World War 3 needs to get started. We have to cover up the financial debt disaster we've created. No way better than by blowing up the earth I guess...
1
"Share your thoughts".....as it regards Trump and his revolving door cabinet, my brain is rattled.
1
Very unnerving to see Trump's new appointments - everything he does supports my personal conspiracy theory - that he is the true 'Manchurian Candidate!'
A Tweet. Shameful way of firing someone. I'm not defending Tillerson's record; but, allowing this kind of behavior to operate in government (or anywhere) further debilitates public trust in the leadership of this country. No wonder Putin thinks we're idiots. How low have we sunk.
3
The headline for this story in the Times’ print edition this morning reads “Tillerson Ousted As Trump Silences Dissent in Cabinet”. Shouldn’t the headline have been something more like “Tillerson Ousted Immediately After Criticizing Russia for U.K. Spy Attack”?
1
Another chapter in the new ongoing drama— Putin’s Progress.
2
Trump is a spineless coward ~ To have the gall to fire Mr Tillerson via his Twitter Account is beyond the pale.~
Regardless of how effective Mr Tillerson was as Secretary of State (or not)...If Trump was a man of any integrity and honor this firing should had taken place face to face/ man to man in a private setting.When Trump comes on the 'TV- News' and speaking his garbage my husband and i reach for the mute button.We despise him and we are not even living in the US.
5
So Tillerson nailing Russia for poisoning that guy in London, was that the last straw?
1
If it's true, the president's firing of Mr. Tillerson through Twitter, has got to be the most unprofessional way to communicate the information to the ex Secretary of State.
2
When I heard what had happened today, my thought toward our president was, "Have you no shame?" Whether Rex Tillerson was doing the job well or not was one matter. To fire him behind his back, he who was a CEO of one of the world's largest companies, is another. Tillerson whether he did the job well or not gave up much to serve his country, and we should acknowledge and thank him for that. This action shows the continuing pattern of Trump being a coward and a bully. If we let him get away with it without calling him out, the existence of our civilized society is threatened. It's the small things that undermine things that are great. What can we do? Either nothing -- or we can contact the president and our Republican representatives and let them know we will not accept this playground bullying behavior any more - and push the leaders hard that they CAN'T accept it any more either. This is as big of a deal as other issues of the day -- and it's a silent killer creeping up on us to destroy us.
18
@Martin, you're right. It was like watching an episode of the Apprentice with Tillerson. Tillerson is a proud man, at the least let him resign on his own. Trump clearly is a terrible person to work for. Who's left in his cabinet that he can rely on, trust, confide in? Not many.
The 'Moron' statement was the beginning of the inevitable end of Rex's tenure. Prima Dona Don didn't find him obsequious enough. So out he goes. Washington had Adams and Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln had his Team of Rivals. This POTUS lives up to his promise that he and he alone can "save" our country by eliminating internal debate and ensuring sycophants have a home in the White House.
8
So now with Pompeo, Trump will be poking evermore at Iran.
I predict more missiles flying all over the place.
Putin must be giddy by now.
4
So the CIA chief is now leading diplomacy efforts globally? That will surely build trust and leadership.
8
I refute the notion that Trump fired Tillerson for a "different mind-set, a different way of thinking..." If the last year has taught us anything, it is that Trump has no discernible mind set at all, and a different way of thinking in consecutive breaths. In fact, whatever combustible electrons make up the act of thinking in Trump's brain, the result in nothing close to a mind-set. The only set notions are in Trump's thinker are that truth are lies and lies are truth.
6
Firing someone via a tweet is cowardly and just plain rude.
God, I hate Trump's Twitter account. It brings out the worst in his insecure, immature and impulsive nature.
18
Pompro is a Koch brothers stooge. Like Cotton in the Senate, the Koch brothers own them. The Koch brothers, through subsidies, funded Pompeo's business ventures as partners. The Koch brothers were by far the biggest contributors to his political campaigns.
How can this sycophant to Trump and the Koch brothers be a trusted leader to the United States? His academic credentials are window dressing. Selling one's sole for power, even fascist power, is demeaning to anyone of real intelligence
9
What a coward. He can't even fire people face to face. Even a text. An email. Classless as well as crass and dumb. What a complete embarrassment. Republican congresspeople wake up!!!! You are letting our country die.
14
One pattern is clear - the TV blowhard can't directly say "You're Fired" to his aides, secretaries of whatever. He's a coward.
13
Things are cool at the WH.
The US autocrat is level and decided.
Nothing further can go wrong, only lightning fast progress.
Why isn't the news reporting that Exxon pulled out of the multi trillion dollar oil deal (That only they had the technology to drill out of the arctic) with the Russians then a week later he's fired. might be the reason and it might not but it's worth noting. I thought the whole thing stunk from the get go. Out of all if the people with foreign policy experience, they hire the CEO of Exxon with zero experience, but he did have the The Russian Order of Friendship medal witch is the highest honor Putin can give a non Russian citizen, BTW Mike Flynn had one too..and he had that huge oil deal in the works. Odd huh? I thought Mitt Romney would of been a good SOS. But oh well. I read the new guys first order of business will be getting rid of the Iranian nuclear deal. Is that good or bad? I don't really know. But At least Mike Pompeo is the former director of the CIA and has some foreign policy experience. Does that mean he'll be good? No but he's at least qualified unlike Tillerson.
1
Tillerson will not be missed. He was way over his head as Secretary of State. Same as Donald Trump, clueless.
Tillerson wanted to make the State Department more efficient by reducing the numbers of diplomats. An isolationist who doesn’t understand the value of
Diplomatic relations.
8
Unimaginable now that this country, just over a year ago, had Barack Obama as President and John Kerry as Secretary of State.
21
Trump must know something about chaos theory that we don't. He obviously is not bothered by constant turnover of staff. There must be method to his madness that we cannot understand.
2
Tillerson and Trump had never met prior to his nomination to be Sec. of State. He was brought on for one reason: his contacts with V. Putin. Tillerson's Exxon-Mobil oil behemoth had signed a huge deal with Russia's controlled oil oligarchy, but the arrangement was held up when Obama imposed sanctions on Russia for its meddling.
Tillerson was unable to get the sanctions lifted. Trump has been unable to get the sanctions lifted. Since he never accepts blame for anything, Tillerson was unceremoniously dumped, with our fearless leader once again avoiding a face-to-face firing.
5
Who would have ever thought that the 45th presidency would also double as the latest season of “The Apprentice’?
6
From the perspective of another country, the appointment of a CIA Director to Secretary of State is certain to establish a deep feeling of trust in their discussions.
6
Who fires anyone, much less a Secretary of State, via twitter? The US is a joke. A nuclear-armed joke, but a joke nonetheless.
13
Yeah the big man who doesn't even have the courage to fire an employee face-to-face would run unarmed into a building to prevent an active shooter from slaughtering students. Then he had the audacity to lie straight into those kids' faces about raising the age for buying a rifle. Coward and liar.
22
Nailed it! Thanks!
2
I guess it's fitting for a banana republic like the US.
7
The worst President in memory fired the perhaps the worst Secretary of State ever but what sticks out is what, for all his bluster - remember who said he would run towards the gunshots at a school - what a coward President Trump is in failing to inform Tillerson first that he had been fired.
9
Trump is a weak, insecure man who doesn’t have the guts to actually fire anyone but who revels in humiliating anyone who dares to disagree with him. He’s created a myth that he likes to be surrounded by warring aides - but only if they disagree with each other. That way he can be the big guy in the room, taking pleasure in slapping down whoever annoys him most. The fools who work for him feed his vanity and bask in his attention, until they displease him. This is classic autocrat behavior and it’s a grim taste of the future.
Tillerson didn’t deserve the job but he bit the dust after he criticized Russia for the nerve poisoning in the UK, a contrast to the weasel words that came from the White House. Criticizing Putin? That was a step too far.
Trump’s done a brilliant job this last week in turning attention away from the Russia story. A possible rapprochement with North Korea is a good thing, of course, but we must always ask what motivates this man. Self-interest is always at the top of the list.
12
I suppose one could go even cheaper: How about firing the next staff member over the intercom at a drive-thru fast food restaurant?
5
The inept at the House White, over and over has demonstrated that he is entirely unable to govern. This so called business man, takes personal credit for whatever accomplishments his staff made.
2
Trump and Tillerson "had different minds sets". Yeah, Trump has none.
12
Rex Tillerson didn’t come from inherited wealth. He worked to become an Eagle Scout. He worked to be successful in the corporate world. Yes, he should have recognized that he was miscast as a diplomat. We’ll be OK. I will not dump on Rex Tillerson. He worked his whole life.
4
One day Americans from the right will find out that Trump does not have a mind-set at all.
5
Here’s what’s ahead, and with us already: Trump thriving on chaos, energized by what we think of as chaos, dysfunction, even disapproval by a majority of the country, and the world. And as we’ve seen after a year of all this—emboldened, ever more convinced to follow his impulses, to go it alone. And with crazier, more incompetent underlings.
Our only hope is a Democratic takeover of Congress. But as we’ve seen in Pa., the Dems seem incapable of strong, inspired, trench warfare.
trump treats people as disposable objects, like a vase or a blanket.
trump demands respect but doesn't give any respect.
trump demands loyalty but isn't loyal to his cabinet.
trump demands compliance but won't comply with the laws of our land.
trump wants a strong organization but loves the chaos because he's the boss that gets to call everyone else's shots, jerk their chains and he gets to laugh with they just have to live with it.
Our president. What a statesman!
5
Trump fires Tillerson in a tweet showing again what a craven coward Trump is.
11
I don't get all the positive comments on Tillerson - as reported in this article: he decimated the department, didn't set clear goals, didn't engage readily available expertise and on and on. Of course that is not why he was fired, but let's not call him smart and capable - he certainly wasn't in this role. Exactly what skills and expertise that made him CEO of Exxon were employed in this role. It is mystifying to me.
6
maybe his multi trillion dollar deal he had going with Russia witch Exxon pulled out of a week before he was fired. Plus he was awarded the Russian order of friendship medal, Mike Flynn also has that,, that's the highest honor they can give a non Russian citizen. He publicly agreed with Theresa May about Russia being responsible for poisoning those 2 people in the UK and the next day he was fired via tweet. But I agree he had no business being SOS anyhow.
2
This article raises the question: Is Trump extending the chaos and is he moving forward with his foreign policy with less barriers?How will Mike Pompeo address a response to Russian cyber aggression and Russian responsibility for poison attacks? How will Pompeo’s participation in negotiations with Kim Jong-un over nuclear crisis impact our national security? It seems like Tillerson did not perform as Secretary of State very well. Who knows why? Trump is perpetually erratic in his choices for executive staff, a clear deficiency of his leadership.
1
Further evidence of Trump’s cowardice — can’t even fire a person face to face.
16
Another day, another Trump scandal, another day of Trump outrage. Predictable as is the movement of time. If at the end of four years and the End has not materialized, celebration on the new Kingdom should be in order. MSNBC, please start one of your famous countdown clocks. Personally, I’d be disheartened if a quiet day were to pass so you can guess what I’m going to pray for tonight. I love the religious right for their simplicity and sticking to basics, I’ll take that any day over Ivy League OCD.
Madness reigns. The American Century is ending on a truly tragic note.
6
Fire your top guy via a tweet. What cowardice, what lack of class, what discouragement for the rest of your people.
I'd mock and gloat about Trump's incompetence, but the damage he's doing daily is too tragic.
17
The Koch brothers must be thrilled to death with Pompeo's nomination. He's their well-nurtured offspring.
9
Trump is so bad that he’s actually making Americans nostalgic for a Big Oil shill.
11
Hey, guys, do you know who totally agrees with you about Pompeo and Tillerson? The RT—the famous-infamous tv station funded by the Kremlin. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Haha This is hilarious. Are you sure you are not being manipulated by Putin?))))
