloyalty calling the president
"a moron". He was fired directly after he aligned the US Department of State with the U.K. Prime Minister May's assessment of the attempted murder of one of its citizens by the Russian government.
5
Well, that’s about it, isn’t it, a God complex.
2
Trump is a disgrace; vote them out Ray Sipe
12
The Big Blue Wave is coming and the House Democrats are warming up the articles of impeachment! Mueller will indict Trump and his family for multiple crimes! Thanks voters of PA18!
12
What a coward, Trump loves to scream "your fired" but cannot even face the person at the end of the axe. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Rex Tillerson was fired. There is no consistency or rationale to Trump's administration. There's no plan or vision. The American president is a spoilt brat, a petulant child who has tantrums and engages in name calling. So why would anyone but the most desperate want a job in the administration? Does anyone really mourn Tillerson's departure? He eviscerated the state department, no small thing given these folks are the face of our country on the global stage. We look like idiots. Okay, four years will end this -- at worst, eight. But can the country and the American presidency recuperate?
9
I really don't know much about Tillerson, except that he supposedly called Trump a moron.
That, I agree with.
5
Good riddance. Bye bye, Rex. Like all of Trump's appointments, all are incompetent. Trump is a coward though. He fires Tillerson by tweet?!
3
America first?? This is funny coming from a man who thinks it's Russia first.
8
“President Trump ousted on Tuesday his secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, the most dramatic in a cascade of personnel moves that suggest Mr. Trump is determined to surround himself with loyalists more willing to reflect his “America First” views.”
Since when did aligning with the murdering dictator Putin to undermine our democratic process become “America First” views?
Since when did mass polluting our air and water and selling off our National Parks and Monuments for profit become “America First” views?
Since when did deregulating and once again unleashing the greed of Wall Street onto the citizenry become “America First” views?
Since when did siding with Nazis become “America First” views?
Since when did burning bridges with almost all of our longtime allies become “America First” views?
Since when did exploiting decades of working class frustration to divide the people become “America First” views?
Trump is a whole lot of things... American First is not one of them.
17
How did someone like Tillerson ever become the CEO of Exxon??? He clearly is an ignorant man who thought he was "serving his country" by working for trump. He obviously has no shame and now he look like an even bigger idiot. No wonder Exxon is destroying the planet.
Rex Tillerson was made SoS to drop Russian sanctions and facilitate the Exone multi trillion deal in that country! when that went sour, Trump got rid of someone with their own mind, and got his loyal tea party CIA boss to move over to foggy bottom!
2
White, bigotted, driven by self-interest and hatred of others; how has the Russian puppet's "administration" not been like him?
2
In Pure Nixonian Tradition.....Sessions next....then Rosenstein....then Mueller. Only now we have a Congress who's Constitutional fidelity is clearly suspect.... Party before country..... just look at Evangelicals!
2
"America First" is really "Donald Trump First".
7
So Trump is finally getting the cabinet he wants? Who forced him to pick the people he has since dismissed? He is clueless.
6
Those who brought him, of course, or didn't you know that?
I wonder if he called Tillerson in the office, had the PA system in the WH run the Apprentice drama music and say to Rex after a pregnant pause "You're fired". Probably not, but in his head, you know that was what was playing.
1
Definitely not. He only played that guy on TV. The real Donald Trump is a coward who is incapable of actually firing somebody face to face.
1
Trump molding a cabinet in his own image is one that would be dysfunctional and incompetent.
5
Don the Con was so brave he would have ran into the school in Florida and confronted a man with an AR-15!!
But in real life, he's too chicken to fire Tillerson in person and hides behind Twitter.
Best example of "actions speak louder than words" I've ever seen
14
He’s surrounding himself with loyalists who will back him when he’s impeached. Talk about a constitutional crisis. Dictatorship before his term is up, America. Be ready.
3
It is typical of dictators to surround themselves with people who agree with them. Saddam Hussein did the same thing when he was in power.
4
Extra! Extra! Malevolent fantasist builds wall of sycophants around himself!
7
He's surrounding himself with sycophants who won't invoke the 25th Amendment to get rid of him.
3
In his own image. What IS his own image? It smells like stinking, rotting garbage. But is it actually visible?
2
The USS Trumpanic, its keel storm-broken and rudder frozen, heaves and lists in the waves as its captain rearranges the deck chairs and demands the band play on: Hail to the Chief.
4
This entire administration of 45 is destroying America. The Republicans will go down in the history books for remaining silent and allowing this man, his family and thugs destroy America's democracy. We are a land of laws and when you have a President who does not respect the law or the office of Presidency, We the People need to stand up!!! Enough is enough. Vote in 2018 and get all those who remain silent on 45 actions out of Congress, so we can get America back on track for EVERY American before this man totally destroy our country to a point of no return. We got work to do, tell you neighbors, friends and strangers to get out and vote for primaries and the general election 2018!
3
Tillerson certainly wasn't the best qualified man for the job but he wanted to try something new so he took the job.
Unlike Trump who is a bigot, rabble rouser, pathological liar, admitted sexual predator, philanderer, Russian WH plant ego maniac demagogue, Tillerson was not any of these.
This is a what got him fired.
He didn't fit Trump's qualifications for the job.
3
Less a cabinet of rivals than a cabinet of sycophants, then?
2
Trump likes to take the opposite view of his advisors and cabinet. it makes him feel powerful and smarter when he rejects other's advice. He thinks choosing one side over the one offered is putting the person in his place. Much easier doing that than actually listening and understanding.
So perhaps war is not on the horizon. If rumors hold that the crazed war monger Bolton will be the next National Security Advisor (no confirmation required by Senate) Trump will get his dog fight show with Bolton frothing at the mouth on the weekend news show from his rage at NK. Kim will be characterized as being terrified of what he hears.
Once the dust has cleared, Trump will declare the US is pulling out of SK because he has subdued Kim into something like denuking. Trump's minions will praise him as the great deal maker who saved the US from the dire threat of NK.
And the country will then settle in for the next season of Trump TV - will it be war with Iran, more Russian teasers, another extortion clause added to the Mexico and Canada trade talks - who knows but we will all be entertained with some lighter moments like parades and prostitutes to keep us witless while confusion and chaos rolls on.
2
A very insightful post.
Each day is one debacle after the next. There is never even time to digest one crisis before the next one hits. A normal day at the office includes seat of the cuff foreign policy, a law suit with a porn star, and cabinet members leaving office. But with all that, out in Western Pennsylvania half the people turned out and voted republican. Why? Because voting is now a way to express loyalty to a team. It is supposed to be a way for us, as a community, to figure out how to best look and care for after each other. So what does it matter? Why would Trump even bother being anything more than the horrendous president he is?
Echo echo echo chamber chamber chamber
1
"In Mr. Pompeo, the president will have a hawkish secretary of state, who is more skeptical of diplomatic engagement with North Korea, just as Mr. Trump is preparing to meet the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un."
Mark my words: Mr. Pompeo will now be tasked with developing a policy blueprint to ensure that Mr. Trump either never meets with Kim Jong Un or finds a reason to either scuttle the talks before they start, or to walk out in dramatic fashion while they are in progress.
The reason is simple. By agreeing to meet with the Pyongyang dictator, Mr. Trump effectively has told the world that the US is willingly giving North Korea more time to develop the expertise to place a nuclear warhead atop an ICBM and deliver it successfully to the US, Japan, or elsewhere. Mr. Trump allowed his ego to displace a solid understanding of the timeline for North Korean nuclearization. Rex Tillerson was fired for calling out Mr. Trump on his mistake.
The only / only way around this conundrum would be for the US to change policy 180 degrees and assent to North Korea being a nuclear power with the ability to deliver nuclear weapons via missiles.
Its difficult at the moment to see that happening.
While it was abundantly clear that Tillerson was out of his depth, the man faced a rigorous vetting process and gave up his career in order to serve this country. The least Trump could have done is fire him in person but we all Trump is a coward. It’s a disgrace what passes for leadership in the GOP these days.
1
The Chaos Candidate has a chaos presidency. Imagine that. Jen Bush can get a job as a fortune teller in this Republican circus we are being subjected to. It will not change because the the guy at the top is the one causing the chaos. Trump can replace everyone who works for him. He will continue to fail at governance because he is not someone people like to work for.
3
Has "loyalty" now become a synonym for yes men, sycophants, servility and obsequious behaviour? If so, our country will be ill served.
1
There is an important difference between America First, a mantra which has, and can, mean different things, to different people, and Trump First! America First assumes, at some level, a formed ideology. Trump First indicates a toxic form of ummenschlichkeit. It can, and often does, result in words and deeds which dehumanize selected others. Violating without constraints, while legitimizing both the process and outcomes. Ideological American Firsters, who are not Trump Firsters become, themselves, the focus of his ummenschlich, violating words and deeds. Tillerson, the person, is just the latest dehumanized number. Who is next?
Yes he's is molding the once great United State as a mutated string of criminal elements. The man is not fit or mentally stable. His hate for the constitution is palpable. Either congress removes him or we will do it.
2
This is a "smoke screen".... Sessions is next and Rosenstein follows.... then Mueller. This is Pure Nixonian strategy.... Besides Trump needs "Cozybear" for the Fall election!
God save us all! Trump doesn't want advisers. He seems to want people who bow to his every whim. If he truly wants to remake the cabinet "he wants," then we can expect new members to be: misogynistic, reckless, impulsive, unread, extreme, not collaborative, anti-immigrant, anti-free trade, gun nuts.
It's comforting to know that the nonagenarian war criminal, Henry Kissinger, has conferred his imprimatur on a younger, aspiring war criminal, Mike Pompeo. Surely our nation is on its way to making Amerika great again.
1
Rex Tillerson systemically destroyed the State Department with his Autocratic management style. Just as Trump is doing to the country.
They both shared other traits such as making decisions without thinking what truly is best in the long run for the U. S.
Unfortunately Trump will appoint others who will be worse than Tillerson.
Think of who he proposes. A man who is a known hawk(more war anyone) and a woman who authorized water boarding among other atrocities.
We are moving backwards in our country and the world.
And just to remind everyone who believes in “Make America Great Again” would not that apply to north Anerica, South America and Central America? After all, that is America.
3
Trump was never going to forgive Tillerson for calling him a moron, just as he can't forgive Obama for being an African American. I'm sure that Tillerson's views on the Iran deal and the UK poisoning incident gave Trump the trigger he wanted to fire Tillerson. But I suspect that the real reason for the firing is that Trump couldn't stomach the fact that Tillerson had read North Korea correctly - that talk and diplomacy were the way forward, not insult and bluster. Immediately North Korea offered talks Trump sensed a potentially historic moment and barged Tillerson out of the way in order to take the limelight. By some accounts Tillerson wasn't perfect, but history should give him a lot of credit if the North Korea situation is resolved diplomatically.
3
"Mr. Trump has developed more confidence in his own instincts..." A person who displays confidence does not fire people by twitter; they do it in person and take the heat for it. Trump is a coward and I have no confidence in Pompeo who is just another sycophant.
And don't get me started on Haspel...another blow for for those of us looking for strong women to help lead this country and who display true leadership skills. She has already displayed her willingness to lie for a president...that must be the first question asked now in the interviews: "have you ever lied about bad stuff and are you willing to do it again?" Yes? You are hired!
1
Just what we need, a player who belongs deep on the bench feeling like he is the MVP, and unfortunately having the power to “play” with the lineup. The American people, and those who sat this one out, who voted this Nero into office should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. We will pay for their negligence for generations.
Typical of this egomaniac who only wants to be surrounded by yes men. He simply does not want to hear "the word no", "your making a mistake", "That's a bad idea", etc.
As the “president” continues to drain and repopulate the swamp with more voracious rats, which friendly countries are taking this sad and sordid alternate reality show seriously?
We had a duly appointed and confirmed head of the State Department and a junior president running amok performing essentially the same duties with a different message who was not appointed.
Who, among our dwindling pool of allies takes the junior president seriously, and who will trust Trumps “Darth Vader” should he be confirmed.
You can’t make this nightmare up.
If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.
George S. Patton
Although Tillerson will not go down in history as the best Secretary of State he was ad least a balancing influence against Trump's "America First" stance that has alienated out allies and created a vacuum in world order allowing the Russians and the Chinese to fill the gap. This is an Administration in free fall with no direction other than down. Trump is slowly constructing the worst cabinet in contemporary history and the GOP leadership in Congress are patsies to the stupidity coming out of the White House.
65
Good thing Prohibition was repealed; Trump is driving us to drink. Tillerson is like anyone's last good meal; gone but not forgotten.
It is "Trump First" not "America First he stands for-- as for the Stock Market we are in a free fall. Ron you nailed it.
I wish the qualifications and past actions of trump’s nominees affected whether they would be confirmed. Not for a moment, however. Ms. Haspel’s outrageous and illegal conduct won’t make any difference to any republican other than Senator McCain and even he will vote to approve her. The Senate has already approved a host of incompetent unqualified and ethically challenged candidates, e.g. DeVos, Carson, Pruitt, etc. what makes you think Haspel will fare any differently. McConnell has already said he expects quick confirmation.
Has the press not yet learned it needs to be more objective in its reporting? Call out the REPUBLICANS for their behavior and don’t blame both parties. Write that her past actions won’t make a difference to the REPUBLICAN senate. No euphemisms either. Enhanced interrogation is torture.
14
It's probably the first time in Rex Tillerson's entire life that he has been fired from anything.
But now it's time for Tillerson to come clean with the facts about what's going on in the White House and the oval office. Non disclosure agreement be damned.
8
Trump appoint loyalists? Like Brainless Betsy DeVos? $31,000 dining table Ben Carson? Charter flight Tom Price? Are there other potential cabinet secretaries of questionable reputation?