2
In accepting the role Tillerson was then able to arrange his financial affairs to deliver a $180 million payout from his former employer. The means of his leaving the trump administration may have been unpleasant but Tillerson has his reward.
2
How would we explain to the Founders -- or, for that matter, to Lincoln -- that what they bequeathed to us has devolved into government by Twitter?
6
Our Founders would correctly point out that in a democracy people get the government they deserve. If our political system worked the way it was designed — if the GOP put country before party, if corporate donations weren’t considered protected speech under the First Amendment, if gerrymandering was illegal, and the Electoral College would have done it’s job — we’d be operating in a far more sane, predictable environment under a Madam President.
7
I had commented earlier on this story when it first broke. It's an incredible news, to say the least.
I worked for ExxonMobil - though not directly for T. Rex.
But as a Texan, I can say he was and is a good man.
Nearby, Mr Baker's analysis is well written.
And judging from his description of revolving door and all the coming and goings, America needs to find another Robert Caro - the biographer of LBJ who writes 600 odd pages just covering 13 months of LBJ life
This POTUS will easily suffice another Caro to write a 600 page tome just on a month of this presidency.
Just incredible.
It's going to be fun to read what the historians in 20 years will make of goings on in this White House.
And we are barely at halfway mark.
3
From the distance of where I am, seeing the blizzard of revolving doors of political appointments, it must seem to many Americans they're living in the United States of Paranoia, fearing when the next tweet will land.
7
Will Replace sounds very final? What, no nomination process, no confirmation hearing no Senate input?
3
I had a funny thought. Rex Tillerson actually reminds me of George W. Bush.
In a couple years, Tillerson might reflect on his replacement and the Trump administration.
'About Trump, Bush is often heard to remark, unable to stifle his trademark smirk: ‘Sorta makes me look pretty good, doesn’t it?’
2
Has Trump revealed America's true colors of racism, corruption and misogyny or is this just one very ugly phase?
4
Smart moves by U.S. President Trump every leader needs loyal, qualified people.
We wish the administration luck moving forward with new people.
1
Such long entitled title you claimed...
1
It is now apparent that Trump has colluded with Russians. There is no question about and the evidence is overwhelming. As many have pointed out, Tillerson had to go because he spoke against Putin about the nerve gas attack in the UK. The most worrying aspect of all this is not necessarily Trump's behavior that all of us know to be flawed and I at least expected it. The House GOP and the GOP in general worry me much more. They are basically ready for treason to achieve their deeply questionable political goals. They would literally sell their mother to win. This is not politics, this is a mafia. Keep that in mind when the midterms come. Do not let them win.
14
I think Catch-22 could be updated as a story about this administration.
If anyone is crazy enough to accept a position from Trump then they are immediately disqualified for being mentally incompetent and self-harming.
His whole staff is a Catch-22.
4
Your girlfriend looked much better before you got married. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Why is it that when Tillerson was credibly reported to have called Mr Trump a moron, that he was not fired at the time. That's ages ago. However the minute Tillerson concurs with British PM Theresa Mae, that Putin and the Russian government were behind the UK poisoning; that he is immediately fired?
Could it be more obvious that Putin has something on Trump- more perfidious perhaps than the claim in the dossier.
12
Rex Tillerson should have known better than to get mixed up with Trump. Seriously, what did he expect to happen? As for Mike Pompeo, I find it interesting (and disturbing) that Trump believes that they "think the same way". Mike Pompeo is a tea party zealot who is a disciple of the Koch Brothers. So who does Pompeo answer to, Trump or the Koch Bros.?
12
Pompeo has been grooming Trump for a while, personally delivering and probably explaining and interpreting the security briefs to him.
1
maybe POTUS will soon tweet himself out of a job. Please, POTUS, please.
8
One should tweet others the way one would like to be tweeted oneself. But then who would want to be groped by Trump? Perhaps 20 years ago when he was as handsome as he was then -according to Trump himself in the repulsive speech the other day.
He exudes narcissistic self-approval in every word. He explained the Tillerson matter under the reassuring whirr of helicopter blades where you can't hear the journalist and where he has the convenient exit vehicle awaiting. He is incredibly transparent for someone who constantly denies and obscures things.
Guess what, the rest of the world doesn't much care and isn't really interested...as for Pompeo's agreement that the slogan "America first" is a bona fide point of view there is some agreement abroad...this is the "first time" that the USA has become the laughingstock of the rest of the world
8
Everyone who works for this administration exits all broken up. This is becoming even more vicious cycle.
And so now, the only people who will sell their souls to work in this morally corrupt administration are those who are grossly incompetent for the post and couldn't have possibly even dreamed of getting a post at this level - because those competent people who deserve these posts simply won't sell their souls to work under Trump's moral corruption.
So, only the incompetent will try and, of course, will fail - all broken up.
8
Tillerson speaks out about Russia using nerve gas in public areas in the UK, and a day later he is fired by Trump... Trump got his orders.
15
Anyone who joins Trump's cabinet or staff understands they are expendable--just like his wives.
11
I don’t like Rex, but want Trump did is messed up!
4
Trump should stop the farce and just appoint Jared Kushner.
Trump tweets the decision fire Tillerson 3 hours before he bothers to contact Rex. Donny is one class act.
11
Okay, let's start the next "You"re fired" pool! My pick is General John Kelly.
Although, I really would rather pick Jarvanka!
6
What self-respecting tyrant doesn't enjoy a good ol' purge?
6
Please hurry Mr. Mueller
18
For the sake of the appearance of stability, how many mismatched couples have stayed together for what they think is the sake of the kids only to have the kids grow up to be basket cases because of the effect dysfunction had on them? Perhaps Trump is only trying to spare us. What a mensch.
Trunp has not got one shred of class, decency or loyalty. Anyone who agrees to serve in a high position in his government is self-destructing.
The ""best people" are those with the sense to avoid him like the plague.
Our country is in deep trouble.
12
As me gran would say -- frying pan, meet fire.
4
you all have the wrong TV show.... Trump is copying Madame Secretary. a former CIA operative becomes secy of state. He changes staff like most of us change channels. Too bad more people did not change channels when they were watching The Apprentice. ..maybe we wouldn't have the monster we do now.
4
At least Rex Tiillerson will be able to look at his grand kids and tell them acted in good faith in the interests of our nation. The history books will probably be more kind to him than to President David Denison.
14
Tillerson's parting speech was revealing all about diplomacy, kindness, courtesy, working with allies, strengthening relationships and being proud of serving the country. Nary a word about the 45th - guess it was off-topic given the theme.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/full-text-rex-tille...
1
Well, Tillerson can return to the fossil fuel industry and continue to wreak havoc on the world without Trump. If he is the only governor on Trump's out-of-control throttle we can find, America and maybe the world is doomed! Democrats have to develop some intestinal fortitude, stop the politically correct nice-guy shtick and at least take some control.
2
There was one incident while in Ethiopia a couple of days ago, which was interesting to me when I read it here...
It wasn't really the headline, outside Africa, but is it possible it was the final
nail in Tillerson's coffin?
Could this be what triggered the unceremonious, hasty exit?
Apparently, while at the same hotel in Ethiopia, Lavrov claimed to have been
snubbed by Tillerson... the Russians had asked for a face to face...
when pressed Tillerson was dismissive and replied something to the effect of- he's got my number.
Lavrov and Trump are Oval buddies.
Could the snub, be the straw that broke the camel?
10
No other points of view are acceptable to Trump. He demands a cabinet of "Yes" people.
In the face of wiser council, his Obsessive-compulsive disorder builds up, until once again, "You're Fired", "Hillary" or "Obama" comes out.
republicans in the electoral college should never have appointed this totally unfit con artist to the oval office. Especially after his resounding loss to Mrs. Clinton by nearly 3,000,000 ballots.
8
It is very disrespectful to fire the secretary of state, who has served the president for 14 months, in a tweet.
25
I just learned that today The United States of America’s Secretary of State was fired via tweet. I’m on a subway in NYC right now- can you hear me screaming in Sacramento?
11
At least he isn't using a firing squad......yet.
5
The Coward in Chief does it again. The so called Big Tough Man can't face his colleagues to say, you are fired. Ok on a realty TV show but on the world stage, he cowers behind a tweet.
14
The so-called president claims that he and Tillerson were too different.
so, Tillerson wasn't:
In favor of Russian interference in our elections,
A white racist,
A fool who doesn't understand how trade works,
OR
Willing to stay ONLY at Scion Hotels when he traveled.
5
Tilllerson never staffed the department to the level that was needed and morale was at an all time low,with veteran diplomats leaving in droves. How much of this was President Trumps doing is hard to say. Yet for Tilllerson to find out in a Tweet that he was fired, shows President Ttrump's lack of class and decorum. On his TV shows Trump fires the person to their face, but in real life, he doesn't seem to have the guts to do this. Anybody that works for Trump gets thrown under the bus, whenever it's expedient. I wonder if this has anything to do with the problems the White House is having finding people to fill the numerous empty staff positions?
5
So, we will have a Trump flunkey for Sec. of State. And the CIA will be run by someone who really should be on trial in the International Criminal Court. Are we great enough, already?
12
Or Putin just wants to make sure we don't get any experience or traction. With Vlad coming up on 20 years of power, even if we luck into another Obama, our government will have only newbies for the next decade. Really hard to catch up.
5
It is not so much as Tillerson leaving the Statement Department, what is more to be regretted is to see what is happening to that agency. In the first instance,
Mr. Tillerson was not a good choice to be Sec. of State. With so many positions remaining vacant, and an emphasis on cutting expenditure in several critical areas, one did not see a clear strategy at the Agency.
What is also troubling is seeing how our POTUS micro managing his Cabinet members. Instead of allowing his departmental heads to do their job, the president is often seen contradicting them. As far as Mr. Trump is concerned, he expects everyone around him to be a "YES" person.
Both Foreign Policy and Trade are of great importance to our country. Unfortunately, both areas are been subjected to constant challenges, becoming a big concern at home and abroad.
1
It's interesting that the guy who made a show out of saying "You're fired" can't say that in person. A tweet and then a phone call from AF1 several hours later. I was never a Tillerson fan, but he was a direct report, 4th in line to the presidency and deserved better.
11
This is what dictators do -- they don't want anybody around but a 100% Yes Man. Tillerson was slightly less ridiculous than Trump but nobody who should ever have landed where he did. We are a curse to the whole world -- and the planet! Why have we not been able to get rid of this dangerous, so-called "president"? And why would anyone not dread his meetings with North Korea, should they take place? Everything he does is dangerous, yet the Republican Party does not throw him over, but is still using him to make the vicious attacks on common Americans they have always wanted to make.
3
Great. State and Intel headed by two sick "patriots." Way to increase our standing with the world. But wonder what Rush Limbaugh thinks about losing his ballyhooed boy scout.
1
Yes, presidency magnifies a person's character. In the case of Trump, it allows us to see a dishonorable man unfolding his vices: meanness, selfishness, cruelty, dishonesty, unethical dealings, vulgarity and shamelessness.
In short Trump is rotten to the core. His residence in the White House has drastically degraded our democracy and made all of us depressed.
The latest unfoldment is how indecent Trump is by the manner he fired Tillerson. His performance as Secretary of State is beside point here (in fact Trump has deliberately hindered Tillerson's role.).
Decent person would not fire someone without preserving the person's dignity, while Trump purposely pushed Tillerson under the bus.
13
More than ever we need Robert Mueller to find exactly what Putin has on Trump.
And we must hope Mueller isn't poisoned.
Under this president nothing is beyond belief.
4
Trump does not have the courage to fire someone in person. Instead he uses Twitter - like a juvenile. Can hardly wait to read the Tillerson book.
4
"We were not thinking the same."
Correct. There has been clear thinking and moronic thinking, or in case of Trump, no thinking at all.
We can be comforted knowing that at least waterboarding is coming back and making America great again.
4
Sec'y Tillerson and the parade of others who sold their souls to this president will want desperately to get their money back. Get out now, Jared!
1
This was reported: The firing comes the day after Tillerson publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the Kremlin "an irresponsible force of instability in the world" following an alleged nerve agent attack in Britain likely perpetrated by Russia.
Was Trump in touch with someone yesterday who told him that Putin ordered him to fire Rex?
10
It’s like the reality tv show “Survivor” only worse. I wonder who will be the last person left on the island? I mean in the White House.
5
Rachel Maddow will need a bigger board for her on-going list of Trump firings.
4
Now we know why Romney turned down the position.
1
Rex Tillerson does not understand one thing. As Secretary of State you don't get to set the foreign policy agenda. As Secretary of State you do not get to fight with the President on policy. As Secretary of State youdon't get to drag your feet on stuff you don;t agree with or undermine the President behind his back. You are required execute the President's agenda and you serve at his sole pleasure. Since Rex apparently cannot or is unwilling to do that, he needs to go. That is why Rex Tillerson YOU ARE FIRED!
Rex may be a great executive with connections and friendships in hundreds of countries. I am sure he is a nice, smart and upstanding guy too. He did a fantastic job running a huge and successful corporation as CEO of Exxon Mobil. That's all good. But Rex is also a GLOBALIST at heart and does not seem to be able to execute this administration's NATIONALIST agenda.
The great thing about Donald J Trump is that he is unafraid to make prompt and shrewd personnel decisions regardless of who that person is and what the Fake News media win spin it. That is why he is one of the finest presidents in the history of the USA.
I can hardly wait to vote Democrat across the ballot this Nov. and in Nov. 2020. I did not vote for the Orange Menace in 2016.
All of us need to vote to get rid of this criminal, his corrupt administration and Repub controlled Congress if we hope to turn our country back to its Democratic ideals or we will lose everything that makes us American Citizens.
10
Prepare for warS....
3
Thank the lord Rex
You’ve Disembarked
THE TITANIC
2
I was originally leery about Tillerson’s affiliation with Russia and his oil connection but Tillerson proved he wouldn’t be manipulated by Trump and Putin. The timing of Tillerson’s firing screams Trump wouldn’t let Putin be called out about the Russian poisoning on Britain soil that exposed the British public to deadly poisons. The media is skating around the Russian accusation by Tillerson and his firing ... it’s not about him calling him a moron ... it’s Russia stupid !
11
Yes Patty, the timing of the two events is just too wacky to be a coincidence. So this is scary--do we have a President of the United States who does not dare to do ANYTHING that might displease his Russian masters? I was skeptical about the theory that part of what drove the Russian misbehavior was their hope to gain things to "hold over" our president, but now I'm starting to wonder.
3
Given that all official government business is now conducted on Twitter, what prevents a fake Twitter feed from creating even more havoc than the current state of affairs.
4
Just what we expected when Trump surrounds himself with people who lack the skills and experience for the job. And, Trump is number one for skills and experience for the job.
1
It's not a "different mindset".
Trump has a limited mind, by any criteria, and it is set in ever-quick setting cement- like the rest of his occupancy of the office.
2
Another episode of The Apprentice folks and season 2 has just started
2
Well very soon Mr. Trump will be able to say: "L'état c'est moi" (the state is me). Actually he already said the only one that counts is him.
6
None of Trump's foreign or domestic policy goals can possibly succeed when the highest levels of government are being staffed (if they are being staffed at all) by people who are are ignorant and dismissive of credible information from the science, career diplomatic and intelligence communities.
I think Trump's only deep down goal is accumulating wealth approaching Putin's with not a care about the peace and security of the United States or the rest of the world. That's obvious from what's going on and the consequences are mounting every day.
9
Of course, the cowardly way of firing via twitter can be explained easily...
My heel spurs were too painful for me to do my duty face to face
Sound familiar?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-draft-dodg...
As for tackling a gunman in a school unarmed if he happened to be there? Yeah Right Ive got a bridge to sell you.....
7
Darn. I have no one left in my White House Fantasy pool.
17
The words disrespectful, crude and moronic have been used ....but not enough.
8
Just look at today's headlines: nothing but chaos, conniving, and criminality.
We've become numb.
4
Alan- We can't become numb. Americans must mobilize in Nov. 2018 and get out the VOTE!!!
We MUST take back our country.
7
Like moths to a flame, the rich and powerful who coveted even more money and power and fame than they already had, are burned up one by one and tossed aside like garbage by Herr Trump. Who's next?
3
No "loyalty"? Then you get fired on Twitter. That's the Trump MO.
6
To accept any position in the Trump administration, one must be a masochist.
6
Rex Tillerson was one of the few sane voices in the room yet he took this job knowing what a racist, sexist, misogynist person Trump was. Tillerson escaped with some dignity but what self-respecting person works for #45?
4
And the drums keep beating us closer to a nuclear war. Are there a few good men/women remaining in the GOP to do the right thing and dethrone this would be king?
4
Unbelievably callous that Rex Tillerson is left to find out he's fired through a Tweet.
This is government by a reality show narcissist who cares for no one but himself. Shameful.
8
Face the reality. The US government is collapsing.
15
Congress could vote that no official Government policy shall be communicated via Twitter.
4
I am no fan of Mr. Tillerson as a Secretary of State, but the man rose through the ranks and became the CEO of Exxon/Mobil, a master of his universe. Yet this fickle, feckless, and reckless President can toss him aside like a wrapper from a fast food cheeseburger. This is hubris and payback will come. Hopefully. Maybe the president should hire a temp agency for his future hires. I so yearn for the times when we had a secretary of state with some sense of diplomacy or statesmanship like John Kerry or Hillary Clinton...but those days are gone
8
I didn't like the idea of the former head of an oil conglomerate leading the State Department, and I like the idea of the former head of the CIA doing so even less. By now it should be abundantly clear what Trump is doing. It's time to stop mincing words.
1
Good luck Mr Pompeo. half year, 9 months? Too short for any result. Next one please,...
4
Will he be confirmed by the Senate?
Just wondering.
The Republicans control the Senate and the majority are 'made men'. So yes.
..."Life is bare
Gloom and misery everywhere
Stormy weather
Just can't get my poor self together
I'm weary all the time, the time
So weary all the time.."
6
If this isn't the minor leagues. When do tryouts end?
6
We are witnessing the Mad Hatter presidency.
8
Tillerson was destined to be fired. He challenged Trump's very fragile self image by voicing opinions that did not comport with Trump. And finally criticizing Russia was probably the nail in the coffin. Frightening!
10
It could be argued that we have one or more Russian agents in the WH.
9
From sunny Australia the musical chairs is bewildering to say the least. We have had our own version of the same at the prime minister level and the voting public soon became very disenchanted with the whole system of government. By tweeting his sacking, Trump has taken the administration to a new low. Not even Rex deserves this.
To be fair, Rex followed his master's grand vision to a very great degree but even he could not cross the line when it came to Iran and NK to move to Trump's bellicose and grandstanding attitude. Diplomacy is a "slowly slowly catchy monkey" game and there is a lot of give and take. I don't think Trump and Co understand that.
We hope Australia is still considered a worthwhile ally when the CIA man takes over. Wonder what will be the next scandal to erupt on the Tweetosphere..
7
The idea of Mr. Trump having a "mind set" is itself an absurdity.
8
American in the beginning of the 21 century is similar to what England was in the beginning of the 20 century: A declined Empire with incompetent and useless leaderships
8
I wonder if our president and the current administration have any heart or care about every single decision they make (let alone the people they fire). Honestly, this is just another embarrassment of AFP and we’re still not done hitting rock bottom. I hope DeVos will be next to leave the WH because she honestly doesn’t have a heart with America’s educational initiatives and struggles.
4
"A different mindset"? Every one is different than Trump. But why would anyone want to join his staff? Certainly not a compliment to be part of this White House.
3
just a matter of time before the drum beats of war start become more intense.
3
This obituary for Rex Tillerson is unnecessarily critical of someone who had the guts to do his job the way he saw it. At this distance, he didn’t seem as bad as you portray him. With Korea, he favoured diplomacy over threats and may have had a hand in events that led to the possibility of a meeting. With Russia, he supported the position of Great Britain and the major Commonwealth countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, all of which partner with the US in the “Five Eyes” security programme which is a significant part of US intelligence gathering. Clearly, he was sacked because of his solidarity with Theresa May instead of Vladimir Putin. I doubt if any of the Trumps got an invite to Prince Harry’s wedding.
8
Aside from one's opinion of the outgoing and incoming Secretaries of State, Trump has yet again taken a hatchet to our standing in the world. Why would anyone anywhere take our top diplomat seriously when they know he/she can be out the door with no warning at the Twitter whim of the so-called president? Trump's lack of respect is contagious. And even in business, firing someone like this is most likely to find the boss on the hard side of a lawsuit.
We know that Trump will never learn that he is the chief executive of the United States, and not running a bling palace on the Atlantic City boardwalk where he doesn't pay the help and fleeces the customers, yet claims bankruptcy in a business where the house never loses. But when will his enablers learn?
9
A chaos circus needs no adults.
1
Good and valid justifications for firing Tillerson existed but none of them was why he was fired.
1
The mantra for this second year of Trump seems likely to be "Meet the new boss. Somehow even worse than the old boss."
4
Some others may understand this better than it can be explained by a non-professional, but Trump is showing disturbing signs of spiraling self-destruction. It is frightening. He seems aware that the future does not bode well for his presidency, and he seems bent on taking the country down with him. The horror.
3
The only thing Trump and Tillerson did to prevent another Benghazi was to not bother appointing any ambassadors. That way they can’t be killed in their understaffed embassies. Given the great lengths Pompeo went to criticize Obama and secretary Clinton for not providing support for those in foreign service in Benghazi it will be interesting to see if he continues to let the state department atrophy. If he doesn’t it will be interesting to see if a tea party trumpet like Pompeo can find anyone qualified who shares his mindset.
8
What a shame Mike Pompeo will become secretary of state.
He is not a diplomat; he is a war monger who believes problems should be solved by violence, not by mutually beneficial compromise.
15
so the guy who would run in unarmed to face a shooter armed with an AR 15
can't face a man who he is going to fire. And with all the practice on the apprentice.
20
Why did Trump wait until after Tillerson had agreed with PM Theresa May that Russia was behind the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter before firing Tillerson? What is Vladimir Putin's hold over Trump?
19
Happy Trails to our Secretary of State who came necktied with the Russian Order of Friendship, who pomulgated "the Code of the West" in his 60 Minutes Interview aired 18 February 2018, and who presented a class act, even as he was fired like a common roustabout from Cirque du Trump.
On July 27, 2016, the SEC adopted the Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers rule requiring oil, natural gas and mineral companies to tell the SEC if they made payments to foreign governments. But, the Republican Congress passed a bill blocking the rule in early February, and Trump signed it into law on February 14, 2017.
So, the Republican Congress, this President, and his Secretary of State had their chance to address the issue of American companies bribing foreign officials. But, they prefer those times when the world "was unfolding there wasn't a lot of law enforcement."
"Riding for the brand" is another folksy phrase from Cowboy Rex. The GOP is "riding" for Exxon-Mobile; and without that SEC Disclosure Rule, the existence of bribe payments being laundered to Putin & oligarchs can neither be confirmed nor dismissed.
Possibly, NO corporate shenanigans occurred and Rex Tillerson is remembered for his outstanding service and role model image for Boy Scouts. Rex Tillerson did work away from some of Trump's most chaotic implementations of campaign rhetoric; and I'm thankful that he didn't devolve into a "yes man" of a moron. Oh. Heeeere's Mike Pompeo!
4
I "promulgate" misspellings like a march hare on Viagra!
Let's see: Tillerson is out. Pompeo is in. Rick Perry is shifting to the VA. And we have a new CIA director all in one morning.
This is like watching a cat in a tumble dryer.