5
No. He turns even more sharply to the neo-con worldview. Check Pompeo's views on Muslims, torture & Guantanamo. Just like his nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel, once personally oversaw the torture of suspects overseas - suspects who were later determined to be innocent. Lovely people, no?
7
The Trump administration is just a game of musical chairs. Moving people from one position to another based on their loyalty to Trump. If reasonable people do not absolutely agree with Trump, they are out. Just look at the cast of characters tied to the Russia investigation. Loyal to Trump and lying all the way to the bank.
3
Trump likely chose Tillerson because of Tillerson's relationship with Putin.Tillerson negotiated the $500 billion oil deal with Putin and stood to personally make over $100 million from the deal, which could not be completed unless the Obama sanctions were lifted. Two weeks ago Exxon retracted their offer to Rosneft, assuming that sanctions would not be lifted; Monday Tillerson publicly agrees with Theresa May that Russia has been poisoning political dissidents residing in Britain; Tuesday morning he's fired. Pompeo has stated publicly that Russia did meddle in the election; now he has been removed from the power he had as CIA director and put directly under trump's wing. Tillerson simply outlived his potential usefulness to trump and putin. Any chemistry problem between trump and Tillerson was deeper, darker chemistry than what is being portrayed.
8
War is coming. Draft can't be far behind. A $15 trillion tax cut - trillions for war. The end of the great experiment is at hand unless we can get democrats elected in November to provide checks to trump's and the republicans authoritarian power. Now is the time - reach out to your communities and see what needs to be done. Candidates are seeking petitions to get on the ballot and we need to organize to ensure voters turn out.
5
Oh, great. So much for the much-vaunted "adults in the room." President Big Baby kicked them out.
3
VOTE!!! Do not let the on-going show distract.
6
The firing of Tillerson has nothing to do with his performance but everything to do with truthfully labeling his boss a moron. War with Iran is all but guaranteed, as so many in the Neo Con world have been braying on about for months.
Trump's nomination of the maven of torture, Ms. Gina Haspel to the CIA has to be blocked. Keep in mind, President Obama clearly could have and should have done more to go after those who violated US and international law under the pathetic lie so many regimes have sanctimoniously used, "Just following orders." Oh really? If Ms. Haspel's actions were legal then why did she illegally destroy the video evidence of her "legally" sanctioned torture? People forget the opposition of prominent conservatives, Secretary Powell, State's chief legal advisor and former acting Secretary of Defense, WIlliam Taft IV, and many others who vigorously opposed the kangaroo court logic of John Yoo's DOJ memo authorizing torture.
4
The more I think about it the more sense it makes that Trump would actually like to go to war. A presidency without a war would be seen as not being very impressive, while being able to boast about defeating another country would suit the bully he is and establish the legacy he would like to leave behind. Especially seen that it is unlikely he will be re-elected he'll be eager to start his war sooner than later and Mike Pompeo is much more likely to help him get there.
4
Many pundits have stated that Rex Tillerson was the worst secretary of state since World War II. Nonethless, there were worse: Henry Kissinger, a criminal for his scuttling of the peace negotiations before the 1968 election, for his bombing campaign of North Viet-Nam, for his ordering of the assassination of President Salvatore Allende of Chile; John Foster Dulles, for his advising Ike to intervene in Viet-Nam in 1954 and for his ramping up of the Cold War.
Our best secretary of state was Dean Acheson who helped construct NATO and the liberal international order. The others were ok, including Tillerson, who turned out ironically to be a better diplomat than manager.
2
Starts to? Seems that all of the cabinet appointess thus far have been nearly as erratic, ignorant and unqualified as the prevaricator-in-chief himself.
3
Let them eat chocolate cake
1
Staring in "Darkest Days", Trump builds Royalist 'War Cabinet' to defend his disguised capitalist Global Empire.
5
Gina Haspell is One of the Adults in the Room.
I guess being an adult does not preclude torturing your fellow human beings.
I feel so much better now that these adults are in the room.
PS: Please keep them out of any room I happen to be in. Thanks!
4
I feel like I am a citizen of 1930's Germany wringing my hands and say, "My God, what can we do?"
6
Sure sounds like 'Russia First'. Pompeo will treat the State Department
like the new KGB.
1
An interesting sequential development now occurs. Will Rex Tillerson eventually seek political office. Tillerson always had political contacts, and close association with the donor class. It has increased dramatically with his recent appointment. This possibly could create political turbulence in the most important electoral corridor of the Red State Wall-Texas and Oklahoma.
2
Trump sorrounds himself with yes-sayers. And no-sayers are removed to please the chief. No good sign.
2
Only a total and complete moronic narcissist would fire the Secretary of State with a tweet. As for the new CIA director - there will be very senior people in foreign intelligence services who will find it difficult to be 'cosy' with the person who ran an illegal torture programme in a secret prison. Be in no doubt, no matter what the Justice Dept hack lawyers said, waterboarding is illegal under international law. The US military were forbidden to do it during the Vietnam War; and a Japanese officer was tried for war crimes when captured US pilots were tortured in this manner during WW2. The fact that the President of the US 'loves' torture says a lot about the man who claims he would dash unarmed to save the lives of people being shot, yet five times avoided the draft in his youth. What moral right would the US have in future, if a foreign power tortured US soldiers during a military conflict? Torture has been outlawed in Britain for 400 years. Perhaps Mr Trump envisages bringing back the infamous "rack" or "iron lady"?
4
The blame for the Tillerson episode clearly lies with Trump, in my view. It is clear that the two had widely divergent positions on issues such as the Paris climate accord & the Iran nuclear agreement. It was on Trump & his transition team to have looked into those issues during the interview process when they were "vette-ing" Tillerson for the job BEFORE they offered him the secretary of state post. It is just another example of how disorganized this president's thinking is.
3
"Ex Exxon Texan Exec Rex Next Ex-Sec"
Thanks, Internet, sometimes you still make me laugh.
4
What a dilemma for Trump.
He appointed his cabinet with people straight from central casting. Each looked the part, which is how he described Rex Tillerson. It might have been a slam against Hillary that Trump said Tillerson looked like how America's chief diplomat should. But that's how Rex got the job.
Trump didn't so much appoint a cabinet as redecorate the Cabinet Room with potted plants. He chose actors who read their lines but understood he was the marquee star. Scene stealing was inadvisable. The lone exception to looking the part is AG Sessions, who looks like a cussed out librarian about to cry.
Poor Rex didn't read the memo. He didn't understand that Cabinet members, like children, are seen and not heard. (Except to lavish Trump with praise.) That's not how Rex clawed his way into Exxon's executive suite. He confused playing a fake SoS with being a real one. So Trump kicked him off the show.
Krugman's column yesterday about sycophants is timely. To get Trump's attention you need to fawn and flatter, like Peter Navarro, the new trade advisor, who said his job as an economist is to validate Trump's intuition(!). Just like Pompeo will be Trump's oxymoron of a diplomatic attack dog and Mnuchin who likes Trump's potty mouth tirades because they're "funny".
Trump's best and brightest know: You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger and cockroaches will still be around when we're long gone.
11
So the revolving door of bobble heads continues as the White House turns.
This is the worst reality tv show we have ever seen.
All at the foot of an accidental president still with his training wheels on.
This is what happens when toddlers are put in charge.
3
Gina Hastel, acclaimed former black ops torturer, will be the new CIA director. Not only the first female director but the first female torturer to be director of any government agency. Gina was in charge of America's torture program in Thailand during the Iraq war. Her thin lipped photo on Wiki is frightening. Look it up if you dare!
As an expatriate American living on another continent, I discovered that it's impossible to escape Trump no matter how far you flee. Having barely a third of the voters supporting Trump and losing the election by three million votes makes Trump a minority president. Unfortunately there is no way to fire him for lack of votes.
At this point in history, my European neighbors can't believe how the United States has fallen from the world's esteem in such a short time. Either that or they finally realize that America was always over rated and the world has finally come to it's senses!
5
Meanwhile, the US and Russia are drifting toward war in Syria...
1
"Mold the cabinet in his image".
And what a warped, distorted and deeply cracked image it is!
2
Now wait a minute...Trump has in office a little more than a year. I would assume Tillerson was interviewed and his “values” aligned with Trump therefore he was nominated. Bottomline, Trump is a disaster!
1
Molding his cabinet to his own image presupposes forethought and a strategy. Please. The cabinet changes have been, and will continue to be, the result of Trump’s chaotic, neurotic, moronic personality. He will eventually turn on Pompeo.
3
There are at least four Republican senators who MUST have learned the lesson of confirming these dregs of society to lead our executive cabinet agencies. Flake, McCain, Snow, Murkowski, it is time to put the nation above party and just say no.
3
Rexxon was a Condi Rice recommendation during the chaotic Pence-led/Russian-inspired presidential transition. Trump needed some staffing up support, after winning a race he never had any intention of winning. Rice and Tillerson both knew about Trump's dishonorable past and hateful demeanor, yet they craved the power, influence and money that comes from being inside the White House.
1
Make his cabinet in his own image? He did hire Tillerson in the first place. What he's doing is packing his world the bobble head sycophants he's used to having around. I suspect Kelly and/or McMaster are next.
2
Isn’t this the same Donald Trump who last week said that he likes conflict and different viewpoints? It’s just another example of how thin-skinned this president is.
2
The internal disorder in the Trump Administration seems to presage the imminent collapse of an Empire. The question is whether this imperial collapse will also entail the end of humanity. Undoubtedly, we live in interesting times....
Henri
4
The constant turnover is indicative of incompetency. The guy is terrible at hiring, developing and directing people. He's just using people around him to misdirect and inflame and destroy. Dump the guy.
2
One Trump is bad enough. Can we survive an entire Executive Branch in his image???
2
Tillerson's shortcomings as Secretary of State aside, I wonder if this is yet another (colossally clumsy) way for Trump to turn a "yes" that he never really meant into a "no." Let's see if ousting Tillerson, the advocate for talking to the North Koreans, is followed by Trump's going back on his recent acceptance of the Korean invitation. If so, it will again demonstrate that Trump lies to keep those who disagree with him at bay. He lied about favoring rational Second Amendment regulation and got points for saying it, then discarded the idea and let it drown as he stomped off to the next situation. Firing Tillerson might figure into his calculations for a similar bait-and-switch regarding North Korea. It's plausible because Trump is, above all else, a liar. That is well known.
1
I wish he had picked Romney.
1
Now that Pompeo is going to the State Department (if the senate confirms him), who will be the Trump whisperer during the presidential daily briefs? Since Trump does not read, Pompeo told Trump what he wanted Trump to hear.
Tillerson thought he could bring a big business ethos to the State Department (a mistake), but he knew the world and what would be good for the United States. With Pompeo, we have a Trump yes-man who would not let go of the Hillary complicit in Benghazi narrative even after a multi-million dollar report by Republicans said otherwise. And, just a few weeks ago, the heads of Russia's intelligence services walked through the front door of the CIA supposedly to talk about coordinating anti-terrorist efforts. This after Russia interfered in our elections.
Trump wants to replace Pompeo with a woman who tortured people. The woman ought to be invited to retire.
The only hope is for We the People to WAKE UP and give control of Congress to the Democrats in November. Send Trump and his crew home in 2020.
1
They may be kindred in that they are both aggressive, went to military schools and like to dismiss our intelligence community's conclusion on Russian interference.
But SOULS? Do you really believe trump has a soul? That is a completely baseless assumption.
So much for having a "skilled" business leader in the Chief Executive role who "knows" how to run organizations as opposed to the "unskilled" academic who preceded him.
"TOP NEWS
Firing Tillerson, Trump Starts to Mold Cabinet in His Own Image"
Whose image was he molding it in last year?
1
Tillerson was unqualified for this job. I don't feel too bad for him. Anyone who works for Trump should expect humiliation. I do feel bad for us. Tillerson was doing a fine job wrecking the state department and I doubt Pompeo will try to fix things.
2
So Trump and Tillerson have a different mind set? That was always pretty obvious since Tillerson has the ability to understand complex and nuanced topics, while Trump clearly does not.
Now Trump is surrounding himself with more mindless sycophants and the US moves further and further into oblivion and authoritarianism.
1
Trump is gaining "confidence" to fire anyone who pushes back even a little against his deranged notions. Soon, the only people left standing will be yes men, sycophants and useless political hacks. That's Trump's dream team!
1
Kissinger has confidence in Pompeo. We should worry.
1
It is rumored that Trump is considering the Three Stooges for new cabinet positions to advance his agenda of chaos and confusion.
The Peter principle says that everyone rises to their level of incompetence. Tillerson may have been an excellent CEO, but he failed as the Secretary of State by not supporting and recognizing the talent he had in his staff. And he managed to disagree too many times with his boss. So frankly, it is the right move that he leave. Maybe Exxon will take him back?
His boss, btw, met his level of incompetence on day one and continues to veer from one crisis to another, many of his own making.
I believe it would be more correct to say "loyalists who put "Trump first."
The paragraph on Haspel, who personally ran a torture site, is breathtakingly exculpatory. From the "respected career leader" second sentence to the use of the passive voice to obscure personal responsibility to the downplaying the extent of abuse that took place there. Among other things, she waterboarded a innocent man 83 times in a single month, while having him beaten and left locked in a coffin. Years later she destroyed the videotaped evidence of her crimes. She's a war criminal of the highest order and in a just world would be in a cell at the Hague.
"Firing Tillerson, Trump Starts to Mold Cabinet in His Own Image"
Gee, all ths time somebody else was telling Dopey Donald who to appoint as Cabinet officials. Who knew??
"Governing is just like running a company." -- Donald Trump
Except he never actually figured that one out, either. Chaos companies. Chaos lifestyle. Chaos so-called POTUS.