12
If running the government is like runnung a business, the business would be something like running a shopping mall. Success would depend on attracting successful tenants and helping them become more successful so you could make more money off them. This was not Tillerson's sort of business, and strangely enough not Trump's either.
1
Just another Trump Lap dog , he had no Integrity or he wouldn't have been there in the First Place !
4
If only the president did put just as much care, thought, articulation and attention to how he acts as president as he puts into his tweets...
Oh, wait, he does!
"Thank you ... for *his* service"... "Congratulations to all!" ... -
- Congratulations to Tillerson as well, for being fired?
A fifth grader is more English literate than Trump. Who is reducing the English language to guttural sounds. But still that seems to be the level of communication that resonates with the GOP base: You only need to insert the words "Guns", "Great" and "God", and you've completed your entire communications strategy.
10
The way Trump fired Tillerson was disgustingly humiliating - on Twitter. He made it public without first informing Tillerson. He just wanted to demonstrate his power of hiring and firing - taking a page from his "Apprentice" playbook. He was also keen on settling a score with Tillerson for not getting the loyalty he demanded.
Spoken in a shaken and thin voice, Tillerson didn't thank Trump for appointing him in the first place, instead he thanked the staff and stressed the importance of diplomacy, global alliance and leadership.
13
Will Trump pen a future book on organizational team building entitled "Terror by Twitter: Trump's tips for turning your team tiny." (No doubt our egotist in chief's name will have to appear somewhere in the title/subtitle.)
3
Tillerson is not the only one with a different mind set from Trump. Trump should definitely consult a shrink to get some self awareness.
4
Is the day coming when Russia invades a weak, fractured and defenseless satellite country like the U.S. because this administration has disabled all the alarm systems? And gives the Russians a Vichy welcome.
8
We can deal with ignorance in our presidents and have many times. We have also dealt with arrogant presidents, but our drama queen president has that combination of ignorance and arrogance.
This is an awful combination for just about anybody, but for a president ignorance and arrogance can lead us down a very dark road lost, with the car lights off. We can only hope that some of the members of the Regressive Party (Trumps Chumps) will finally turn the lights on as we stumble towards the future. Will they stand up? If not now, when?
8
At the rate that Trump is going through personnel, we can expect increasingly incompetent people in his administration. I would not be surprised if his next appointment at CIA was Jeff Lebowski (sorry, The Dude).
5
Rex Tillerson: Rex mortem. Rex vivat!
Shout, "Rex mortem. Rex vivat!"
And the line advances. How 'bout that?
Seems they all go in well intended and come out sullied,
sycophantic, lost reputation and fired, bullied.
Then,
"Rex mortem. Rex vivat!"
And the line advances.
How 'bout that?
3
So how much will Tillerson get for his memoirs “My Ruined State”?
The appointment of Mike Pompeo, coupled wth the selection as head of the C.I.A. of Gina Haspel--who is dogged by a reputation for structured cruelty--makes me wonder what it will take for this "religious" nation to decide that savagery only produces more savagery. Surely, you would have thought that our national experience over the last several decades would have taught us that lesson. But no! Trump is still able to appeal to our tribal instincts that urge us to draw blood as a means of conserving it--something I have never understood.
5
At this point, anyone who agrees to work for Trump has to be as crazy as he is. I hope, when Tillerson goes back into private industry, that he puts his effort and money into defeating Trump. Our President is not making American great again, he's making it loony.
4
And, to think that 39% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance. Apparently, firing people, one after another, signifies good management in the eyes of an awful lot of Americans. Pretty scary ....
9
On the plus side Tillerson now has time to huddle with his lawyers and discuss how to fight the lawsuits against Exxon for lying about climate change during his tenure there.
3
I love watching this false, empty "empire" come crumbling down brick by brick. That's the funny thing about the truth. It never stays buried.
4
How our international contacts around the world will love knowing that the Chief of the CIA (whose prime historic role has been to subvert and overthrow governments and fight sub-rosa in lieu of our military) is now our chief statesman. They will no longer have any illusions about America's ethics.
5
Mr. Tillerson should have never taken this job, it was a step backwards after running the Exxon empire and the wealth of talent he is accustomed to working with. How could a man that ran at one time the largest company in the world take a real estate mogul serious? He knows the players in the world very well and is patient with his decision making, unlike POTUS who shoots from the hip and without thought. That is the difference that got him the hook. Mr. Tillerson deserved better respect than finding out he was canned via tweet; someone needs to take the toy away from POTUS.
2
I believe that we are at the point where regardless of what anyone thinks about the state of our union, The political party you choose to be affiliated with, the mental state of 45, or the state of our reputation in the world, nothing will ever be done to change this and we are stuck with Donald Trump until either his term runs out or he leaves office because of other causes. Until then, no one in our government has the guts to stand up and do something about him; with everything that has been going on in the Oval Office , he should already be out of office.
1
A Twitter firing, and in the third person.
It can't get any more surreal than this.
7
Really? Have you been paying attention? Just wait.
2
Trump said- “Really, it was a different mind-set, a different thinking.”
This is to assume Trump has a mind, and even if he did that it has the ability to think.
When he was offered the position as Trump's Sec of State, it was heavily reported that Rex's wife told him, "See, God's not through with you." I would imagine he went home after the tweet, and asked for a divorce.
I frankly found Tillerson unsuited for the post, but one could argue, myself included, that this applies to absolutely everyone presently associated with this presidency. I will further express serious doubts that the rift between Tillerson and Trump resulted from an extreme divergence in philosophy, given that Trump himself hasn't displayed anything resembling a coherent political philosophy so far; quite the contrary, Trump's presidency exhibits an improvisational character regarding ideology than anything else.
This is what populism looks like folks. Y'all were fatigued with traditional politicians in 2016---somewhat understandable---but now accept the anti-politician who presently occupies the oval office. In terms of workplace parallels, don't expect much productivity out of this presidency given high turnover. Then again, what could expect from a populist---a person who deep down has no desire to govern.
10
Trump was a successful reality television star as the boss in the 'Apprentice'. What is never discussed is how did the CEO of a billion dollar world wide enterprise find time to be a television star. The answer is that he did not run his businesses, he owned them but others ran them. Then the question would be, what kind of executive experience did he have as a CEO? Well his performance as President has told us a lot. Trump has no skills as chief executive of a large enterprise and he does not have any noticeable leadership skills beyond oratory. He could not run any kind of enterprise by himself nor could he lead a team of competent people to success in any endeavor. He's a one man show and his act is not a good one. He had a couple relatively rational individuals who worked loyally for him but who disappointed him and he could not handle them with the kind of skill that a first level supervisor in a large organization could be expected to handle subordinants.
4
We don't even know that he owned his businesses, Casual Observer. We've never seen his tax returns. My guess is he didn't own them or at least most of them. He was the face and name for the actual owners is my guess. See Panama City on a recent example.
One thing we do know is that he is in debt up to his eyeballs. See Deutsche Bank and a bunch of Russians on that issue.
4
Can't help but revisit this with education lens. There are stages in a career, roughly : survivor (yr1-3), competent (3-5), getting good (5-7), master (10+). Master means you get it, you can balance the pieces (sometimes 30 of them 6 times a day), and not just finish the day without incident but have moved people forward intellectually, all the while reporting abuse, hunger, anger, isolation, weapons. Imagine having no expert teachers around. Are there really fewer consequences for high turn-over in, say, Secretary of State?
And remember when the Republicans tore into Kerry as a flip-flopper? Their silence now is unethical.
5
We need some kind of fail safe system as a back up for when the leaders of this country become certifiably crazy and a danger to the world. We also need to revoke the electoral college before the next election. It is a useless vestige of another time and has no place in a democracy. We claim to be the pre-eminent democracy in the world but we don't even honor the majority vote. Hillary Clinton won the election, end of story.
10
Not unexpected of course, but I'm mystified as to how he lasted so long, avoiding a firing or quitting out of humiliation.
While he struck me as being rational, well grounded, & thoughtful, he never seemed passionate about the assignment and did not appear to "jump in with both feet". He seemed to lack vision, and was more administrative oriented than mission oriented. I have less hope for Pompeo, but I suppose we have no choice but to wait & see.
It's shameful the GOP leaders (with a few exceptions) are behaving as if things are normal right now in this country.
5
It seems with Trump his staffing choices are like a personnel version of Gresham's law where his bad choices drive out the good (well at least better).
2
My first thought upon learning of Secretary of State Tillerson's dismissal, by Tweet, was, sarcastically, "What a class act Our President is." POTUS said he would put The Best People in top positions. Instead he put The Worst People in. Congress and the Constitution have established various cabinet-level agencies to exercise the duties leading to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for all U.S. citizens. This has been changed to Maximize the Wealth and Power of the Already Wealthy and Powerful. As they accomplish this they happily inflict pain on others to include, especially, immigrants.
4
It's certainly clear that leaders of adversary states are more assured than ever that the U.S. has a president who can be "played," which, of course, Putin knew many years ago. I pray that the Deep State is real, noble, and well-coordinated.
4
Being "fired" by Trump puts Tillerson in much better company than what/who is left residing at the bottom of the swamp in the Trump Administration. Wear it like a badge of honor, Mr. Tillerson.
5
Trump is a like a kitchen fire. The only way it can be contained is if those people who still pay him lip service and think he is good for the country start putting up some curbs. We can only hope the results in Penn. today help show he is (further) losing electoral fuel.
4
Who cares how Trump fired Tillerson, or why.
The Right has no moral leverage whatsoever. Let them destroy each other, by any means possible.
But the big problems are still the presidency and GOP control of the government.
Those won't be changed if the Democrats just sit by and hope for a major implosion.
4
President Trump refines objectives and his cabinet. Still, it's the sore losers banging their heads against the 'wall', the tax cuts (for all), the health insurance improvement (no tax penalty if you don't want it), the increase in manufacturing and service jobs, refreshingly American employee bonuses and a truly genuine chance to help NK become a member of the planet's nations.
1
Trump's firing of Tillerson was done with style on Twitter showing Trump to be the ignorant con man he is.
6
It’s no coincidence that Tillerson was fired shortly after criticizing Putin. Our president works for Putin and is a traitor. He is willing to sell our nation down river for his own ego. He continues to live in a fantasy TV world where he views himself a success, all stemming from his daddy issues and his personal insecurities. 40% of our thuggish nation still supports this traitor because of the daily propaganda and their own personal insecurities. Liberals continue to live in a state of denial over just how depraved our society has become and continue to falsely believe that November elections will rectify the situation. Stay tuned.
16
I am enjoying watching these all-americans eating one another. They have presided over racism, misogynism and the denial of other basic human rights. Selective canibalism fits right in there. Give 'em another term!
7
Elect a clown expect a circus.
25
And we are left with a megalomaniacal psychopath as ... I can't even say it ... "leader" of the free world.
We're doomed.
10
You may be; most others aren’t....
1
How many Democrats will vote to confirm a torturer for CIA chief - 30, 40?
7
Another profile in courage by Cadet Bone Spurs: firing the Head of the State Department by tweet when the guy's not even there. Ah, what a warrior! The man who bravely ran away when fog reared its ugly head near the North Korean border, who fired an FBI director via a TV report, whose personal Vietnam was paying desperate models and porn stars for sex, who heroically vilifies the press corp only when he doesn't have to speak to them, whose unselfish contributions to education consists of defrauding students with fake universities, and who so honestly claims to care about the working man while playing golf at his $200,000 per membership gilded country club.
Again, the world shakes its head in disbelief at the insanity in charge of several thousand nuclear weapons...
23
We can safely say, that he is a man without honour and courage. I forgot character too - you do not get rid of people by tweet and sneaking out media announcements.
1
So far, Tillerson has been one of the "smart" ones he has been boasting about this whole time....
Trump, as coward as always, doesn't put his face but a tweet... What did he do to get into Wharton???? Even with legacy, to get in kids have to be very, very smart.
What happened there?
5
Jared wins.
2
Given Trump's forthcoming visit with N. Korea's dictator, Trump shoes this time to dump Tillerson to show how he was in "sole" charge of his government. It's "show business".
2
There have been rumors that Putin preferred Tillerson over Romney for Sec'y of State. I wonder if Putin will approve of Pompeo.
7
Apparently, Putin already has approved of Pompeo! I'm sure Vlad pulled the plug on Tillerson after the latter's statement about Russia being responsible for the poisoning in the UK. And viola! Tillerson is gone and Pompeo is in at the speed of a secret back-channel phone call.
1
Memo to would-be appointees to the Trump Adm:
If you receive an invitation to join, please do not quit your day-job.
10
Making decisions without including others. Negating everything that didn't make sense or was morally uncomfortable for him to support. Wow! How terrible that is! Does DJT make decisions based on counsel he gets from his cabinet? Wait a minute - What cabinet?
5
Trump says he would run into a school to confront an active shooter even if Trump were unarmed. But, he can’t fire a cabinet member to his face. Sad.
13
One would have thought that a corporate head like Tillerson, an organization man would be able to sort out the structure of Foggy Bottom. Now with Pompeo, who has spoken out for the use of Rendition at Gitmo, his ultra-conservative creds are clear. Will he kill the Iran deal, most likely, but as well educated as he is, what are his plans for Iran? There is much uncertainty in this administration, so before the right-wing cheers, our world is coming into daily crisis and instead of playing to the crowd, we need some real thinking heads and futurists, not headline makers
5
Well... the revolving door of the Trump administration appears to remain well-oiled.
While Rex Tillerson had no gov’t. experience & seems to have (semi?)-gutted the State Dep’t., at least he promoted diplomacy, which gave me some hope. Mike Pompeo has gov’t. experience - albeit not in the specific area of diplomacy AFAIK, but... is most likely too hawkish for my tastes.
Sigh...
1
A very sad and humiliating end to a rocky tenure at State. I admire Rex for hanging on for so long, as it was clear he could not get his preferred appointees approved, and this resulted in limiting his ability to manage. It is hard to do a job when your hands are tied.
The firing was ugly, and it says more about the White House than Rex who clearly was a class act with great experience in the international arena. One can only guess at the damage done by the abrupt, unprofessional dismissal: will it make good candidates reluctant to serve, knowing that a tweet may end your tenure. One can only hope that cooler heads prevail and that American diplomacy can be restored.
2
"In picking Ms. Haspel to succeed Mr. Pompeo at the C.I.A., Mr. Trump opted for continuity rather than bringing in an outsider."
Um, no. He opted for a torturer. How many times has Trump said waterboarding should be brought back? He nominated the expert, and a ruthless cover up artist as well.
Continuity, my eye.
9
This is still just a blip on the weirdness. There is nothing on the horizon or in subsequent appointments which indicate this administration will improve.
3
Let's see how Pompeo does. The first thing that needs to be assured is that all people at the State Department are no longer "Ugly American." Listen to other countries, literally, how they express themselves, eat their food, accept their invitations for weddings or funerals, and never leave their country unless you have learned something new. Doing that gives you new friends and a deeper inner respect. Pompeo should set the example.
1
Mach 6: "I like conflict, I like having two people with different points of view." March 13: I must fire Tillerson because "we were not really thinking the same. Really, it was a different mind-set, a different thinking." Nice to know the first U.S. president to talk with the leader of North Korea is guided by consistency, firmness of principle, and clarity.
8
Tillerson was not qualified to be Secretary of State but he at least behaved in a respectable manner during his term and managed to be his own man and generally reasonable in an administration that is CRAZY.
For that, we should thank him.
3
Secretary Tillerson intimidated Trump. Those who exhibit faux confidence (a.k.a. false pride) like Trump, often can't bear other strong leaders who think differently than they. The mere fact that the inexorably weak Trump announced this by Tweet rather than by meeting with Tillerson, shows how fearful he was of facing Tillerson personally. (It also shows, another character of egotists, Trump couldn't care less about the dignity of ANYONE on his team.) It's one thing to say "you're fired" to strange washed up actors like Gary Busey on a silly TV show, it's another to face a leader like Tillerson with more experience leading big organizations, and more knowledge about the world, than you. Trump is similarly intimidated by Attorney General Sessions, who has exhibited that oh so dangerous trait in this Administration, a mind of his own. Expect another brave early morning tweet by a sequestered away Trump soon.
4
The Madness continues as the GOP plays dumber than usual. This is a disgusting level of selective-ignorance by republicans as the country is circling the drains edge. The dumber they are the harder they fall. Everyone will feel this.
8
What an extraordinary display of managerial weakness - to fire a senior member of your staff through an oblique social message. In a serious enterprise this is done face to face. Apparently the President is only able to fire apprentices in person. Anyone of substance is assassinated by tweet. Cowardly and spineless.
14
Who's next?
4
Odd to see how much hope there is in the comments that made the NYT Picks -- hope that somehow now things will get back on track. But just read the article to the end and see how massively dysfunctional the State Dept has been for the past 14 months. Does anyone really have an idea _how long_ it's going to take to clean up this mess, even with the best of leadership?
3
Tillerson was terrible. Pompeo will be much worse.
13
Trump was too weak to fire Tillerson in person. Too weak. Let that sink in, all of you who mistakenly think this con man is a leader.
13
It all gets crazier day be day. Dangerous too. So when do the Republicans realize they have a real problem with this President? After they get their next tax cut? After they get to gut Social Security? After they get to privatize Medicare? Or after he launches a nuclear war?
4
So "success," rather than chaos, strikes once again in Trumpland. Not that Tillerson had any business being Secretary of State. But this administration needs to end ASAP. Seems like every day is a car wreck with Mr. Bone Spurs, bravest of the brave.
5
Being qualified for the job is obviously not a Trump priority.
As for "restoring America’s standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
These are all pipe dreams. By every meaningful metric, from economy to public education, America is slipping under Trump while Russia and China make gains
We are losing influence in the Middle east to Russia, in Africa and Asia to China, and in Europe as our traditional allies lose confidence in us and don't trust Trump. Tariifs that penalize Britain and Germany are not exactly "strengthening our alliances".
And, as everyone knows, if Trump is serious "confronting our adversaries" he would be confronting Putin's meddling in our elections and generally running a massive US destabilization campaign. But he isn't because he thinks Putin is actually helping him (forehead slap)!
Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula? Let's be honest: Moon Jae In has been great with NK. All recent progress with NK is absolutely due to Moon. Trump has been awful with Kim/NK. We are nowhere near even having a path forward to denuclearize NK. I really don't think Trump is up to the task.
Pompeo - yet another sycophant ideologue who, in addition to his own scandals, hasn't a clue about how to do the job.
3
In choosing appointees to our most important positions Trump constantly shows his ignorance in each area. Betsy,Ben,Jeff, Mnuchin, Zinke, Price, Shulkin, etc. each shows their abilities to embarrass our country and themselves with spending taxpayers money for themselves, making comments showing their unqualified characteristics, their bigoted ,greedy , contempt for any not in the 1%. And more. Pompey is just his latest. A position which calls for diplomacy, knowledge of international relations, and who gets the job? As usual least likely to be fit. No surprise. Are we surprised ? Why , should we be?
3
Does the gop Congress think that pence would be harder to manage? Is that why they leave the dotard on office? They could change this if they wanted to.
2
Why is Trump always backing Russian interests instead of US interests? What does he owe Putin or Russian banks anyway. I thought it was only money but maybe he’s actually scared to call out Russia.
3
There is always fear of stating the obvious here, but with Trump too often the fear of not commenting feels worse, so:
1) Trump had at least a few people that seemed to normalize him just enough to provide reassurance that his worse impulses were going to completely define our government. Tillerson seemed to have his issues with State Department bureaucracy, but at least he seemed like a normal, thoughtful person who wanted to be respected for competence. But people like this always seem to find Trump intolerable or vice versa. So now, a year into office, the race to the bottom advances a major step and we move toward the increasing radicalization of government as Trump surrounds himself with increasingly crazy people who see him as a normal. I challenge anyone to find a sane person who has worked with Trump closely that will candidly offer a high opinion of him. Will Trump become more isolated and impotent over time or more empowered by incompetents surrounding him? We'll see. It won't end well.
2) Trump's impulsive style, even with a Secretary of State, sends a message to everyone who works for him that there is no visibility in their jobs. How can anyone or any agency make a long term commitment in this atmosphere?
3) Trump is increasingly creating a lot of high profile enemies who both hold him in contempt and know his ugly little secrets. If Trump didn't like Tillerson as Secretary of State, I suspect he will like him less as a private citizen.
1
Great. So the CIA spy master who secretly met recently with his Russian intelligence counterparts in Virginia will now be tasked with buddying up to them in full view. Pompeo, and Dana Rohrabach, the Congessional Russian asset, ought to both be investigated. This web is so far reaching and tangled, I doubt even Mr Mueller can keep up with the shenanigans. And now, another Russian is killed in the UK, this one with ties to Donald Trump. Putin is certainly playing with the puppet strings attached to Trump’s shoulders. You can’t make this stuff up...oh, wait. Tom Clancy could.
7
Abject chaos. What a way to run a country that considers itself the greatest in the world.
6
Tillerson was never one of the BEST....if he had been he'd be wearing at least one and maybe two ankle bracelets.
2
The United States has now officially transformed into a banana republic.
A chief executive who believes governance is based solely on his own decisions, such as imposing tariffs on a case by case basis depending on whether the President feels the trading partner has given him a good deal.
A Secretary of State and CIA director who believe that secret rendition into third party countries for torture meets ethical standards.
A Secretary of Education who believes that public education should not be funded, but that private education exempt from oversight should be.
A majority party controlling Congress who believe their mandate is supporting only the white, Christian portion of the citizenry, except in those cases where their own financial gain dictates otherwise.
A judiciary led by those who read "a well regulated militia" as any one who can afford a firearm.
The American Democracy has jumped the shark.
4
Mr.Tillerson was never the right person to be the secretary of State. I do not understand why Ms.Rice recommended him for that position knowing fully well the responsibilities of that position. This is what happens if you recommend a friend based on friendship. Mr.Pompeo is also not the right person who spent his life in partisan politics. An important position being treated as a personal secretary of state who can take the dictation. In that sense, may be Mr.Pompeo is the right person.
Only a weak man would fire someone without the decency of a one-on-one discussion and planned exit strategy. That is the disturbing part, not the firing.
3
When is someone going to explain to this buffoon of a President that he isn’t on TV any more and he doesn’t need to fire someone each week? Life has turned into the reality show you can’t switch off, and it is absolutely excruciating.
7
I guess "you may get a tweet" is better than "expect a knock on the door at 3 a.m." Still, you gotta wonder who's putting together the playbook....
3
Notably at Rex Tillerson's departing press conference the fired state department employee thanked everyone, everywhere, in and out of government EXCEPT Donald Trump and then left the podium w/o taking questions. A true bullet biting Republican right to the very end.
Getting out of disarrayed Trump administration early and without noticeable stains on his name may prove to be the high water mark of his short lived political career.
3
Tillerson's strong indictment of Russia following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter was surprising. Frankly, I hadn't expected it from a man who was awarded the Order of Friendship by Putin himself. And of course I'm not the least bit surprised that criticism of Trump's boss in Moscow got Tillerson fired.
Whatever his previous shortcomings, Tillerson showed guts -- unlike virtually the entire GOP congress -- in breaking with traitor Trump's obsequious subservience to Putin. Mr. Tillerson did himself proud in the end. Being fired by this loathsome Russian mole of a president for speaking the truth is a far more impressive badge of honor than the medal from Putin.
7
I agree. the strong and quite proper indictment of the Russia was surprising.....his sacking in the wake of it was swift and alarming.