1
The problem with this is that you need to have people with opposing views in order to get an entire picture of anything. So if everybody is going the same direction you can only hope that it's the right direction or we're in a heap of trouble. I vote for the heap.
Just a few days ago Trump says he likes having people on his team with different viewpoints and how much he enjoys the drama. Now it turns out he wants loyalists to pack his deck. People who tell him what he wants to hear.
He is about to remake his cabinet with those who are loyal to him, not the country. The more someone is a sycophant, the better the chance that person will be hired by IQ45. Meanwhile, all the democratic norms and institutions of our country are being destroyed.
"....determined to surround himself with loyalists more willing to reflect his "America First' views" is like saying little Donnie smashed all his toys in his playpen because they violated the overall color aesthetic he had been striving for months to achieve in his immediate work environment. Pule-e-e-e-z-e! Trump has no policies worthy of the name, no commitments, no views that last longer than the latest round of applause. While I will not mourn Mr. Tillerson's passing, I recognize in him a steady, executive, adult mind inevitably at odds with an impulsive adolescent who has tantrums and cannot tolerate those who can't, or won't, instantly adapt to his Tourettes-like explosions.
These hawks will get us into a war in which the children of their corrupt Administration do not have to fight, while the children of everyone else are at risk. Will his supporters finally get it I wonder?
Apparently when Trump said he likes to surround himself with lots of opposing views and then "watch them fight it out" he was either lying or it was fake news? You just cannot take the man's word on anything for more than 5 minutes.
1
Let's make no mistake. We are in danger to be ruled by an evil, imbecile regime - if we are not there yet. A legitimate government based on our constitution seems a quaint idea from the past.
God save the King!
I feel awkward making this comment but I will.
Trump rules like a king.
The Westminster system is better than your system, I assert.
There exist better checks and balances on usurping miscreants who hold power.
Trump reflects the worst type of el presidente common in other dictatorships in the Americas, men usually fat, old, lazy and very, very rich.
The Magna Carta usurped the prerogatives of the crown and gave leadership to Parliament, and Cabinet.
The President at a whim has sacked, sorry "fired" a senior member of Cabinet. The US Constitution presumed that your country would not and or could not elect a leader reflecting the worst of regal authority and blindly inept.
I suggest that Congress by mutual vote elect a prime spokesman to challenge the president's irrationalities.
The blood sport of Trump of dumping dissent in the White House is becoming a pattern.
Trump while not a king is ultimately answerable to Congress and the people.
Apropos the Westminster System.
Neither the King or President is above Congress/Parliament, vide Magna Carta.
The US National Parks Service reviewing the book The Long Fuse remarks:
If King George III was instrumental in eventually losing the colonies, he had plenty of help from Parliament and his own political appointees, many of whom Cook describes as "inexperienced, inward-looking and narrow-minded men."
Courage, honesty, fidelity,integrity with humility are the mark of a knight.
Trump fails 101
The thing is, Donald Trump's cabinet has always reflected his own image. Indecisive. Chaotic. Destructive.
And this new change with Mike Pompeo now replacing Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, seals the fate of this country for this country more than anything else.
We are starting to resemble the type of autocratic dictatorship commonly found in Russia, more and more everyday -- and Americans, fooled by Trump's phony 'America First' rah-rah kind of blustering nationalism, are too blind to notice the cliff we're about to fall off.
This situation is not surprising. It is downright frightening.
139
The thing is, Donald Trump's cabinet has always reflected his own image. Indecisive. Chaotic. Destructive Lazy and Ignorant.
1
When will Trump cabinet secretaries start wearing military uniforms? It's only a matter of time.
1
No one expects the boy president to enact those Russian sanctions passed months ago however England will further embarrass the so called dictator/president today with there actions to Putin. and his murderous gangs. America is woke and the victory today in Penn, along with the other wins, the students marching against the NRA , it is no longer business of hate, corruption, greed anymore. Its about the American that President Obama spoke about for eight years is coming back and the Russian trolls may not like it but it is the truth not fake news from a fake president that will win the day.
The only thing worse than endlessly arguing is never being challenged. This isnt a “team of rivals,” it’s the sycophant service.
A question that invariably arises amid Donald Trump's seamless succession of antic outbursts is whether this is the government we deserve.
So much of this mind-warpingly hallucinogenic experience centers on him personally from day to day, there's a temptation to lose sight of what's orbiting immediately around him. If, for whatever reason, he were to leave the presidency in the short term, for instance, here's what the (pardon the expression) top tier of the line of succession would look like:
-- Mike Pence
-- Paul Ryan
-- Orrin Hatch
-- Mike Pompeo (pending)
-- Steve Mnuchin
Really now, do we deserve this? And if so, why?
The question of whether elections matter is left to answer itself.
2
"Starts to mold in his own image"? The whole administration was already squeezed into Trump's image: Incompetence, malfeasance, greed... Pomepeo is just another flavor.
Trump continues to deny he picked his own cabinet in the first place.
Reflect ‘America First’ Views, is it?
You mean 'nativist', 'isolationist'?
The twin wonders of politics that faithfully predict extended periods of national decline every time they reach the White House?
Trump may say "America First" and wear the hat, and maybe the matching socks and tighty-whities, but that's no reason for you to go wordlessly along with it.
1
Pompeo is from the warmonger wing,get ready some third world country is going to get attacked under false pretenses.
1
Our nation has been hijacked by an incompetent madman who pays his way out of embarrassing situations and who fires his way toward his personal goals. Our nation MUST stop idolizing presidents as if they were kings. We MUST remove the ability for a president to simply appoint ANY suckup into positions that affect you, me our kids and the future of our nation. This has gone FAR ENOUGH!
1
Not sure if trump reads the readers' comments section of NYT, or if he reads anything at all, but if he does, I have some advice that will make him look smart for once.
When you fire Shulkin later this week, please consider moving Dr Carson from HUD to Veterans Affairs so that he can at least work in an area where he may have some clue about what he is doing. As for Perry, he can go anywhere and still be clueless.
The firing of McEntee from the White House together with the immediate rehiring of him by the campaign could be a tactic to buy silence.
Trump is proving to the country that he only values true sycophants. He wants everyone to recognize that he, and he alone, knows what is best on every topic. Remember, he has 'excellent intuitive abilities', 'extreme intelligence 'and 'great genes'.
I say be very aware of this loner who lies and can't tell his version of reality from a truth. He has no morals or ethics and is ignorant. He just wants everyone to agree how great he is as the country continues to slide downward, downward and downward.
1
Good. Full speed ahead. Now we can rip up the iran deal.
1
"...and other things I want." Chilling....Locking up adversaries, waterboarding, and the wreck of the United States Constitution?
Kindred soul..since when did Trump show any signs of having a soul?
As a retired Foreign Service Officer, I say good riddance to Rex Tilllerson. He seemed a man of good will and was a moderating influence in the current Administration...but he never had much impact on policy. His real impact was to totally mismanage the State Department as an institution and to do so much damage to it in only one year that it will take the institution nearly a decade to recover. This Department, along with the Defense Department, is among the points of the spear in our nation's efforts abroad. Tillerson severely and haplessly damaged it. That will be his "legacy."
91
And this comes at a time when Russia/Putin are pushing the limits to see how weakened we are with this circus of clowns. The balance of power seems to have shifted, and not in our direction. This does not portend well for our, or the world’s, future. If there is a God and the devil, it appears the devil is winning.
2
Tillerson crippled it, and now Pompeo will kill it.
2
..., discarding tempered inexperience and replacing it with aggressive incompetence seems to be right up Donald Trump’s alley hence “molding the administration in his own image” is spot on.
22
@UZI and Kristian Thyregod: Wake up and smell the coffee!We have been waging war relentlessly since the regicide of Nov. '63 when JFK was killed by a conspiracy by mil. industrial complex , backed by jcs, intel. agencies and allegedly V.P. LBJ. JFK sought peace, and "conspirateurs" sought wide scale war in VN and they were successful.,O was just as bellicose as his predecessor, if not moreso. Read Jeremy Skahill in The Nation. Mike Pompeo graduated first in his class from West Point, like Gen. Douglas Macarthur.Would not call anyone with that c.v. "incompetent!"Ironic that Macarthur's g.p.a at Military Academy was pointed out to me in course of a dejeuner with JJ Susuni, former "bete a penser"of the OAS at his "hotel particulier"@11 rue Cernuschi. Susini's spouse, Marie Antoinette Luciani was a great "cuisiniere!"Do your research! Pompeo's star has yet to reach its apex!
A perfect political storm at the center of power in DC. At the White House, Trump is now surrounded by military-grade people and neo-con civilians. High ranking military officers get promotion and acquire power by waging war, not peace.
20
The United States Secretary of State is fired via a Tweet. Donald Trump may be wealthy but there is one trait he will never be accused of having is any sense of class.
33
Trump is scrappy and uninformed, the opposite of a diplomat. Pompeo is a hawkish hardliner with no experience at diplomacy. Compared with all the other skilled envoys of the world, this will make America last, not first.
21
Putin’s fascist regime is not one to be taken lightly, and I am afraid, since Trump either doesn’t understand the situation, or is complicit in it, we, and the rest of the free world, are in for a very tough time. The last time we showed this kind of negligence, the western world ended up on WWII. On the scales of good and evil, when good shows weakness, indifference, or callus neglect toward the pressure from evil, war is the result. Don’t think for a moment that history does not repeat itself, and remember, the last war was essentially fought without nuclear arsenals.
With the ouster of Tillerson, war just moved one step closer. Troubling!
13
From the outside, it looks like America is fast approaching the crossroads. Far from unravelling, the Trump administration is tightening and coming together, to the point where they will all be working together to the same goal. Has anyone made a list of all the citizens' rights which have been quietly removed while we are distracted by Trump's latest smoke and mirror tweets? The end of that road is dictatorship. Very soon it will be too late.
Things are getting really dangerous now.
22
A great First World country by its own untiring efforts will become a third or even fourth world country may not be in terms of economics and material success but certainly by the values it will hold forth. What was out will become in, what was despicable will be come dear and what was wretched will become precious. "Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile
Filths savour but themselves" Lear
12
Shakespeare must have had a crystal ball. I wonder if it was labeled, “A country arrogantly calling itself the United States of America.” We are hardly that!
The Republican/Trump supporters I know are all whistling nervously while the train of State reaches breakneck speeds into the blind turns.
I don't think anyone voted for Toad's Wild Ride.
Come on November...
15
At this point, I have stopped worrying about Trump’s behavior with the Russians and begun worrying about Congress’ lack of patriotic action for dealing with the Executive branch’s chaotic and detrimental behavior. The direction we are headed is not one that will take us into a future that makes America great again, if we ever were. I am beginning to doubt the accuracy of our glorious past if the road we are traveling on is actually headed where I think we are going.
If this was a publicly traded company, you would dump the stock.
If this was a privately held company, you would look to do business elsewhere.
You would look for another job if you worked there under any structure.
The GOP , in effect acting as the Board of Directors, would be sued for malfeasant governance.
That this is the Federal government is frightening.
22
I never knew China was so fragile and unstable until the events this week. I never knew the US was so fragile until the last year. These things hint at broader problems in USA like your guns and health care issues. I hope it all ends well.
7
Hope is not enough. Only action at the voting booth has a chance at curing this disease.
The dictator cannot act alone.
He must gather round him those who will eagerly do his work, no matter how dirty it may turn out to be, He must know they will not flinch from what he will require them to do.
And in the fast approaching future, it might get very dirty indeed, in ways that only a few can anticipate.
The nation is functioning on a debt fueled economy, and promises of 'infinite wealth' for everyone in some imagined time as yet to come.
But we do not function in a money economy, we function in an energy economy. And energy supplies are in rapid depletion.
Trump cannot grasp this and believes that spending money is a cornucopian exercise that will serve to increase his own wealth. Those who praise his new clothes look for the same rewards.
As do the gullible fools who voted to take part in his Ponzi scheme.
When the Ponzi scheme collapses, social chaos is certain. Trump will need his sychophants to help him suspend the constitution and take on the role of dictator to control civil disorder.
That is his ultimate aim.
He fooled the people with promises of "more" of everything
But there is no more, The End of More (Pagett Amazon) explains where there is no more
The oilparty really is over folks. It will take while to sink in The truth of it is going to get very unpleasant, the Don will make it even more so.
President for life? He's already sowing the seeds of that..
10
We are being dragged closed to war with every new appointment and department shift. Tillerson's work at the State Department gutted our diplomatic corps, and now a hawk has stepped in to continue the process of militarizing every response our country gives to foreign conflict. Trump and the Republican Congress are on this path for political expediency. They know that if America does not get into an armed conflict very soon, their political power is going to be wrecked by the 2018 election.
Watch and learn. Remember the invasions of Panama and Grenada? Iran, North Korea, some myriad of African or even Southeast Asian nations....it will not matter to them, as long as they can beat the drum and root for the troops sent in harms way. There is nothing like a little flag waving to win an election, and, of course, no one wants to change horses in mid-stream.
11
Trump really doesn't have any views, at least, not any that won't fit on the front of a hat. Replacing Tillerson with Pompeo isn't about policy, diplomacy or politics, Trump just doesn't like Tillerson. The Trump Presidency has no raison d'etre, no serious goals or policy initiatives, it doesn't exist to serve the American people, it exists only to serve the aggrandizement of the Trump brand. The real threat to the United State is that our enemies already know that and are using it to their advantage.
12
"His statement infuriated the White House, which had crafted its talking points with lawyers at the State Department to keep the United States in lock step with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain." Really, Theresa May clearly stated House of Commons that it was the opinion of the United Kingdom government that the attack is Salisbury was by the Russians.