2
A golf caddie is all that remains of Trump's aides since he launched his election campaign in June 2015.
And what when there are no real qualified advisors left, does Trump get to be absolute ruler with his grinning band of loyal-past-a-fault sycophants?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/10/hollowed-out-white-house...
1
I believe Rex Tillerson was the best we could expect from a Trump appointee. Outside of the US we expect any Trump appointee to be cruelly biased against Iran and Palestine and in cohorts with the corrupt extreme Netanyahu/Kushner middle east policy. Tillerson was brave for the little voice he did have on this. Netanyahu's hatred of Iran and the US and
Israel manipulation of corrupt Arab leaders to create a divide and rule policy and proxy wars does not get the attention it deserves. As Palestinian teenagers rot in Israeli jails and any meaningful aspect ever agreed to on the peace plan is removed with unilateral US decisions Trump rages that Palestinians do not slobber and grovel at his feet for his pennies. You can only watch and listen in impotent horror and pity.
1
After reviewing all the information from the FBI, the CIA, and other intelligence agencies, I have concluded that there was no Russian collusion or involvement or meddling in our elections, says the new Secretary of State Pompeo. All this was nothing but fake news by the media, Obama, Clinton, the Bushes, and disgruntled WH employees. We even asked Putin and he says he didn't do it. Good enough for me, says Pompeo.
4
Isn't Pompeo kind of like another loud-mouthed Anthony Scaramucci?
Not as Secretary of State. Please.
3
...and unfortunately none of this matters unless Mueller
takes
the
clown
down.
5
How is it that the United States can claim to be democracy, when anyone with an opposing view to Emperor Trump is removed from office?
Next, we will see Emperor Trumpl play the Xi Jinping card and self elect for life.
Or maybe his mate Putin has the answers?
4
Forgot to add that this now affords Emperor Trump the option of appointing another stooge to the head of the CIA to further obfuscate investigations into the Russia/Trump collusion investigation.
1
A friend of Russia departs only to be replaced by a stooge.
3
Look up Pompeo in Wikipedia. Certainly not qualified. Tea Party type with all the warts that come with that. The proverbial bottom of the barrel is here folks. Trump ready for a straight jacket and a heavy duty gurney to roll him out of the White House.
5
Pompeo will wag the dog if Trump needs a war to stave off impeachment. View all Trump’s moves from that lens.
7
He squarely blames the Russians for the nerve gas attack in the UK, going even further that the UK Prime Minister and the next minute hes sacked....The timing of this is truly worrying.
6
And, Trump sends the stock market down again, because of continuous uncertainty. This time, one of the few people who knew what they were doing, Rex Tillerson, is the latest person "Fired!". While Tillerson had his issues he stood up to the immature, Trump.
I like to see how his replacement does with Russia, China and North Korea. Not to mention the mess in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. And, if his replacement is blessed by King of Saudi Arabia (our autocrats of approval).
Now, comes who is next to in White House revolving door? And, what kind of party purges are going to occur, for t hose who disagree with the GOP house intelligence (oxymoron here) committee, that there was no Russian collusion in the 2016 election. Like any autocrat, Trump needs a rubber stamp party, and cabinet, to rule unilaterally with. His ultimate goal.
I hope the DNC is looking for new, young blood fro the mid-terms and 2020, This is, if Trump does not give an executive order banning all political parties, less his own. Look closely at the Constitution, political parties are not even mentioned.
2
We must not allow President Chaos to destroy our nation.
7
Trump is really a failure. The "great" negotiator can't master keeping a team in place, even for a few months at a time. Cohn, Tillerson, Price have all been touted by Trump as so great and qualified, but then they leave angry, humiliated and at odds with his administration. Not much chance that he can negotiate with outsiders when he can't even convince his own team that he knows what he's doing.
12
"Foreign diplomats--starting with the British and the French--said Mr. Tillerson neither returned phone calls nor, with much advance warning, set up meetings with his counterparts."
Trump said he and Tillerson had a different mind set. They do have some things in common. They're both rude and have no diplomatic skills.
8
This statement is why Tillerson was fired. From yesterday, March 12, NYT.
“I’ve become extremely concerned about Russia,” Mr. Tillerson said in the interview. “We spent most of last year investing a lot into attempts to work together, to solve problems, to address differences. And quite frankly, after a year, we didn’t get very far. Instead what we’ve seen is a pivot on their part to be more aggressive.”
He added: “And this is very, very concerning to me and others, that there seems to be a certain unleashing of activity that we don’t fully understand what the objective behind that is. And if in fact this attack in the U.K. is the work of the Russian government, this is a pretty serious action.”
8
I feel awful for Tillerson, who left 10M in deferred compensation from Exxon on the table when he became SOS. I think is a good man but was never the right person for this role. Too bad Romney is running for Senate!
1
Tillerson’s a big boy. He made his bed. Now he has to lie in it. Don’t shed any tears for him.
So three people fired today. One because the Department of Homeland Security is not willing to give him clearance due to his getting arrested for financial crimes, Rex Tillerson - probably the last straw for Trump was Tillerson offending Trump by referring to Putin as responsible for the gruesome assassinations that took place in England. And third, Goldstein, who had the nerve to tell the truth to the press about Tillerson not expecting to be fired today. Someone please tell Trump that getting a war on with his General Ripper (Pompeo) is not going to distract us from the Mueller investigation. That is what's next, isn't it. This doesn't even feel like a democracy anymore.
10
It may be that what we witnessed today is the beginning of the Big Push we never thought we'd see in our lifetime.
The United States and the world are far less safe than when Donald J. Trump took his seat in the White House. Now in Syria, our partners in the successful partnership against ISIS are under attack by our most feckless ally Turkey. In North Korea a stage is being set for military attacks with the press stunt of a face-to-face with Kim Jong-un. No defense has been offered to the Russian cyber-attacks and undermining of elections. Secret deals are made with actors in the Middle East, including the ill-conceived siting of the US embassy in Jerusalem. Corruption distorts foreign policy. An axis of authoritarians is growing. Tillerson was no great shakes as Secretary of State, but Pompeo is worse. The US and the free world suffer time and again. This is a dark time.
10
the Trump administration is preparing for war. The pieces are coming together-with a new war-like Secretary of State.
The aim is 2-fold
1)change the story and focus from Russian collusion/obstruction as well as others eg Stormy Daniels. Recall comments Trump has made about a tragedy or war helping to unite Americans. And,
2) to re-energize the republican base...to move it up from around 80% back to the 90's.
Trump wants to replicate the political success the Iraq war had for George W Bush
Also, i suspect he wants to play with some military toys, and to say he was a war time president. He desires action, to 'do' rather than be restrained/cautious.
For Trump, there is no downside to going to war with N Korea and then Iran. In fact it is all upside. I suspect an attack could happen as soon as the mid-terms with Iran following in 2020.
the best case scenario is success in stopping N K. in their nuclear program as well as regime change. Causalities will most likely be limited to South Korea and as they don't vote in American elections they simply don't count in the assessment by the Trump.
The worst case scenario is a retaliatory attack on American soil but any N K weapons are most likely to land in Democratic heartlands (Hawaii/California). This would be (perversely) calculated as a positive-fewer democratic voters! as well as uniting Americans by a shared enemy.
America, you are going to war. For reasons contrary to your foundational beliefs.
5
Replaced by two officials [Pompeo and Haskell] condemned by human rights groups for endorsing or overseeing torture and destroying evidence.
I can see what they have in common with Trump and those he admires including many of the world's most barbaric and authoritarian rulers, but not how it qualifies them for a job in a democratic Government.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/13/rex-tillerson-fired-late...
5
If Mike Pompeo receives Senate concurrence of his appointment as SecState, he will have to keep in mind that the president demands adherence to his personal worldview. Any deviation, whether diplomatic or on policy, could undermine Pompeo's tenure at State. Regardless of what laudatory statements the president says about Pompeo, Pompeo will always have to subordinate his informed opinions and about national security questions to the perceptions the president entertains. Perhaps he has already grown accustomed to this. The question remains, will he put U.S. national security before personal obeisance to the president and live up to his oath of office?
3
Once the Exxon-Rosneft deal was history, so was Tillerson.
3
One has to wonder, what's keeping Tillerson from resigning sooner, in order to avoid himself the utter embarrassment to get fired, announcement of which was done on twitter, no less, before he got the actual axe. I almost feel sorry for the guy.
Here it is, a larger-than-life guy who thought he has it all figured out in running a government. He has set himself up for failure not only within (the State Department), but also without (with Trump). I would bet a lot of those career diplomats who were either forced out or left idle because Tillerson either wants to save a few bucks must be having their last laugh.
Next up? Carson, most likely, who is as useless as an ugly vase on the mantelpiece, just so that Trump can fill out his diversity checklist for affirmative action. Generally administrations change guard mostly at the start of a second term, but no, Trump is doing it at the start of every year. No wonder Trump admires Xi so much, he wants to establish the one-man party ruling this country.
4
If a military conflict happens between UK and Russia, which of these two adversaries will Trump/Pompeo side with?
This is a bigly question.
Theresa May and Vladimir Putin may go 'military' at each other.
The world really needs to annihilate Russia.
1
I shed no tears for the demise of TRex after his complicity in neutering US soft power by gutting the State Dept. However, Pompeo as SecState does not fill me with any confidence that things will improve. Fellow citizens of the Republic, the Trump Administration has now transformed itself from a Clown Car to a Clown Train barreling down the tracks to disaster.
Will any of us survive this?
1
Pompeo is bought and paid for by the Koch brothers, per the following article: https://www.thenation.com/article/the-koch-brothers-get-their-very-own-s...
Trump says Pompeo thinks the way Trump does. The Senate confirmation for Pompeo should be interesting.
4
Mike Pompeo has been the biggest benefactor from "Koch Industries".
That says it all.
6
Is this how business is conducted these days or just in the White House? Instead of calling an individual on the phone and informing him/her that the administration is going in a different direction and their services are no longer needed, the Secretary of State has to hear of his termination on Twitter. Is that crass, rude, spineless and cowardly behavior or is that simply the new template to use when firing someone in the White House?
I was never a fan of Rex Tillerson, but for crying out loud, given his position, he was entitled, at the very least, some small degree of respect, if not professionalism. I swear, this is the rudest and meanest administration I can recall in a long, long time.
7
The big difference between Trump and Kim: Kim apparently killed off subordinates who appeared to be disloyal, while Trump only viciously insulted those he thought were disloyal and only fired those who lingered past their shelf-life.
Clearly, Trump is much more sophisticated as a leader.
1
Tillerson is famous for describing Trump as a "moron." If he has any guts, he will elaborate on that theme now that he is out. And provide some juicy info on things like obstruction of justice, money, Russian blackmail re Trump, etc. Somehow I doubt it.
3
Trump fired Tillerson because Putin told him to do it. The White House is Russian led. The GoP is also becoming Russia led. In one week Putin got the White House to fire a Russian critic and the House Republicans to stop an investigation on Russian theft of the US election. The U.S. is going down hill fast! Mueller better hurry...
6
Never thought having a global oil executive with no diplomatic or government experience was a good idea anyway. Too much room for corruption. But I wonder, is this Tillerson's first experience of being fired? And how does it feel to be fired by Donald John Trump, of all people? I can only imagine.
3
Has putin given trump the OK on pompeo?
12
The toddler in the White House has thrown another tantrum and Pompeo, another toddler, has run away to join the circus.
8
#45 said about Tillerson: "Really, it was a different mind-set, a different thinking"
Anyone who is only halfway informed and doesn't change his/her mind within an hour if not even minutes, has indeed a different mind-set from the dotard in the Oval who never thinks and has a mind like a temper tantrum throwing toddler trowing his/her food against the wall should he/she not like it.
2
Tillerson was installed to facilitate oil deals with Russia once sanctions were to be lifted. The Flynn affair nixed that. He was also directed to eviscerate the Department, which was accomplished pretty much. He then called his boss a "moron." Trump wanted him fired months ago after this, but was advised it wouldn't look good. Now as the Korean talks loom, Trump felt the timing was better. I was no fan of Tillerson, but he's a decent human being who actually cares about the country, as opposed to the petulant, narcissistic, lying, creep who has stained the presidency
6
One more down! Trump thinks he only can pick best people, then oops he finds he has just swamped. At this rate soon he may have to hire Mexicans for cabinet position.
3
So, Don is such a coward that he won't fire someone face to face, yet he says he would've run into that Florida school building and confronted the shooter? Uh huh. I would've paid to see that happen. I know it would tax his miniscule memory to remember this, but, to paraphrase, "It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt". He should tattoo that to the insides of his eyelids.
7
It's misery upon misery. Tillerson was a disaster. But that's not why the catastrophe called Trump fired him and so casually humiliated him.
We're all diminished, every day.
4
Does Vegas have an over/under date on John Kelly yet?
4
So much for TRUMP loving the give and take of differing ideas in the Werst Wing!
2
Trump was totally outsmarted by Tillerson over North Korea. Tillerson openly advocated dialog with North Korea. Trump dismissed Tillerson's approach and Tillerson himself with demeaning twitter comments. When North Korea opens up to dialog Trump looks like a belicose fool and Tillerson like a statesman. Trump, in his quest for self promotion, does a 180 degree turn but has to get Tillerson out of the way so the Trump can take the credit. Truly disgusting behaviour. Then to top it all, Tillerson forces Trump's hand in responding to the poisoning here in the UK. That's unforgivable to the egomaniac Trump.
3
Pompeo is a hot-headed war hawk paid for by the Koch brothers. He won't be an improvement on Tillerson, who was already a disaster.
5
'You Are Fired'
Trump Whitehouse = The Apprentice
America = The Trump Tower
any questions?
Obviously Tillerson was one of the worst Secretaries of State ever, but I'm afraid that Pompeio will top even that...
5
Tillerson criticized Putin for poisoning an ex spy. Trump fires Tillerson in a tweet. Trump works for Putin. Wake up America.
7
Tillerson is an enigma. Pompeo as Secretary of State, an unknown. But for Pete's sake - a Secretary of State replaced in a tweet? How low (and cowardly) will he go?
5
Rex appeared to be a "fish out of water" as Secretary of State. Either he knew what he was doing and had a great poker face or he was simply clueless. I think he was clueless- and if that's the case, I don't think it's such a "big deal" to be CEO of Exxon anymore. Give me a crack at it!
Yet another blunder from indisputably the worst president not only of modern time but of all time. Tillerson was the only stable element in that Bedlam of an administration. This takes the US that much closer to a nuclear war.
6
Tillerson was bad enough. The CIA has run the State Department and our foreign policy (horribly) for decades. Still, we should all be alarmed that they are now overtly in charge. We should all be more than alarmed at the monstrous characters Trump has placed in powerful positions. When and how do we stop this increasingly fascist disaster?
4
Trump said he has a different mind set than Mr Tillerson. We all know what that is a bully and a war monger. I can imagine at the North Korea meeting both of those men will be uncooperative and the South Korea better have the boats standing by to take them to their new home the sea. The GOP people don't like immigrants as we know.
Firing the Secretary of State via a tweet. It’s just sad.
7
Oh boy, now we're reached a point where we're asked to feel pity for billionaire republican's for being fired by Trump... but count me out. Not sure how he could ever lead Exxon, but hey, with all the subsidies the fossil fuel industry commands it's apparently not that hard.
Hope some democrat has the guts to fire Trump on Twitter once he's impeached, a few hours before some official will inform him face-to-face.
Also glad we now have an ex-CIA man as our top diplomat. Perhaps he and Putin can exchange experiences with harsh interrogation techniques.
What has become of America and American values?
2
I have always felt that there are no bad employees, only bad bosses for hiring the wrong people. Based on the turnover in this administrations for various reasons, I think it's clear the boss is the one that needs to go.
5
Rearranging deck chairs while the band plays on.
3
Barely a week goes by that I am not astounded and dismayed by what is apparently considered legal in this country. A Secretary of State and a CIA director who both violated several international laws pertaining to enemy combatants, who, contrary to international law AND the United States law consider water boarding legal when it's not? How is this possible? - Oh wait, they first have to be confirmed by our corrupt and feckless Congress. Well then, what could go wrong?
Also, Pompeo and Kim? My first thought was, we might all die a lot sooner than we thought.
5
I remember being in Peace Corps and there were always rumors that some offices in some countries had been infiltrated by the CIA (though I know of only one that was confirmed). I'm pretty sure that the State Department professionals don't even want a hint of association with the CIA. Pompeo may be an agreeable hack and acceptable lackey for Trump's whimsical narcissism (and self-serving entrepreneurship, don't forget that). But it taints the reputation of the State Department to put someone in charge who headed a spook agency, and will make it harder for any actual foreign service staff to actually do the hard work on the ground, which would include maintaining some semblance--or at least an illusion--of professionalism and seriousness.
Which is worse? The tainting ties with the CIA or daughters and sons-in-law with no diplomatic experience heading up important geopolitical strategies? We can at least conclude that the executive branch lacks coherent leadership (hiring and firing isn't leadership), the consequences will be suffered by regular people (many of whom voted for Trump), and the resulting loss of American stature in the world will be sold as an historic success to a shrinking demographic convinced that independent, critical thought is some sort of liberal conspiracy.
3
"President Trump said he had “a different mind-set” from Rex W. Tillerson."
For sure, Trump (no brain or intellect)/ Tillerson just the opposite!
What's the tally now - 17 people either fired or resigned.
What a cretin for a president!
8
It's comforting to see that the count-down to full implosion of this chaotic, clown-fest of an administration is still in full swing. Don should just bring people on as contractors since their length of service may only last 6 months to a year...or not longer than a week. No matter, irreparable damage to their resumes & reputations will have already been done when they said 'I accept...".
11
If only. I just heard Elliott Abrams on NPR this morning. Elliott Abrams, brought on presumably because of some foreign policy expertise (or perhaps his proximity to the studio?). In his day, going back to the Reagan years and including his contempt-laced Congressional testimony on Iran-Contra, he was known in some circles as a 'public serpent.' Now apparently he's an elder statesman.
But we can dream, right?
Yes we can...I've been doing that a lot lately.
The slow collapse of the Department of State continues. If Tillerson was charged with gutting the agency like a fish, his successor will surely be serving the remnants over a high flame.
9
With Rex Tillerson I felt there was a tiny bit of hope for sanity in this dark night for our country. He, at least, urged caution and communication in all this turmoil but now, of course, this small beacon of reasonableness has been snuffed out by the fat fingers of Trump, and now the inmates truly run the asylum.
6
Despite his claim that he benefits from dissension within his staff, Mr. Trump really just wants people who agree with his world view, such as it is. This is not a 'team of rivals,' as Doris Kearns Goodwin described Abraham Lincoln's cabinet.
7
Seven Days in March-urian Candidate, the mashup of the decade. Where are the Sinatra and Douglas characters?
4
Well, it is very sad to see this personal drama evolving on a television screen. For Trump, the show must go on. I could never have imagined that an American president could behave on such a barbaric way. President Trump is evil.
9
Is it clear now what you can't do in Trump administration without immediate effects? Critisize Kremlin.
Tillerson made a strong remark about the poisoning in Enlgand of a former double spy. 24 hours after he's gone nad there is another murder of former Soviet citizen in UK.
17
Mike Pompeo is a Tea Party climate denier with a 1950's view of the world. His comments exude a type of white privilege, anti-intellectualism, pro-corporation, lazy thinking that is only topped by Trump himself. This is precisely why Trump "connects' with Pompeo as he commented earlier today. Any Democrat with an ounce of pride and courage who has the opportunity to question Pompeo at his nomination hearing for SOS, should rip into him relentlessly. The position he has been nominated for requires deep, multi-layered thinking that is informed by respect for other cultures as well as respect for professionals who have dedicated their lives to this type of knowledge and understanding. Pompeo is the opposite of all of this. We should not let this nomination stand.
21
Where's Al Franken when we need him? Thanks, Kirsten.
4
Gotta hand it to Donald Trump - someone who can make us miss the presidency of George W. or find something good to say about people like Lindsey Graham, Jeff Sessions and now Rex Tillerson. No easy trick that!
18
Based on this article, the man sounded like a dinosaur who was clearly out of his depth, and unable to keep up with foreign policy shifts in the freaky fast age of Trump.
Good on Trump for firing the man, quickly. I imagine GW Bush would have held on to him out of some misplaced sense of decorum like he did with his FEMA director, or like Obama did with Hillary "let's destabilize North Africa and Syria, cause a mass migration, and shift the whole of Europe to the far right" Clinton. That last one was a real disaster.
Secretary of State is an important position. Glad to hear it won't be wasted on this corporate fat cat any longer. Let him go back to paying autocrats to dig for oil. His thick Texas skull is better suited for such work.
1
Either you're as selfish, stupid, nasty and violent as Trump or you're not paying attention.
Pompeo is much worse than Tillerson (and that's not saying much).
Churchell: Jaw jaw is better than war war
Tillerson is out because he criticized Russia for murdering people.
17
Sorry, I should have paused before sending and modified my language. But I've been fearing this replacement for months, and it is not good news.
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/30/16719690/mike-pompeo-tillerson-fire...
"Pompeo has faced criticism for letting his loyalty to the White House undermine his duties as head of the CIA. That means he’ll take the State Department job while the intelligence community remains under unprecedented assault."
"There’s reason to worry about Pompeo’s credibility and honesty. He repeatedly misrepresented the Russia assessment, stating that the intelligence community concluded Moscow had no effect on the vote’s final result when in reality it made no judgments on that.
"If confirmed, Pompeo will bring his more hawkish worldview to the State Department. He’s supported keeping the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, open, defended the CIA’s use of torture in the past, and sees Iran and “radical Islamic terrorism” as top national security threats — all positions closely aligned with those of Trump."
9
We better go to the poles in November. #votethemallout
9
polls (though going to the north or south pole might seem a good option, they're not hospitable)
Agree we should all vote!!!
10
Ooops! Thanks Susan. English is not my first language ... But you got the message!
2
So, a new inexperienced Secretary of State, an Apprentice president, no South Korean Ambassador, and no North Korean Ambassador and we are entering into talks with Kim?
For those that say that Trump plays 3D chess, let me remind you that the King has almost no power in the game. It can only move one square at a time. The power goes to the Queen and right now I would not be surprised to find that Melania is making calls home to see if she can get her hands on some good Russian nerve agent:)
6
Trump plays no chess, 3D nor 2D. He does not play checkers, either. Trump holds no discernible plans at all. He hasn’t thought through any course of action in a long time. He does act according to his impulses.
4
Tweet first, call three hours later? Whose idea was that - Ainsley's, Steve's or Brian's?
The man is unwell. Call off the California trip.
9
Secretary of State fired on Twitter without the courtesy of a phone call from Trump prior to the “announcement”?
Shameful but not surprising.
11
Announcing Mr. Tillerson's dismissal on Twitter instead of having a formal, civil meeting discreetly in the Oval Office. Very classy Mr. President
11
He's a real class act.....minus the C and the L.
5
"If Trump ordered it, it must be right," says the GOP.
5
GOP - Gluttons for Punishment. How much more abuse will they take?
Maybe they all have Battered Person Syndrome.
a different mind-set!! I shudder to think what "mind set" Trump is talking about
3
Not shocked that Putin would order Trump to fire Tillerson after Tillerson's remarks on the poisoning.
10
Trump - a low class coward who must use public tweets instead of facing the man he is firing. Now we'll have, God forbid, a man who thinks like Trump. He has pushed the USA to the lowest level of decency and diplomacy, for which he has not any idea. And the GOP accepts this. GutOutPolicy.