The White House continues to be reluctant to respond and not been in "lock step" with the UK Government.
6
As the congressional special election shows in Pennsylvania tonight the tide is turning against Republican candidates and their bankruptcy of values and chaos of governance we have witnessed over the last 14 months in this country.
4
The emerging Trump cabinet (2nd ed.) appears to be moving from a Team of Rivals to a Circle of Sycophants. This is just what you'd expect from a man with a narcissistic personality who values admiration and total loyalty over experience and competence. And, as the late psychologist Irving Janis noted, it will increase poor or faulty decision-making he called "groupthink." This is especially worrisome when major nuclear issues are on the line as in renewing the Iran nuclear accord and the forthcoming face-to-face meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. With Mike Pompeo, a man with a similar "mind-set" to Donald Trump as Secretary of State, the chances of not only a bad decision, but a catastrophic one, have just increased dramatically. We can only hope the Defense Secretary Mattis will still be around to provide a more sober view.
5
This is what it looks like when government is run like a business.
7
If Trump wasn't wasting so much time tweeting at 3 a.m. about inane things that don't concern him, maybe he might have thought about putting a cabinet together with more "chemistry" a lot sooner, and in a more thoughtful fashion. But I have my doubts that the chaos is subsiding. This guy runs his "presidency" like episodes of the Apprentice. Stay tuned? I'll skip this awful show.
3
Very easy to skip a TV show; hard to ignore what he and his loyal toadies will do once they're all nodding their heads in unison. The chaos theory where everyone is working at cross purposes sowed severe disfunctionality.
Now we will see Trump bending further, right into our next forever war. We must tune in and get these folks out.
Trump believes will now be unshackled to make war to improve his approval ratings before the mid term elections.
9
Trump has shown patience with many of his cabinet, but realizes his time as President is limited. In order to reach his goals, he needs his people. Looks like the Congress may be tilting left which will make things very difficult.
1
He's only just now molding his cabinet to reflect his world-view (i.e. image)? That should be the first thing a manager does. (i.e. try to align his/her team with what he/she expects to happen) He's been in office for 14 months. I don't know any job I've ever had where I'd still be in place if I required over a year to learn how to do it.
2
Looking back on Secretary John Kerry's intense negotiations with Iran one can easily see how important it is for the Secretary of State and the President to be on the same page. By comparison, there was way too much daylight between Secretary Tillerson and President Trump on foreign policy issues for Tillerson to remain on the job.
It's time for a few brave GOP Republicans and Senators to step up and change party affiliation to put a brake on this madness. The wheels are coming off much too quickly to wait for the election.
.
9
Trump has been on a tear recently. In less than two weeks, he has threatened a trade war, lost his chief economic advisor, suddenly decided to sit down with President Kim, and fired his Secretary of State. My head is spinning. November seems very far off. I am not sure we will make it to then.
1
Tillerson and everyone else could leave and nothing would change as long as President Yo-Yo is reversing his field daily on every topic brought before him. There must be consistent direction for any aspect of our Circus government to improve it’s ability to govern our Nation.
2
The US is truly becoming one scary country. A tea party zealot in charge of foreign affairs, a torturer in charge of the CIA ("she was only following orders" gee where have I heard that before). From my perspective it feels like Trump is preparing for a war, probably with Iran by way of Saudi Arabia. A war in Korea is, to my mind, unlikely as Trump would in effect be taking on China and as a typical bully Trump will never dare to take on the strong kid on the block. A war with Iran will have ramifications for Europe as there will be spill-over effects, the least of which will be a further escalation of the terrorist threat. Why a war, well it is the ultimate distraction from Trump's domestic troubles and the Mueller investigation. So why is the US scary and not just Trump and his administration, because the country, its leadership, the voters continue to enable him, regardless of what he does. I wonder if those steel workers will still be delighted when they start producing steel for weapons in a war their children will be required to fight. Will their pay check and the "thoughts and prayers" sentiment expressed by Trump and the GOP provide sufficient comfort when their kids come home in body bags. I very much doubt it.
5
How can the President find a cabinet that "reflects his view" when his view is constantly changing? His views on DACA and gun control have changed overnight. HIs views are simply that, his view, not based on any facts, laws, or science and he ignores advice that doesnt fit his view. I picture a collection of bobble heads, all just nodding to whatever he comes up with. They are interchangeable and can be rearranged or discarded at his whim.
2
All these exits, firings etc prove that the man who hired all these people made very poor choices. Wouldn't any CEO get fired himself if he continually hired and fired people for top jobs?
5
While Tillerson was certainly no diplomat, he did seem to be a bit rational in an irrational administration. Pompeo, on the other hand, seems to have put his "loyalty" to Trump ahead of his responsibilities to national security (security briefings including Flynn when he knew of Flynn's issues from Sally Yates), as well being very hawkish in his view of where America stands internationally. This is very concerning as we seem to be moving closer to interaction of some sort with both N Korea and Iran.
So far, in less than 13 months, the Trump's administration has lost over 54 high level people by either firing (which he seems to have to deliver via twitter loaded with insults) or people leaving for self preservation.
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/378281-maddow-expands-wall-of-trump-ad...
Unfortunately, truly qualified people seem unacceptable to Trump, and those he does appoint are either grossly unqualified or seem to lack any expertise other than their fealty to him. This administration is what Trump claimed it would be...a different type of leaderSHIP. Like the great ship Titanic, our great nation is now different, and since it is both lacking in a rational captain and has an inept crew, it is heading toward a disaster.
2
New York Times, Washington Post had reported about Tillerson departure either by firing or resignation. Tillerson crossed the red line when he criticized Trump's boss, Putin and that is a no, no in this administration.
3
Is it just my imagination or did he not choose all these people he is firing or has "issues" with? What sort of manager hires so many people and than realises they are not "appropriate"? Oh of course, you have to be a competent manager to begin with. The manager at my local McDonald's has more insight than this individual. And neither would he send the company into bankruptcy numerous times over poor and reckless decisions.
2
Goodbye 25th Amendment.
That's what this is about.
If Nunes gets an appointment in the cabinet, it would be time to leave the country, or at least send your children out.
3
Tillerson was never suited for the Secretary of State to begin with. Gutting the agency you're tasked with running and alienating those who are the brightest while destroying morale is not the hallmarks of someone qualified for the position. However to his credit he did buck Trump's positions numerous times and I guess the support for Ms. May's position with respect to the most recent Russia related homicide in the U.K. was the final blow. Policy number one in this White House is NEVER be critical of Russia or Vladimir Putin. Pompeo will be in a very unstable position as although he is much more like Trump in his thinking, eventually he'll be put in the position of either defending the President or defending Department of State as gutted as it may be. I believe Pompeo is a Trump shill and always has been. The scary part is Trump's comment about how he's now getting the cabinet he wanted. That begs the question of why he appointed the first group of dismal failures to begin with. Trump is unfit for office and a danger to democracy in the U.S. and the world.
Republican silence makes them complicit in this dangerous chaos.
The only thing that will save us is the November election. If we can take the House or Senate we can at the very least put the brakes on the madness. Everyone that loves their country really has to vote in November or Trump will cause the death of the nation and maybe all of us as well.
3
There is a simple two-step solution for determining whether waterboarding is a torture and whether Ms. Haspel is an appropriate candidate to lead the CIA.
Ask her whether waterboarding is a torture.
If she says yes, well and good.
If she says no or is equivocal, waterboard her in front of the Senate Confirmation Committee and see if she changes her mind.
3
Advocating the death penalty for drug dealers and appointing an advocate of torture to a cabinet position makes Trump look more like Duterte than an American President.
5
His administration is like a bad movie with man-eating reptiles. Perhaps the televised White House Edition of The Apprentice?
Exit Tillerson, enter Pompeo. But Trump apparently didn't hear his new guy named Russia “an irresponsible force of instability in the world.”
Obama left office with sky high worldwide approval ratings.
But taking "presidential" to an entire lower level, Trump "gained' widespread international disapproval. Interestingly, the world doesn't like him much at all.
His admiration of Russia makes a total mockery of democracy as it apparently still poisons its critics. And with a foreign policy chock full of uncertainty, we have countries without ambassadors, a state department without staff!
1
I've never watched Celebrity Apprentice, but I work in TV and recognize Trump's style as POTUS mimics sweeps programming.
A couple of weeks building up and then, bam -you're fired. It's all a ploy to get more press coverage, more viewers. The consequences are not important. Only that people watched, Trump got his tune-in.
Notice how yesterday's Tillerson firing pushed PA's special election from most headlines. The Democrat, Conor Lamb currently leads by a slim margin. A stunning upset in a solid Trump district.
But Trump, with his last minute fireworks, drew most of the attention.
What a stunt! Did you see it!! For good measure, Trump fired most of Tillerson's staff. It was a bloodbath, who could compete with that!
Now, we will have a month or so of teasing "the historic meeting of Trump & Kim Jong Un!" Trump will give himself top billing, and spend most of his thought process on how to make it spectacular for the cameras. Will his hair look good?
What will be discussed is not important, Trump will sign whatever agreement he can with great flourish for the camera. It will be a breath taking moment, no one will talk about anything else! Pompeo is a much better opening act, his style matches Trump. A great warm-up act who won't outshine Trump. Who cares about content, as long as Fox & Friends leads with it the next day.
Anyone expecting more than razzle-dazzle for the cameras will be disappointed. It's all about the show, and showcasing Trump.
Nothing else matters. Nothing.
2
The "Porcine Manners" that Trump has put on display for America and the world to see has only reinforced my decision that his removal is evident. A vivid display of a lack of moral compass has effected not only his family but all American's who live their daily lives with a moral fiber and consideration for all they contact.
History as we all know can and does repeat it self for the benefit of all.
If you are the President of the United States of America assume the responsibility of the office and conduct yourself in a respectful and proper manner.
3
Just another of the countless mileposts indicating that America took a fatal wrong turn on 11/6/2016 and is headed toward third-world status. Soon we'll rival Argentina as a country that once had a great economy but slid into irrelevancy.
2
No not America first. Trump only cares about putting Trump first. He doesn't want people loyal to this country but only to him.
1
"I'm really at a point where we're getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want." Donald Trump. March 13, 2018.
A real President would be able to make that statement two weeks after Inauguration Day.
2
Hiring and firing cabinet members, aides, and officials at will is not new about Trump, what's new is sudden and humiliating exit of Tillerson for the crime of advocating negotiations with North Korea which Trump himself now wants to engage personally in. A classic case of personal diplomacy conducted through whims pushing aside the experience, expertise, and the institutional support from the state department meant for the purpose.
57
Yes important point assuming a capable experienced involved Secretary of state, none of which Tillerson qualified as.
Humiliating people who work for him isn’t new for atrump. It’s his signature. Also not paying them and declaring bankruptcy to get out of debts. Classic Trump - our President
Firing NYT he will complete the process
Sharma from far away India. WRONG again. Trump wants to teach Iran and pakistan a lesson, laws be damned; and tillerson was quoting the law.
Mr. Tillerson did a lot of damage to the State Department. Mr. Pompeo will be Mr. Trump's war time consiglieri. With the State Department gutted of it's most experienced staff and a sycophant who favors military over negotiation the whole world should worry. Congress has shown they are unwilling to solve this crises, so we must rely on voters to change Congressional leadership this fall.
285
Joe Barnett *** What crisis would that be ? The foreign "so called crises" are of our own making. Tillerson while agree did damage in leaving many posts unfilled, was one of the only semi rational voices this nut house. In favor of leaving the Iran deal in place for instance. The world should worry all right. That the U.S. will blow the whole thing up. You can make light hearted of it all... 'consiglieri. But these are the kinds of wars that can put the earth into a tailspin. Look at Iraq & Syria, the consequences of just that. Iran Or Korea would be a thousand times worse, in all aspects. You should worry all right, we might not be here any more.
1
@Joe Bennett - what specific evidence do you have of sycophancy or did you just discover the thesaurus. I worked briefly with Pompeo and perhaps shocking to you, he has free will. You might, well we know, you disagree with him, but I suggest that name calling, while self-reinforcing for your psyche is unwarranted and at odds with the facts.
Well said Joe. Our hope for a better America deepens on the effort we will put forward on our way to the voting booth! November 6th here I come!
Trump said of his relationship with Tillerson, "We got along actually quite well, but we disagreed on things," which belies his latest lie that he loves conflict and wants staff to debate things.
No. What Trump loves are yes-men, plain and simple.
He wants it to be easy to say he won whatever he's toying around with at any moment.
Like he's going to try and claim he won in Pennsylvania's 18th district because it was really too close to call. Believe me.
95
Not much good can be said of trump, but give credit where it is due. The man has a knack for making others look better. I never thought I'd be nostalgic for W's presidency, or regain respect for Comey, or feel empathy for Melania. I now find myself already missing Tillerson.
252
No! No! No! Respectfully recall, please, that more than 5,000 US soldiers were killed in our war with Iraq, more than 2,500 US soldiers were killed in our war with Afghanistan, more than 500,000 civilians have died in Iraq due to our war there, and more than 31,000 civilians lost their lives in Afghanistan. These wars have cost our national treasury over $6,000,000,000,000. I haven't included figures regarding the wounded soldiers and civilians - please do not forget the murderous carnage of the Bush and Cheney years! And these conflicts haven't ceased and the end is not insight.
4
Keep in mind Comey knew there was an ongoing counter intelligence investigation into the Trump campaign but chose to announce a reopening of the Clinton investigation days before the election.
Perhaps no single individual is more responsible for the mess the United States and the world is in today that James Comey.
2
Melania may be next once her parents receive citizenship. Any departure prior to that might have the parents being deported.
By getting rid of Tillerson, Trump strengthens his mis-administration's extremist essence. He adds momentum to ever more rapid political self-destruction.
38
I think this will be more circling the wagons than heading out on the warpath.
'Trump strengthens his mis-administration's extremist essence.'. Not really. Trump is appointing a new Secretary of State who has his mindset. A mindset that more and more Americans are coming to respect.
The Obama/Kerry Iran deal was a rotten deal.
Mold his cabinet in his own image. Now that is a frightening scenario.
Vote the insane Republicans out of office in November and make out democracy work again.
193
Look on the bright side: The way he hangs them out to dry, no one in Trump's White House will ever grow any actual mold.
1
Amen. The Trumpublican Party has disgraced itself, and our nation, long enough. Bring out the broom!
2
The total chaos continues. Our hope rests in Mueller. This country is losing its soul in this phony. He has no heart for America or its people.
85
He is not alone in his corruption and soullessness - He has a lot of fellow travelers in the Republican leadership as well as the billionaire donors, NRA and Russia.
Many people hate America. Choosing to fight for American jobs, wages and family values are appear to be communists and liberals worst fears.
No surprise here! As bad as Tillerson was for the morale within the State Department, he stood up to Trump on North Korea and finally Russia, the last being an untouchable subject and wham, he was gone disposed of by a tweet.
The people I was with, all of whom deal with the State Department on a daily basis, joked about how we might be able to fire our staff located overseas simply by emulating Donald Trump and sending a tweet telling them to pack their bags and that they have been fired.
This is not normal! This is not how we deal with people. It demonstrates how insecure Donald Trump truly is when it comes to being a leader.
65
More sycophants around Trump is vey bad news for your country. Trump says he likes diverse opinions around him but I don't believe him. He really likes those with a worldview similar to his. Trump is showing his true dictatorial leanings. America - be very careful. Get out and vote in Nov 2018!
91
I would never have expected that the American public tolerates a president who ostentatiously displays his dictatorial tendency, disregarding the constitution, ruining the reputation of the nation. His concept that he is the only one that matters reminds me of the French King Louis XIV`s saying "I am the State". The French revolution of 1789 terminated this view. Will a bipartisan move curtail Trump`s hypertrophic dictatorial leanings?
1
What ever does the headline mean? Trump has been president for over a year. He's in charge of making appointments. The evidence so far is that he is a bad judge of people, is unsure what he expects of his cabinet and aides, is an incompetent manager, and lacks essential political experience. He doesn't know what he's doing. Further, he has brought in members of his family who have no experience in government at all. Even many who voted for him, (not a majority of all voters as we know) are flabbergasted at the disarray. A learning curve is one thing; managing the presidency by tweet is something else altogether.
My own prediction from the beginning is that he won't last 4 years. He'll quit or be impeached. We shall see.
113
Mr. Tillerson should be relieved he is off the Trump merry go round. Trump showed his ineptness by selecting him in the first place - it was all optics and no substance. Shabby treatment by Trump should be worn as a badge of honor Mr. Tillerson. Take your Exon millions and go and enjoy retirement.
I don't know that much about Pompeo, but I do know he is another military man, which personally I don't find appropriate for the State Department. As for Gina Haspel, if she was involved in torture and destroying tapes, she should never be confirmed.
65
What trump wants are yes- people around him. While the object of the advisors should be to give the president alternative views, trump seems to resist that format. Of course, as we know, his best advisor is the fellow in the mirror.
He is so weak on domestic and foreign affairs that he can't afford to have different points of view to confuse him. Before long, his cabinet will look like those sycophants who surrounded Louis XIV. He chose poorly in the beginning not knowing what each dept represented and who would be best suited to run each. But, then, that was not his goal. Stripping the depts of power, people and money were his goals. Now he wants to make sure all cabinet heads fall in lock step behind him. No one, like Shulkin, should embarrass him and no one, like Tillerson, should disagree.
In the end, trump will be his own worst enemy. While, at this precise moment, the outcome of the PA special election has not been called (11:11CST), the fact that Lamb has done so well in a trump district, shows the erosion of the Rep party. Trump will certainly put a spin on it, regardless of the outcome, in which he comes out the victor.
He speaks out of both sides of his mouth, as we have seen so many times. He's for helping DACA and then not; raising the age to buy assault weapons, then not. Flip flopping is one of his few consistencies.
Time for Dems to pull themselves together- become bold and find a leader(s) who can unite. The country is crying out for that.
27
The wheels are coming off the bus and Trump is driving us off the cliff. I guess the GOP has a death wish. Unfortunately, they'll take us all with them.
50
I hope Trump will place Tillerson at the Pentagon where he will be ideal for cutting costs and streamlining.
17
“Mold” is the right word.
Luckily, it appears that there’s an endless supply of swamp creatures.
14
"Tactical" nuclear weapons back on the table. WW III - here we come.
Sad.
Bigly sad.
25
O America ! What have you done to yourself and to the world?
277
We're on a little break to tidy up an ill-begotten mess and will return shortly.
2
We did not do this to ourselves. Our nation has been hijacked by oligarchs, conservative media propaganda, Russian interference, gerrymandering, outdated electoral system, corporate money....
Don't forget that Pompeo invited Russian spy chiefs to Washington in January, even though they were sanctioned and not admissable to the US. Trump thinks everything is fine because he managed to get the House Intelligence committee disbanded. But both Pompeo and Gina Haspel have to appear and answer questions at their confirmation hearings. The attorney general of Germany is trying to issue an arrest warrant for Haspel. Her participation in the torture of prisoners is the subject of a human rights complaint. Looks like Trump's problems continue to multiply. Lately he is acting as if he is "home free" which he defines as getting everything he wants. We shall see.
66
Tllerson will be known for his word "MORAN", as we remember Alan Greenspan for his words "IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE" during DOTCOM BUBBLE.
3
I think there were two memorable words.
1
I was not a big fan of Tillerson, but by replacing Tillerson with Pompeo and the subsequent promotion of Cynthia Haspel to head of the CIA, Trump is cntinuing his trend of building an admnistration of people on the fringe.
Trump’s selection of his cabinet illustrates this, as does proposing Ms. Haspel, who oversaw secret detention facilities in which suspects were tortured in violation of international law.
The entire Trmp clan believes that laws are meant for others to follow, and that they can do whatever meets their personal objectives.
25
With all of the chaos generated by this President, it's perhaps easy to forget just how unqualified he is to do the job he's been elected to perform. If one sincerely examines it, there is nothing in his personal or business background that suggests he's knowledgeable, trustworthy, or competent to run a small family-owned business, let alone the Government of the United States. He makes decisions, unsupported by facts or data, but instead entirely on gut and instinct. Those same instincts in his personal life and business career have resulted in multiple marriages, numerous affairs, several failed businesses and debt so extensive that, banks, with the exception of Deutsche Bank, refused to loan him money. Even worse, then, as in now, he rejects the advice of those more expert who may challenge or disagree with his insular worldview. From a policy perspective, I'm no fan of Tillerson, McMaster, Sessions, or Kelly. Indeed Tillerson, in a typical Trump pattern was a very poor pick for the position. However, all of these men are moderating forces against Trump's self-centered impulsiveness. As Trump continues to purge ( Kelly, McMasters, and Sessions are all likely on the list of persons to go), I sincerely fear for the safety of the world from a President who is in way over his head, is unchecked by Congress, and has control of a hawkish state department and the world's most powerful military.
57
The country is run by the military for the benefit of the very, very wealthy. Until you start viewing things from this vantage point, nothing will make sense.
36
If that were the case, they wouldn't have allowed Trump to be President.
Please explain how this country is run by the military.
The Trump administration appears to be unraveling. The firing of Rex Tillerson, coming close on the heels of the resignation of Gary Cohn, signals growing instability and ongoing difficulties in building and managing a cohesive team.
Granted, Rex Tillerson made a hash of the State Department and it is possible that Mike Pompeo will do better. But Trump’s penchant for putting personal loyalty and family ties ahead of competence is hardly reassuring.
25
it appears the wagons are circling....
Trump is working fast. He..45.. needs to be indicted for treason before he orders up a red herring of a military strike and the country is forced to march off to war.
185
Just remember it's always darkest just before it turns completely black.
Chin up limbs!
4
You have NO army if nobody fights. I REFUSE to fight for or support this president.
14
And please remember that the President can declare martial law anytime he feels like it.
Trump has done it again. He threw another piece of raw meat to divert the media hounds from a troublesome story: Stormy’s offer to return the $130,000. Could you all possibly please focus on more than one thing at a time. Don’t lose sight of the last thing you were focused on before the next distractor is tossed at you.
145
No, unfortunately NYT and other media outlets take the bait and go right for it.
Not just Stormy--Conor Lamb as well. He is becoming ridiculously transparent even to the most closed minded...
I am no fan of Tillerson, but I have to give him credit where credit is due. He courageously began to behave like a moderate, even advocating diplomacy, while working for an impulsive, terribly unstable, boss who saw no gray, only black.
Now we are faced with Pompeo. And, indeed, this calculating president is chomping at the bit. Between the two, North Korea could now be on the chopping block, along with the Iran Nuclear Deal, and God knows what else. And who will most likely replace Pompeo? Yes, a woman, but this woman (me) is repulsed by her past, shall we say, "forgiveness" of torture.
Right before our eyes we are seeing the birth of a dictator, a man who has corruption in every cell of his body. Yet, I sit here watching how close this Pennsylvania House race is, and I have to wonder: Have Americans learned nothing this past horrible, horrible year?
429
Actually it appears that Americans have learned. Trump won the area by 20 points, and the Democrat Lamb has won this house seat. Even Trump voters are disgusted by Trump.
Look at the map.
3
Lamb won, and hopefully he is the tip of the iceberg.
2
Have Americans learned nothing this past horrible, horrible year?
My guess is that his base is not even paying attention to the things that we find abhorrent. They only care about 1 thing, apparently:the return of the factory jobs that they held for so long in their lives. They have my sympathy for having lost their livlihoods, but no sympathy for not thinking things through and giving us this madman for a leader.
2
A real, profit making, experienced CEO of the first or second largest company in the world being shown the door by that two-bit, bankruptcy fraud of a President. Man, the world really is turned on its head at the moment.
337
Tillerson chose to serve. He could have said “no.”
Tillerson being the real, competent person and decent Eagle Scout, married to wife 1 for over 40 years probably irked Trump.
1
Well, of course Trump surrounds himself with loyalists. That's what dictators do. Though we've all noticed that Trump isn't trying to be a dictator necessarily - he just doesn't understand any laws, how government works, the role of the President, history, etc. So he's sort of "dictator by ignorance." Poor lonely clown.
Anyway, this isn't Europe or Africa, so when the government swings to something rather unpalatable (and actually pretty frightening) Americans sit at home. Recently, I spoke with someone who had quite a bit to say about it all but I noticed that he wasn't tipping any cars over or setting anything on fire. (He wasn't peacefully/silently occupying a government building, either, if you're about to argue that).
Students protesting tuition increases in France make American demonstrations look like show-and-tell in Kindergarten. In Venezuela, citizens were stealing military vehicles to besiege the government where they sheltered. Do you recall the scandal in South Korea around President Park Geun-hye? Hundreds of thousands took to the streets.
Hundreds. Of. Thousands.
Until we get the gas masks and bats out, or demonstrate in some reasonable numbers, the course is set for The United Banana Republic of America. The choice is ours.
77
Sorry we will miss the sharp questions of former Senator Franken when these folks are interviewed by the Senate.
155
That is a real loss; and I still feel it was about Dems eating their own for a short time feeling of righeousness
The forced resignation of Franken, orchestrated by Kirsten Gillibrand to remove a political rival, was probably set in motion by 'dirty tricks' of Roger Stone - who may yet be proven to be a stooge for the Kremlin through his association with Wikileaks. To lose a Senator of Franken's caliber to that foolishness as our country is struggling with so much corruption, is heartbreaking.
We now have our Ribbentrop. Getting closer to the end.
7
I've been watching President Xi's power grab since 2015, when he purged his opponents and chose a cabinet of his own age(In China, politicians tend to have younger subordinates who can take their positions in the future).
I am watching the USA carefully. President Trump definitely has a lot of desire for power. His personells have been infiltrating the federal government since 2017. Now he is firing anyone who is going against his will. I have confidence in US democracy, but let's prepare for the worst.
10
Who's next, Pence? What a mess this White House is. Completely unstable.
11
Pence leaving wouldn’t be a bad idea. He could take all the evangelicals with him too.
1
He was sacked because of Russia it appears the US is in trouble let's see what happens when nerve agents are dispersed in the US
13
Pompeo can try his tea party politics on foreign partners and see how far it takes him. He's no longer dealing with the Republican base and he'll either have to adapt or be in-charge as "the rest of the world laughs at America", to use Trump's words.
Domestic politics ends at the border, period.
15
Like the stereotypical CEO, the Pres. continues to attempt to surround himself by "yesmen" in order to crush dissent and criticism. Our democracy is bleeding but there is help on the way. MOVEON.
11
I believe I'm witnessing an important event in the history.
President Xi of China's power grab is quite predictable for me because cleaned up his opponents in 2015 and picked a cabinet of his own age (Traditionally, Chinese politicians tend to have younger subordinate so that they can let the next generation grow up).
As for the USA, I'd say President Trump has a lot of desire for power. He fires critical officials so that his own personnels can infiltrate into the federal government. Now his is firing anyone who disobey his wills. At this point, I'm watching it carefully.
Will USA style democracy make a difference? Let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
2
I am hoping our checks and balances are powerful enough to keep this creep Trump from becoming the dictator he wants to be.
Tillerson was used to running the show at Exxon but was ineffective as secretary of state at least in part because he had so many expressed policy differences with other governmental officials including Trump. And so the chaos at the White House continues unabated and Trump apparently likes it that way. Reminds me of the adage, "this is no way to run a railroad" coming from the Penn Central debacle.
5
When you write Pompeo is "kindred soul" of Trump's, you are assuming Trump has a soul?
50
The apprentice in this case is the President. Let’s remember that he hired all the people he’s firing now. He didn’t hire well, and he doesn’t manage well. The trend will continue because while the people will change, Trump’s deficiencies as an Executive will not.
107
Excellent analysis, thank you.
Trump is finding his feet, no pun, and possibly gaining momentum. If he is anything identifiable he is a fighter and survivor without a conscious.
Abetted by our weak kneed elected,Trump is hanging on.
Is this the new normal?
Remember, it was seventy seven thousand votes, in three states.
2
Talking to reporters at the WH, just before leaving for California, Mr. Trump repeatedly made a point that may explain why Mr. Tillerson was sacked today. In response to a question on the upcoming meeting with North Korea, he kept saying that "I made the decision [to go to the meeting] myself."
Clearly Mr. Trump believes that the meeting will be historical, akin to Nixon's 1972 visit to China. And, being narcissistic, he wants to take all credits to himself and no one else. But, Mr. Tillerson's presence in the State Department was obviously an obstacle to that. After all, it was Mr. Tillerson who always insisted on pursuing diplomatic routes and negotiations with North Korea.
On the other hand, Mr. Trump was never in favour of any negotiations with North Koreans. In one of his tweets, he explicitly asked Mr. Tillerson to stop wasting time negotiating with North Koreans. He was consistently belligerent and in his UN speech he went as far as saying that "We will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."
By letting Mr. Tillerson go, Mr. Trump resolved his dilemma. In any meeting with North Koreans, Mr. Trump had to follow the established protocol, which requires the presence of his Secretary of State. But, he did not want Mr. Tillerson there, lest the history show that he was the true architect of the meeting. Now, he will be going there with Pompeo, who cannot have any claim on initiating the meeting.
13
Actually, the true architect of the meeting with North Korea, if it actually occurs (stay tuned), was the president of South Korea. And he did it even though tRump hasn't yet appointed an ambassador to his country, and even in the fact of tRump's tariff on his country's steel.
During the campaign, trump continually stated that, "I alone can fix _______" (fill in the blank for whatever issue most riled the slavering crowd of MAGAs). He is gutting Federal agencies daily and the only criterion for the mediocre folks who want to hold a job is loyalty. If being loyal means being silent so the "I alone" narcissist gets all the credit for the win.. the national trajectory is downward.
1
This sharp analysis deserves attention. NYT pickers take note.
1
I hope Tillerson writes a tell-all that will serve as further evidence that we have a mad man serving as president.
165
CEOs don't do such things.
2
I think he has a lot to say. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tillerson is rich enough. He should just give an interview to Wall Street Journal. That would be quicker.
Things not looking good for Trump and Republicans in PA today so Trump fires his secretary of state. News organizations, including the NY Times, take the bait and report all day on Rexit. TIRESOME!
8
Taking a harder line on Iran and North Korea? How about taking a harder line on Putin's murders and the Russian oligarchs who own Trump? This looks like yet another Trumpish deflection. Hopefully Tea Party Pompeo isn't as compromised as Trump.
18
I really believe that trump, being the egomaniacal monster that he is, feels that he’s going to go to North Korea and completely fix the situation. All by himself. And he doesn’t want to share his glorious, victorious limelight with anyone. OK. Fine. Go alone.
14
He still thinks he is on The Apprentice.
I can just see his Presidential library: Embossed with gold and a wall of framed Tweets.
God help us.
23
NYT, when you say Mike Pompeo is "in" you should qualify that by saying "in for now". I've never seen a White House with so much turnover. When they go in they are great, but when they go out after a short temporary tenure it's "thanks for your service". The Donald must be an absolute pleasure to work for.
5
In my opinion, Trump doesn't have a soul.
You could say he's chosen a soulless collaborator, I guess.
Haspel, mistress of torture and dubious secrecy, is no prize either.
We're going downhill fast.
Pompeo seems to see nothing wrong with Trump deferring to Putin. I wouldn't call that "America First" myself.
26
Trump's staff is like the weather. Every few days, it changes.
6
Headline today- " Secretary of State Rex Tillerson fired with a single tweet!"
Today very unpresidential Trump gives his friend Rex the boot via social media!
This man will never be confused with someone of standards, ethics, consideration, honor. Though I am not a fan of Mr. Tillerson , the treatment by Trump of those he arm twisted to praise him in front of cameras is reprehensible, cringeworthy. You have to have a very low level of self esteem to accept Trumps' actions.
15
Less competent than the Keystone Cops playing Musical Chairs - except these dangerous ideologues are not the least bit funny. Even worse is the thought that this instability is very likely to escalate as time goes by - Trump will never realize and/or admit that he, and not the mostly incompetent and unqualified puppets he has appointed, is the root of the problem in this Administration.
12
This is so interesting, I wrote this elsewhere but forgot to
check I wanted to be emailed when comment is published
or NYT did not print it. Here it is and I got it from TYT.
Rex was fired by the Russians. There must still be a
back channel to Trump. He was fired after his remark
about the Russians being the ones who nerve gassed
the ex spy and his daughter in England. He was also
fired by the Russians because Exxon Mobile, called
off an oil deal with them that would have brought
in trillions of dollars. The Russian company Rostov,
I believe it is called ,needed the expertise of Exxon for
drilling for the oil, I think in the black sea. Rex was
good friends with the Russians, including Putin and
was even given a gold medal by them. Listen to
Rex's good bye speech, he warns about the dangers
of the Russians and really castigates them, in part
to make sure when the indictments come down he
can point out that he was against them, and to
also to stick it to them. . Please NYT investigate
this and connect the dots that the Russians do have
something on Trump and he is obeying their orders.
Horrific! We are being governed by Putin!
The standards for proving this about a president
are very high, but I hope Mueller finds a way.
This is truly fighting evil, no gray areas here.
NYT do your best!
69
I started watching R. Maddow last year and each day she wove together a complicated chain of events that explained some of the background on the Trumps, and others entangled with Putin and the other oligarchs in Russia, from this country. From Trump off loading a property he couldn't sell, which the bank was getting ready to call in. Which one of Putins friends bought for way over market value. The man never looked at the place, just forked over millions over price. How many more "business transactions have there been and what one Trump does, well the're all in it together. We are truly in a scary time in our country.
1
I agree, and thanks be for Rachael. I so wish the
other mainstream media would focus more
on these unbelievable business deals. I cannot
remember where I read or heard this so
take it with a grain of salt but I think
Russia gave money to the NRA
1
Dear cheerful dramatist,
A couple of corrections.
1. The Russian partner with ExxonMobil (no e) is Rosneft.
2. The project that has been dropped is in the Kara Sea not the Black Sea. 3. The decision to fire Tillerson came on Friday when he was warned by General Kelly that he might get a tweet. Tillerson made his remark about Russia on Tuesday.
1
This is no way to run a country.
Oh, that's right, President Trump declared bankruptcy four times, was sued for fraud with his "Trump University" and had to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits for that fraudulent enterprise. That's just the tip of the iceberg of his lousy business practices.
And he also had a reality TV show.
So, Trump is running this country just liked he ran his businesses, and his TV show.
President Trump ia a conman and I hope his 35% base finally gets a clue.
26
All of those facets about his businesses we well known before the election, yet his base still felt and feels he is a great businessman and that he would thus lead the country well. After all it worked so well on the Apprentice.
I don't believe they will get a clue
And Pence, before he was a failed governor, was a radio talk show host. He's VP because Manafort pushed him on trump. ... Manafort currently facing the possibility of spending the rest of his misbegotten life in prison.
Beginning to smell like Bush Jnr., the architects of war are gathering.
10
@angel98..Agree ...Trump wants a war...anywhere will do.
6
I’ve exercised considerable contempt for corporate leadership (or lack there of) over a career with large organizations, but Tillerson didn’t get to the top of Exxon by being an idiot. While SOS, he displayed an understanding and appreciation of the liberal democratic institutions and multilateral cooperation that made the world safer and America greater. He mitigated much of the damage of what I’m afraid will be a catastrophic presendency for more than 13 months. I thank him.
19
Your web front page says Trump is handing State to a “kindred soul.” What an awful slander against Pompeo. He is pretty awful, in my opinion, but “kindred soul” with Trump, yuck. And putting “soul” and the president in the same sentence? Assumes facts not yet in evidence, does it not.
13
Tillerson made his deal with the devil Trump and the devil cut him down. No tears for the most ineffective Sec. of State in at least a century. But Tillerson is fabulously wealthy and will enjoy his leisure time. How nice for him.
Out of the boiling pot and directly into the flame leaps Pompeo. I admit his name spooks me. Mind you, I love Italy and nearly all things Italian but his name reminds of Pompeii so I worry that we will all be buried under a mountain of volcanic or nuclear ash. Not only does he have the name, he has the Caesarean temperament.
Trump has declared that he is coming close to having an almost perfect team to support him: fascists, racists, corporate cronies, and know-nothings. This is our country and we have no one to blame but ourselves. Simply typing that makes me want to puke.
20
And in ancient Rome, the General Pompey allied with Julius Caesar to form thei First Triumvirate. And then Pompey and Caesar turned on each other, leading to a civil war over who would be the leader of Rome.
Everything old is new again.
1
Firing all who disagree with you, the act of a despot. I’m not mourning the loss of Rex Tillerson, but I think that we should all be more alarmed by Trump’s staffing decisions. What’s being reported as a “revolving door” should be being reported as, at worst, an autocratic consolidation of power, and at best an infantile fear of challengers.
24
I look forward to the day when I don't have to breathe into a paper bag at least once during the day.
391
I was calmer during the 9 day electrical outage, without constant "updates."
Like everyone who gets too close to Trump, Tillerson has been burned, had his reputation and credibility shredded, and now is discarded by a tweet. Pure Klass, that Trump! Tillerson's presiding over the degrading of the State Department is a shameful end to a long career of business achievement. Diplomacy, however much the budget spent on State, is always cheaper than wars, but Trump doesn't seem to want that. He wants to play tin-soldier autocrat with his "bigger button" and bluster and braggadico, because of course he isn't doing the fighting. Tillerson at least seemed to recognize the importance of treating our allies with respect and cooperation, while Trump seems intent on selling out the US to Russia and any other country he personally can make a profit from. Chaos erupts from the Trump White House starting at the very top, and this is yet more evidence of just how truly unqualified and lacking in capability Trump is... as if any further evidence than the last 15 months of undisciplined erratic abnormality was needed. Sad.
6
The 2015 Iran nuclear agreement under President Barack Obama is probably history. What this means is that the president--and his new SecState--now have to deal with (1) an Iran that is released from burdensome inspection restraints and (2) a recalcitrant and belligerent North Korea, now widely seen as having suckered the American president to disarmament talks with unseemly (and unverified) haste. This would be in keeping with the scattershot approach of Donald Trump's idea of diplomacy.
Secretary-designate Mike Pompeo is a deep-red ideologue who, along with the president, bears an animus toward the Obama administration and would dearly love to embarrass Mr. Obama by revoking his signature foreign policy stroke. But Mr. Pompeo should be on notice: when America falls on its facel--and it will with no firm hand at the tiller--the president is going to look for someone to blame--and Rex Tillerson won't be around.
The Trump White House is now a fortress with only its staunchest allies still on board. On the horizon is the Robert Mueller investigation. Foggy Bottom is now a skeleton after career diplomats and other mainstays in the Department have been thrown out or have left voluntarilyl. Like the president, the new SecState has been loath to call out Vladimir Putin for sowing discord here (and abroad) and is squarely in the president's corner as an apologist for Mother Russia.
Trump's "loyalists" are loyal to him only. And to him, "loyalty" is a one-way street: a dead end.
6
04 / 07 / 13.... It's a dead end for all of us if we don't get rid of this guy .............
I'm not any constitutional lawyer and do not know if Trump can legally make his son-in-law Jared Kushner his secretary of state. But in all its practical sense, Kushner is seems to be more influential than Secretary of state in shaping American foreign policy and he enjoys that power without taking almost any responsibility. Trump would have made his favorite son-in-law his secretary of state and make him more responsible of his actions rather than calling the shots using someone else's shoulder.
2
It all seems to come down to this: what are the odds that this multiple bankrupt, multiple cheater, real estate “maven” has the right ideas for radical change in our way of governing? Add in a second question: why did he hire Manafort as campaign chair? Add in the lies, pour special sauce, and, again, what are the odds?
6
With the firing of Tillerson, Pompeo to Sec of State and Haspel to CIA, we are two giant steps closer to realizing Trump's authoritarian, I-love-war-torture-and-execution, regime. A question for Congress...will you be complicit in shifting democracy to authoritarianism by approving these appointments?
22
The State Department's funding, staff, and morale has been decimated. Every expert you can find, including the most conservative, are saying he probably was the worst Secretary of State ever. No one ever deserved or needed to be fired more than this guy (except for maybe one other person in the Oval Office).
Personally, I can't help but think that the talks with North Korea weigh heavily on this decision. Think about it... in order for these talks to be set up a South Korean representative basically needed to strong-arm their way into meeting with the President and beg for him to let them set up a meeting for him with Kim. This is how diplomacy desperately needed to help avoid nuclear war was set up under Rex.
It’s curious, Tillerson spoke the obvious about Russia (and his boss’ intellectual capacity), yet a Pompeo is blunt about Russia’s election interference and is favored.
Pompeo is more of a threat to Trump than Tillerson will ever be. Pompeo is bright, ambitious, capable, and knows the levers (and secrets) of government. I personally can’t see a larger threat in the cabinet than that. I’m not sure who to root for...
3
And another one gone, and another one gone ~ tweeted into oblivion
2
Trump's biggest con job was giving his sucker voters the idea that he was against the idiotic invasion of Iraq, since he and Pompeo are going to lead us into a much more disastrous neocon war to "protect" Israel in Iran (three times bigger than Iraq) than the Iraq neocon fiasco to "protect" Israel ever was. Then he can give us another total disaster of a war in Korea. Trump is the greatest puppet for Putin and Bibi one can possibly imagine. What a disaster for America! Trump makes Quisling look good; he's the greatest traitor in the history of major world powers. Never in human history have smaller foreign powers like Russia and Israel installed a puppet leader in a major power to do their bidding for them, and wreck the major power in the process.
18
Did Trump fire Tillerson or did Vladimir Putin order him fired? With this dumpster fire Presidency can anyone be sure?
14
Traitor Trump cannot abide anything but loyalty to himself and Putin.
8
Trump wants a new SoS by the time he visits Kim- that's a joke, right?
3
All this reminds me of a joke. Back when the USSR was still a political entity:
An American accosts a Russian, standing in one of those ubiquitous lines.
"How are things in Russia nowadays?" inquires the American.
"Oh," says the Russian. "Better. Much better."
"Really?" says the American. "You surprise me."
"Not at all," says the Russian. "They really are--much much better. . . .
". . . .that is--much better than NEXT YEAR, you understand. Of course, they're much WORSE than last year. . . . . "
Mr. Tillerson (judging from what I've read) was close to a disaster as our Secretary of State. Important diplomatic posts have been left unfilled. The man had virtually no communication with skilled, well-informed operatives in his own department. Morale was in the toilet. Still IS--in the toilet.
And already--before Mr. Pompeo has even been confirmed--we find ourselves looking back at Mr. Tillerson's retreating figure. . . .
. . .not exactly with NOSTALGIA--oh no! never that. . .
. . .but foreboding. What's the NEXT guy gonna be like? Better? Oh dear, I have my doubts!
Worse? How CAN this presidency get worse.
The answer is--LOTS OF WAYS. There are INNUMERABLE ways this presidency could get much MUCH worse.
And I'm afraid even to think of them.
So I don't
Not yet.
11
Well, now we know why Pompeo had that mysterious meeting with the top Russian intelligence spy chiefs recently....it was apparently his job interview for Secretary of State.
17
I give Trump a 95% chance to start a war thinking it will get him re-elected. It will only get him prison for life.
5
I understand the principle that, when a subordinate can't get along with the leader, the subordinate should go. What I can't understand is Trump's resort to tweets – the humiliating, turn-the-back ways in which he fires people. It's not merely rude and disrespectful — its cowardly.
Can't Donald J. Trump be 'man' enough to talk face-to-face with people he fires?
20
Man enough? This is a man who got deferments 5 times for bones spurs which no longer bother him somehow. I have news for people, bone spurs do not disappear.
1
Buckle up! As the number of "rational" cabinet-members and advisers dwindle, there are few who can have any effect at thwarting Trump's damaging, irrational, ignorant, and Pro-Russia policies. Now that he's nominated Pompeo to Sec. State (a proven "yes" man to Trump), who's left to tell him that attacking Iran and/or N. Korea only plays into Putin's strategy to fill the increasingly large vacuum where American leadership once stood? I've got a hunch things are about to get messy.
6
I cannot wait to see the day when this madman tweets himself: "You are fired."
3
So now do the Persian Gulf leaders decide who should be America’s SOS? The president is once again pushed around by foreign leaders for their own purposes. And the appointment of a hostile and unsympathetic hardliner towards North Korea as SOS doesn’t appear to be a wise or diplomatic move by the president as he prepares for his summit meeting with the unpredictable Kim Jong-un.
5
We have a west wing full of former military commanders. Now our chief ambassador is a former spy. Sounds almost Putinesque. With all these hammers, it's only a matter of time before every international challenge is perceived as a nail. We are in trouble! How did we let this happen??
17
What I find encouraging about this “shake up” is the appointment of Gina Haspel to the Director of the CIA. She will be the first woman appointed to the post of the CIA. Another achievement for women! Ms. Haspel bring impeccable credentials to the position. On NPR this evening, one of the correspondents described as a “spy’s spy,” in that she has worked under cover for most of her career at the agency, only recently coming out. Ms. Haspel ran the CIA prison in Turkey at which one of the masterminds behind 9/11 was waterboarded several times. In fact, she ordered the videotapes of that so-called “torture” destroyed. I like that. Yeah, I like that. Ms. Haspel is the kind of patriot we need to lead the CIA. I support her 110%. Her appointment demonstrates that President Donald J. Trump has triumphed. Everyday he triumphs. And he will continue to triumph. Trump will continue to triumph triumphantly through 2024, and beyond. Thank you.
3
Yes and chief torturer for Bush when she was when was station chief. Trump says he wanted to bring back torture and he has just put her in charge. So torture is back on the table. Ignoring all the US condemnations of torture in the past, she and Trump can proudly say, we torture like the Nazis and the Japanese did during WWII.
@Skip Moreland,
More significant is the fact that President Trump has appointed a woman to Direct the CIA; this is a significant achievement for women. You'd think President Trump, who has been maligned as a misogynist and disrespectful of women, would not make such an appointment, to place the nation's foremost intelligence agency in the hands of a woman. As for "torture," well that remains to be seen. At least the terrorists were not summarily executed, as perhaps should have been their fate. In the name of justice, they were granted the opportunity to live, unlike the outcome they chose for their innocent victims. Everything needs to be put into the larger perspective.
Have we forgotten that Trump is the one who brought Tillerson to the State Dept? He hired him for a reason, but apparently he didn't turn out as planned. We can only hope Pompeo is similar, which is not a stretch since everyone else in the WH gets fired by Trump when they won't do his "Crazy".
2
You'll have to excuse me for choking on the newest large headline for this article with the phrase "Kindred Soul". It's certainly breaking news that Trump (or for that matter, Tillerson) has a soul.
6
So Tillerson acted too rationally, didn't itch enough for war, didn't accept to throw the world order into the toilet, wouldn't agree with the gut feelings of ...? The chances for WWIII have just increased 100 fold.
11
Fascinating how many things Pompeo shares with Pompeii -- including that both will be remembered as victims of blowhards:
Pompeii -- of the destructive force of Mt. Vesuvius
Pompeo -- of the destructive force of Mt. Trumpty
7
I'm beginng to wonder. There have been several references of late to "strategic material/industries"; now we have a much more hawkish individual taking up the reins of the State Department.
So ... who are we planning to attack or assume is about to attack us? Seems like the administration is putting itself into "New War" footing.
7
OH Iran, N. Korea, and everyone else Trump hates. That does exclude Russia, Turkey, the Saudis, Syrians, Israel, etc.
President Trump confirmed Rex is perfectly sane when he said "It was a different mind set."
9
Any one with a real world-view would not qualify for Trump's secretary of state because his view of the world is America-centric. He wants to isolate this country from the rest of the world by building a wall along the Mexican border and establishing an invisible wall around the rest of the country. He wants to purge the country of immigrants, especially those who are black or brown and promote a population of white anglo-saxons. His idea of a great America is the culture of the 1950s, never mind the segregation and Jim Crow laws that existed then. Only Ozzie and Harriet and The Donna Reed show would be broadcast on TV. Trump doesn't have a world-view and neither does Mike Pompeo, a hard-line Tea Party reactionary and yes-man for Trump.
11
Unless "confidence" is a synonym for delusional, I think this article is inaccurate when it states that Trump has "developed more confidence in his own instincts." Confidence is defined as "the state of feeling certain about the truth of something." Trump has never believed in the TRUTH about anything, be it Russia's meddling in our election, his dalliance with Stormy Daniels, his failure to win the popular vote, the meager size of the crowd at his inauguration, etc., etc. But he is totally delusional when he touts his business acumen; his ability to hire the "very best people;" his recent assertion that while the NRA has "great power" over others, "they have less power over me;" and his biggest delusion of all--that he will emerge untouched from the Mueller investigation.
4
So now we get an ideologue for Secretary of State? It’s a position that calls for an intelligent, calm and level headed person who can take an analytic and flexible approach to international issues. Does Pompeo have any of these traits?
7
What a way to run a country, and its premier diplomatic service that the world tries (or used to try) to emulate!
I am sure the manager of a small-town supermarket puts in more thought and deliberation, and decency of face-to-face discussion, in hiring and firing kids who collect the shopping carts from the parking lot, than Trump does in constantly shuffling his cabinet, and subordinates. Like a kid trying hard to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
From the mature and respected neurosurgeon or rocket scientist in the family of nations, we - the United States - have become the unstable, perpetually-drunk loudmouth uncle who needs to be "managed" at all times.
No wonder that North Korea's Kim wants to meet Trump. What can possibly go wrong for Kim in meeting someone who is looking for a "Win" and extracting maximum benefits for the said win?
11
U.S. President Trump has a right to have loyal people who will follow his instructions and carry out his foreign policy. We hope his policies will include increased aid to our Kurdish allies in Syria and that he will take steps to end the crimes of Russian bombings on civilians in Syria.
3
LOL! With his support of dictators like Euradon, the Kurds don't stand a chance.
Good Riddance. Now we can rip up Iran deal and throw the hoax of global warming in history's trash basket. First North Korea will capitulate and Iran will be next. The mullah's will sue for peace. That is called Trumpian leadership.
1
Why would North Korea capitulate when Trump has already given them what they want? Legitimacy on the international stage and recognition as an equal partner in negotiations. Both leaders are known liars, so no sane person would trust anything that either says or any document produced by this meeting.
3
You are seriously deluded, my friend. Your comment illustrates eloquently the ignorance behind the "Trump base".
8
And don't forget the stable genius is going to build that wall and keep all those mountain climbing Mexicans out.
2
What kind of human fires someone by twitter....not a human being. So much for drumpf's so called christianity. He is like that saudi prince who arrested all the rich saudi citizens not in his clan and tortured some..one to death. Even a complete creep would wait to have a personal talk with someone for a high level job. It is not a factory where I suppose they post a notice of layoffs on a bulletin board.
13
Great! Now the place holder in the oval office is surrounding himself with others who trust his gut instinct. Say so long to prosperity ... Pray these incompetents do not start a war beyond trade.
16
The instability inside the Trump White House is six alarm blaze wild. While it's "entertaining" to watch the endless stream of twisted dirty drama spewing up from the pool of cess they've created—if you sit quietly and ponder the revolving door and what it says about the stability of the country.... it's straight up terrrifying. Say what you may about Rex Tillerson, but he seems to have had an ounce of reason and more importantly integrity, at least when it comes to foreign policy, especially in regards to Russia, North Korea and Iran. ......Tillerson threw his full support behind British PM Theresa May's condemnation of Russia after they allegedly used nerve poison on one of their former spies. He said "we are outraged that Russia appears to have again engaged in such behavior. From Ukraine to Syria -- and now the UK -- Russia continues to be an irresponsible force of instability in the world, acting with open disregard for the sovereignty of other states and the life of their citizens." (if he'd only mentioned what they did to the USA)
Now, the State Department will be handed off to a loud former Tea Party Congressman, Mike Pompeo. It's as if the President—who is feeling especially spooked these day as the Mueller investigation closes in—is consolidating power around him, handing positions of power, policy and influence to those who subscribe solely to his nationalist, egomaniacal views.
14
The new geo-political reality. Ignore Great Britain, our closest ally and embrace. Moscow. When do we say that Trump has done to many favors for Russia?
18
Now is time to end favors for Russia. It is Russia that is guilty of war crimes in Syria and we hope President Trump will not only continue aid and assistance to our Kurdish allies in Syria but that he will take steps to end the crimes of Russia in Syria.
2
The country's top diplomat is normally the Secretary of State but the Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson was routinely undermined by the president's son in law, Jared Kushner and by Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to UN. Nikky Haley became the most visible diplomat instead of Tillerson. It looks like she had frequent clashes with Tillerson. According to a foreign policy reporter, the divide between Nikky Haley and Tillerson stems from Haley's insistence that her role as ambassador be treated as a cabinet level position equal to Tillerson's and president Trump "readily agreed". According to this foreign policy article : "Tillerson is stumbling, and the White House has been in a state of chaos for much of the first year," So Nikki just decided, absent a direction, 'I'm just going to fill the void.' I hope with the new secretary of State, Mike Pompeo she does not have to fill that void.
3
BEGIN QUOTE -- “I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want." -- UNQUOTE & TRANSLATION -- He has no clue but he's bound and determined to be the leader of that cluelessness.
17
Even in the midst of tragedy there are opportunities. With the State Department demoralized and rudderless and a new secretary that embraces the "America First" campaign slogan as a form of diplomacy we should have an open debate about America's role in the world.
The first issue is why we are still at war 17 years after 9/11? We must explore the executive excesses that have reached well beyond the War Powers Act and we must demand that other than emergency situations congress must exercise its constitutional role to declare or NOT declare war against another country.
We should ask why we are so belligerent against China? The growth of their economy inevitably means that China and the US would share the world economic stage. Minor conflicts over trade policy should be resolved with negotiations, not aircraft carriers patrolling China's coast.
We must assist Mexico with their drug cartel problem. The level of violence and state disintegration will spill over into the US, wall or no wall.
The negotiations with North Korea open an opportunity to embrace a nuclear free zone, which would include no US nuclear weapons as well.
And we must address the issue of global warming. Despite what the fossil fuel trolls in the administration say, both the CIA and the DIA have concluded that global warming is real, is exacerbated by human activity and will be a source of conflict in the future.
144
Well said -- Unfortunately, I severely doubt that any of your points will be the path Trump's White House takes..... quite the opposite actually.... and in the most haphazard manner possible...
6
The carriers aren't there because of conflicts over trade policy but because of China's illegal land grabs in the South China Sea.
4
And why should the US object to that considering our history of land grabs?
“I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the cabinet and other things I want,” Mr. Trump. If he is so confident, secure in his decisions, then why did he fired Tillerson today way of a Twitter post. To even of announce letting him go on Twitter would of been bad enough. This speaks volumes to an act of a coward. This is the man who took an oath to honor and protect the United States Constitution, please the only oath that matters to Trump is to Trump.
20
If I am the leader of a foreign country dealing with the US, my first question for Pompeo would be why should I bother cultivating a relationship with you? You could be gone tomorrow at a tweet's notice.
303
Exactly. Or, "Why should I cultivate a relationship with you? Your POTUS lies constantly and punishes his friends and subordinates. Who could trust anything he says?"
1
Pompeo could ask any leader of any other country that very same question. He won't and they won't because they are diplomats not partisan hacks.
1
Apply same reasoning to key positions in the Trump administration.
Trump needs highly skilled people. He will say something one day
and backtrack the next day. He will insult a person or a nation or a race without thinking of the consequences. He has undercut and/or bully key people like Sessions and Tillerson. Why would anyone want to work in his administration?
2
Pompeo's addition to Trump's Fascist Cabinet will enhance the growing Dictatorship; and thus, in turn, hasten its end.
9
Another example of trump's ego-centric need to surround himself only with people who agree with him and feed his ego. No coincidence trump fired tillerson after criticizing Russia for the poisoning of a diplomat and his daughter who are in critical condition. Russia used the same tactic on Lovesenko who died in London in 2005 from nerve poison;trump chose Pompeo who is a trump loyalist and very hawkish on trade and foreign policy. Another State Department official, Steven Goldstein, was fired today because he said Tillerson did not know why he was being fired and had decided to stay. Since trump can't tolerate anyone saying something different from the white house spin, trump fired him;trump's dictator incliniations are more evident with every firing. Trump's poor timing of removing Tillerson when the meeting with North Korea is so close;it seems trump wanted Pompeo, who is part of the America First view that has alienated our allies and who has hawkish views;this sends the message that trump, per usual, does not know how to negotiate but will conduct himself as he always did in his business dealings, as a bully;trump's administration grows increasing chaotic which does not bode well for diplomatic talks;at least Tillerson is a steady, competent person who knows how important respecting our Allies is in world affairs;once again, trump couldn't tolerate Tillerson's just criticism of Russia's archaic, barbaric poisoning,but trump continues to coddle Russia.
8
The Secretary of State should not be a puppet. Tillerson was his own man. The only criticism that has any merit was the comment that Tillerson's relationship with his own department was weak.
3
Despite the chaos, one theme of Trump's Ministry is remarkably consistent. The worst Secretary of State, the worst Secretary of Education, the worst EPA Administrator all serving the worst President. The descendants of President James Buchanan are likely to be celebrating.
10
Tillerson was hamstringed by his independent views. Trump despises anyone who can think for himself and expresses those opinions. In surrounding himself with sycophants he is confining himself to his own small world, to the detriment of us all.
29
At what point will the growing chaos in the White House be the direct cause of a national or international catastrophe? The leading democracy in the world has already allowed diplomacy to fail and Trump wants to meet with Kim Jong-un. And what about natural disasters like hurricane Maria?
How bad will things get before Republicans stop their cover up of the Trump administration's illegal behavior? I fear there are worse consequences to come.
130
Trump destroys everything and everyone that comes entangled with him. That might includ us. But one consolation, the complete discrediting and destruction of the GOP. They will never survive being the party of Treason and Russia.
61
Your mouth to God's ears. He just seems to keep afloat of all the insanity!
3
When the catastrophe comes, Trump will throw rolls of paper towels.
6
Trump is removing the non-essential administration members, the ones who displease him -- the ones who think as he does not. Trump will hear fewer discouraging words in the White House until he turns on the news and nothing is following his wishes. He does his administration no service by filling his staff with people who give him exactly that which he wants to hear. But Trump is a genius whose wonderful brain gives him the answers and he need not even have to think about anything very long nor hard. In other words, Trump is on a wild ride and nobody knows where it will lead.
5
Pretty soon there will be no one available for these government jobs because you have to be pro-Russia and pro-Trump and willing to lie and willing to cover up and willing to deny immigrants and be willing to accept the degradation of our America and the sex scandals and fowl language of your employer. Messy.
143
Sadly, based on last night Pa. congressional results, there are still lots of deplorable "born-again" Republican sycophants wanting these jobs.
Trump's picks, have nothing to do with putting America first, it has to do with not reigning in incompetent fool. The safety of our country just got more precarious.
13
Perhaps Tillerson can start a consulting firm with the other Trump departees.....Going, Going, and Cohn!
11
It appears Tillerson's firing might have stemmed from him criticizing Russia yesterday in relation to the attack in the UK, network news reports state. Also, new info suggests that Tillerson was originally chosen by Trump after Russia asked for a Russia-friendly secretary of state and rejected the idea of Mitt Romney.
Let's turn this around for a second. What if it turned out that Obama had appointed a pro-Arab secretary of state at the request of Saudi Arabia, and then fired that secretary of state after he criticized violence perpetrated by Arabs? What would Republicans in Congress have said? I imagine it would have provided plenty of fodder for them in their attacks on Obama. As well it should have (never mind that Obama was far too honorable to conduct that kind of anti-American activity).
Yet Republicans turn a blind eye as Trump does this with Russia. When the history books are written, they will treat today's Republican party very harshly for allowing the U.S. to be brought down by this charlatan.
377
What do the Russians have on Trump? I think this question just got some added relevance.
13
If voters demand transparent and secure elections and actually get them, expect them to send Republicans into retirement.
5
"When the history books are written, they will treat today's Republican party very harshly ...."
Unless of course the books are burned, censored or the history is re-written (e.g., see the Koch brothers' attempts to rewrite the history of American slavery.)
What a circus! Ridiculous!
53
This Trumps way of admitting Tillerson was right, he (Trump) is a moron, not to mention a coward.
Trump besides being a moron, is afraid to fire someone to their face, Kim Jung Il routinely kills his adversaries. He’s going to eat Trump alive, which might not be a bad thing, come to think of it, since the GOP won’t impeach him.
110
Tillerson admits Russia used nerve gas in the U.K. Tillerson is fired the next day. Pompeo is not so much someone who shares Trump's worldview, as someone who is willing to repeat the various falsehoods which keep this regime afloat.
204
It wasn't nerve gas.
For Garrett Clay: "Mrs. May identified the chemical as a Novichok, a class of extremely deadly nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s." Yes, it was nerve gas.
2
What if it's the CIA that's tightening its control of the government?
4
If you are going to be successful troll operating out of St. Petersburg Russia you need to know more about how the U.S. government works. The CIA is a tiny speck of a government agency compared to say, the National Security Agency, the Department of Defense, or even the Department of Agriculture. The CIA doing as you suggest is like a python attempting to swallow an elephant.
35
Conspiracy theory nonsense.
3
I'm calling it here, today, first. Unless we Democrats take the House or Senate in the Midterms, Pompeo WILL be the next Vice President. He is a fanatic, a zealot, and a true believer. In Himself. He is just the consigliere that Trump needs, and the stepping stone. Watch your back, Preacher Pence. Twitter is NOT your friend, as Rexxon found out.
263
Could it be that one does not have to know how the U.S. system of succession outlined in the constitution is not required to be a Russian hack working out of St. Petersburg?
6
Eh, Trump can’t fire the Vice President.
1
No, Trump can't fire the Vice President. But he sure can be persuaded to resign. See: Agnew. Also: DUH.
2
Don't worry about Tillerson be very worried about US policy under Trump and a like minded stooge. Pompeo is probably more on top of things but will he stand up to Trump's baser natures and what Trump calls his instincts.Will he Guide or will he be lead. Things are not well in America. This is not the conservatism of Reagan or the Bushes this is something much worse. A know nothing pretending to know everything,
20
Actually, Tillerson and Cohn's departure marks the final demise of the "surround Trump with adults" strategy.
And keep in mind, this was the final refuge of those who invested heavily in the "Trump will pivot" mindset, convinced that once exposed to the responsibility and secrets of the office, would somehow morph into a reasonable, if not politically palatable, Commander in Chief.
Even Kelly has shown a shameless willingness to prevaricate on behalf of the honesty-challenged President.
When loyalty becomes the coin of the realm, the nation will shortly be bankrupt.
251
We will have “campaign Trump” out governing, flexing his power. This is likely to scare more folks than are scared now.
Love that last sentence, Neander!
Pompeo, a spur-of-the-moment choice who will encourage Trump to act on his own worst impulses, is a grave danger to the country and should be rejected by the Senate. He may not actually have enough votes for confirmation - alternatively he`ll be confirmed with a lot of behind-the-scenes arm twisting and the same number of votes as Betsy DeVos - the bare minimum, and tantamount to a vote of no confidence.
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At least three Democrats running for reelection in states Trump won will vote to confirm Pompeo whether you llke it or not, and if you want Democrats to regain control of the Senate you better understand that they will vote that way to stay in the Senate.
Somebody with honor and integrity had better step in and make America safe again.
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The only appropriate way for Mueller to release the findings of his investigations is with a tweet. Something like, "The 2 year investigation has uncovered clear and significant evidence of criminal conspiracy and obstruction of justice, and other crimes. We are seeking indictment of Trump, Trump Jr., Jared, and several others." And then maybe some sort of Twitter account from Congress can announce impeachment proceedings. And then maybe Trump can learn of the outcome of the final impeachment vote from a tweet, which karma dictates would have to be a vote for impeachment.
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Actually, he is replacing people with those who reflect a "Russia First" view.
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Unlike his boss, Tillerson was an honorable man, but his lack of previous government experience and disinterest in how the State Department operates made him a bad fit for the key position he held. And he was foolish to sign on with Comrade Don, who stains, corrupts, or degrades everyone around him.
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A fool appoints a dagger aimed right at his own back.
Pompeo, who one would think will have a lot to do in dealing with North Korea and setting up the purported summit with Kim Jong Un, is one of those confirming Trump in his determination to tear up the nuclear materials agreement with Iran.
Under that agreement, 96% of Iran's fissionable nuclear material is now in Russia and will be for another 13.5 years at least. That agreement has the concurrence of Russia, China, the EU, Britain and France and they are not going to tear it up.
If we do, if we walk away (not so easy of course under the terms of the agreement) -- if we walk away from an agreement by which the other principle party gave up not a nuclear arsenal but nuclear material, why would Kim surrender any part of a nuclear arsenal reported by The Times and others to contain an estimated 20 to 60 nuclear devices.
Only a fool of a cunning conniver would be encouraging Trump in this abjectly stupid adventure. Mr. Pompeo gives every evidence of being a pompous Iago.
And the woman designated to be his successor at the CIA, Gina Haspel, belongs not at the CIA but in the dock at Nuremberg. By and civilized standard she is a war criminal. What will she please, that she acted under orders? Not good enough, never a good enough excuse for war crimes
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Thank you for your observtions especially And the woman designated to be his successor at the CIA, Gina Haspel, belongs not at the CIA but in the dock at Nuremberg. By and civilized standard she is a war criminal." It is beyond distressing to think this person now heads the CIA. It is a travesty that the US governent has sunk to this depth in the swamp. November cannot come quickly enough.
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" Trump First " values. Let's get real, please.
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Maybe Putin wants Tillerson out for some reason. Pompeo did mention he though there was election meddling by the Russians, so this gets him out of an investigative role.
I realize this all sounds very tin foil hat.
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Wait, all this time I thought he was going to hire the best people....what happened?
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Depends upon what you mean by best people. Best for the country or best for Trump? What is best for the country is non-Trump people.
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In Trump's dictionary, "best" is defined as "those persons who are willing to bow down deeply and lick his shoes." Just like they did at that ridiculous cabinet meeting a while back.
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No surprise. That’s what Fascists do. Surround themselves with loyal henchmen with the same prejudiced views and thirst for their leader’s power as the answer to all problems.
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Those who have not been asleep for decades will have noticed that Presidents of either political persuasion select cabinet members whose views are similar to their own, and who support rather than undermine Presidential policies. No President wants department heads who go their merry way with no regard for the President's goals; it also works that way in the corporate sector.
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What does it say about the quality of his views and goals that so many of the people he's hired, who seemed to share his values in the beginning, are quitting or being fired because they disagree with him so vehemently?
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Pompeo may be more to Trump's liking at this moment, but nothing in TrumpWorld lasts very long. If he lasts out the year, it'll be a new world's record!
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Pathetic. What kind of decent "businessman" doesn't TELL the person he is letting go the news in person or at least over the phone? To announce this over Twitter and have NO ONE rebuke him says a lot about him and the characters that surround him. Disgusting! He's the greatest example of what NOT TO DO, ever.
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You answered you question Trump is not decent. Trump is instinctively a coward. and acts tough with people in inferior positions. Comey and Tillerson were more than his intellectual equals they were, compared to Trump, intellectual Giants. Trump is afraid of people smarter than him.
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Trump is a shame to the nation, especially the 3+million more voters, who chose another candidate, but were forced to accept him because of the antiquated and un-democratic Electoral College. His residency in the White House has been plagued with scandal (paying off prostitutes, no tax transparency, over-ruling law on Russia sanctions) and irresponsibility (leaving Paris accord, abandoning NAFTA, threatening nuclear and trade wars. The Republicans in Congress share the blame for their silence on these treasonous matters.
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I've heard a person who has known Trump for years, call him a coward. That would answer your question.
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