8
As intended, Trump’s cowardly dismissal of Tillerson has sidelined Trump’s half hearted support for Theresa May’s reaction to Russian aggression on British soil, not to mention his almost total surrender to the NRA on gun control and the Stormy Daniels scandal. Our country is being run by a reality show host who undermines our democracy with his unpredictable acts and dishonesty.
8
Secretary of State of the United States of America is an enormous job requiring knowledge, vision, tact and a sense of honor. Unfortunately these traits are incompatible with the jeuvenile worldview of the egomaniac in the White House.
Look at the rest of the clown car that make up Trump's cabinet appointments: can any of them be described as among the most qualified professionals in their field? Or would they be better characterized as under-qualified or completely inappropriate people (and by that I mean you, Mr. Pruitt) who will accede to Trump's will and "play ball" with his idiotic policies in exchange for a few moments of power. They then do the bidding of whatever pro-Trump industry, religious or special interest group the boss tells them to while ringing up millions in travel expenses (chasing views of the eclipse, touring European castles, snorkeling, etc.) and lavishing themselves with outrageous luxuries. And I'm sure we don't know the half of it.
In 240 days the mid-term elections offer a chance for our democracy to begin to self-correct. The most powerful force in our country is our people. We must come together and we must persevere.
4
Trump does have a different mind-set. One without a viable mind included.
7
Now that President Trump has someone more compatible heading the State Department, I hope there's a renewed effort to stem the Democrats' long-standing, relentless and dangerous campaign to seek confrontation with Russia.
There is no such "Democratic campaign to seek confrontation with Russia." Mr. Mueller, a Republican, was hired by Mr. Rosenstein, a Republican. Mueller is investigating wrongdoing by Mr. Trump and his associates vis-à-vis Russia. Four such American associates and a number of Russians have already been indicted. Three of the Americans have admitted guilt.
Jose Pardinas wrote:
"Now that President Trump has someone more compatible heading the State Department, I hope there's a renewed effort to stem the Democrats' long-standing, relentless and dangerous campaign to seek confrontation with Russia."
"Democrats' long-standing, relentless and dangerous campaign to seek confrontation with Russia."
The GOP has sought dangerous confrontation with Russia since...well...forever. Why the sudden morph into Russia apologists?
Actually, Rex Tillerson is fortunate to be relieved of this burden of working for a boss who has no idea of how global and foreign affairs work. TIllerson wasn’t perfect but he was stymied in any learning process by this White House.
Take heart, Mr. Tillerson. It seems that for anyone who works for Mr. Trump it ends badly.
4
When one person quits or gets fired, its on them. When the whole team quits or gets fired, that's on the leader.
3
The ability to goose-step is the only skill required in the Trump administration. You know the situation is critical when we mourn the departure of Tillerson.
4
Trump talks big and acts small. At least Tillerson was intelligent and not a "yes" man. I doubt the same can be said about Pompeo. Just when you think things can't get any worse...
4
The Rexit, while not a surprise except for it's timing, ends one troubling era in American diplomacy and, appears with Mike Pompeo, to put it on a much more dangerous course. With very high-stakes, high-risk negotiations looming with North Korea, we have two hard-nosed, aggressive and completely inexperienced people heading the U.S. negotiations in Donald Trump and Mr. Pompeo. Moreover, the absence of diplomatic experience in a hollowed-out State Department left by Mr. Tillerson creates an additional void in dealing with North Korea. The very undiplomatic firing of Mr. Tillerson only adds to the image of a new team ill-suited for the subtleties of diplomatic negotiating. The red warning flags are flying with a volatile and unstable Donald Trump about to enter negotiations with a wily adversary with nuclear brinkmanship on the line accompanied by someone with the same "mind-set" who may be unable to say, "No" if necessary.
7
It appears that those that don't share Donald's psychopathic behavior are either fired or leaving, as he builds a staff that manages to his whims. A president that wants to rule, not lead. A what point does this tilt to impeachment.
6
I never worked for a large corporation, but I think that in order to thrive in that highly competitive world and make CEO you have to have intelligence, strong people skills and be a realist. So Mr. Tillerson was not too shabby. Head and shoulders above his "boss." I'm sorry to see him go, he seemed like one of the few adults in the room.
Just goes to show that no matter how prestigious the position, only work with people who you can respect, otherwise those people will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience
3
Trump in 2016 - "I really like my generals"...I guess now the 25th amendment is clearly off the table.
2
Straight out of Monty Python's" The life Of Brian" and Peter Seller's "Being There" scary parallels and just as ridiculous ; hysterical in so many ways . Tillerson was probably relieved to be out of this Flying Circus .
4
When Truman fired MacArthur it was because MacArthur was openly defying him to the verge of insubordination while he was no longer leading the war effort well in Korea. Had he objected privately or showed success on the battlefield, Truman would have dealt with him a lot differently.
Tillerson may have disagreed with Trump over details but on the whole he was being a loyal subordinate. It was Trump who was unsupportive of Tillerson and so was disloyal to his subordinate. Trump had no need to treat Tillerson in this manner. He need not fear facing Tillerson and ask for him to resign, and Tillerson would have. That would have given Pompeo time to prepare to take over for Tillerson.
Trump is just a lousy leader and an incompetent chief executive officer, and the worst President we have every suffered to be in that office.
3
I just saw Trump live on TV, shopping, reviewing wall samples on our border with Mexico. How much comedic relief can our nation stand?
2
Shall we just install a revolving door at the White House? Maybe Zinke will have some money left over from his 100,000 door at the Interior Department and we can put in quicker entrances and exits at Trump's abode.
4
Tillerson should consider himself lucky to avoid drowning as the S.S. Trump goes down, down, down.
20
I’m sure he’ll get hired again, but Tillerson - and his legacy - have already gone down, down, down....
"But perhaps the most puzzling part of Mr. Tillerson’s tenure was his poor oversight of the State Department. As a former top business executive, his managerial skills were thought to be his chief asset." - Not puzzling at all. His refusal to spend any of the money allocated to State to fight Russian interference tells us all we need to know. He is another Putin stooge - just like Trump. It's rather ironic that they don't get along given that they lick the same boots - Putin's!
17
This has been in the works for months. When it was first reported that Rex was going to be fired in the Nov/Dec timeframe, Trump and his talking heads denied and screamed "Fake News!" He didn't fire him then because Trump had to prove the media wrong. I suppose Rex failed the loyalty test.
9
In the words of that great philosopher, Michael Ray Richardson, "The ship be sinking."
Sadly, it's the USA ship of state that foundering, taking the residents of the USA down with it, and quite possibly the rest of the world.
Richardson was of course speaking of another, comically and chronically inept ship: the NY Knicks! (in the 80s' and really nothing has changed, at least for long, thanks to the ineptitude and arrogance of a self-entitled oligarch -- sound familiar to things now in the USA?
6
Mr. Tillerson had to be gone before the British Prime Minister’s deadline of midnight tonight for a response to Putin’s murder campaign in Britain. Tillerson was already out in front of Trump on this one. There can be no doubt that Putin owns Trump now.
21
“We were not really thinking the same,” Mr. Trump told reporters.... Hmm. I find that hard to believe.
Nothing I have seen up to this point suggests that thinking factors into the President's decisions.
23
There's your answer!
3
This is actually the best day of Rex Tillerson's life.
19
It is very sad how Trump treats people. He degrades them. Humiliates them. Undermines their public statements. Then, finally fires them. Pompeo will be a disaster upon many other disasters.....right at the time when N. Korea shows Trump for what he is.
13
He's got no class. Twitter sacking. That would be shabby for middle management. For a Presdent it's it's... a... I'm at a loss for words.
2
Rex took the job to try and complete some
oil scheme with Russian oligarchs. These oligarchs
needed Exxon Mobile's tech expertise and there
was to have been a big pay off for all involved.
That deal fell through and he no longer needs to stay.
He wants to get out before the walls come tumbling
down. Stupid he isn't. Rex never cared a thing about
the job, it was all about the possibility of making
billions of dollars.
11
Does this mean Tillerson and Putin aren't friends anymore?
9
Maybe Tillerson will embark on a truth-telling tour and bury the president. His Exxon deal is dead, he doesn't really have a dog in this fight anymore. Rex, want to be a real patriot?
13
Trump's method of firing by tweet is nothing more than cowardice.
22
Looks like a divorce of extreme incompatibility. Hope that Pompeo will make a better bride for the President.
1
Hopefully, now that Mr. Tillerson has been dismissed from his role as Secretary of State, he will freely share his thoughts and feelings about his former boss. It would be nice to have a real look at the inner workings of the White House.
8
I don't need TV services since there are always dramas available every day. No time to be bored.
3
I strongly disagreed with almost all of Tillerson’s decisions about how he managed the State Department, and how little value he placed on diplomatic expertise.
However nobody, no executive, no entry level janitor, deserves to be treated this way with their firing done as a tweet.
Trump’s behavior shows him once again to be a coward, a bully, an incompetent businessman, and a failed leader.
22
Most of all Mr Trump has shown an inexusable lack of social grace and common courtesy. He is a most unworthy inhabitant of the White House.
9
You left out immature. Trump is puerile.
1
Sailor,
Your defense of Right-wing billionaire Tillerson is duly noted.
I doubt that he would defend you as robustly.
The whole rotten gang deserves to be treated that way. Let the heads roll.
I find it interesting Ms. Haspel gets minimal press in this lengthy article. The first female director of the CIA - that is a historic event and should be put into context. Madeleine Albright, Condolezza Rice and especially Mrs. Clinton all recieved much more fan fare. SHow some respect to her accomplishments please.
1
Yep, I'm going to really support someone who was involved with torture and rendition....not!
11
I can’t really respect overseeing torture. In my book that’s not an accomplishment .
4
Her experience -- including her defense of torture -- has been discussed already. Her so-called accomplishments are still to be demonstrated.
4
No collusion
Sure, fine, I'll believe that
But I am still left wondering...
What would V. Putin wish for America ?
An untrustable electoral process !
Fully undermined cabinet members
Preferably ones that have worked, in the past to undermine their agencies (Pruitt, Perry, DeVos...)
Massive and multiple ethical compromises
Weakened FBI, Judiciary, EPA, Diplomatic corps, Media,
Massive national debt
Trade wars
Breaking or undermining international alliances
More Gitmo, more enhanced interrogations, more renderings (see new CIA director)
Less (health) insured Americans
More guns, murders, imprisonments
Less financial controls and consumer protections
and
Not, more education
Social cohesion
Competent and upstanding Americans (Clinton, Mueller, Comey, Schwab, et al.)
All I can say :
Vlad must be real glad !!!
Of HIS perfect Candidate
Again
No colluison
Perhaps
Because
None was needed
Now
What are the odds ?
12
Perhaps Putin would like an America ruled by people who embrace his way of thinking- like Castro in Cuba, a socialist, or perhaps the leader of Venezuela, a socialist, or perhaps Sen. Sanders who loved Moscow so much, he decided to get married there- or perhaps Sen. Warren who thinks that America's wealth belongs to her so she can redistribute it. It is difficult to believe that Putin really prefers Trump who has not only increased sanctions against Russia to a new high, but is a confirmed capitalist. So, if my theory is correct, the entire collusion story is a false flag designed to camouflage Russia's real friends-fellow socialists. Great cover plan-blame Trump for collusion -excite Democrat voters-and elect socialists.
1
Putin wants to bankrupt and cause internal strife in the US after decades of GOP claims of having taken down the USSR. Putin has the perfect tool for the job and it is sadly working.
Russia is not Socialist.
Trump, the reality TV personality, used to sit across the table from his contestants, look at them in the eye and then say “you’re fired”. Trump, the POTUS, tweets that his SoS is fired, has someone else print it out and read it to them. He lost even the facade of decency.
15
"Mr. Tillerson learned he had been fired on Tuesday morning when a top aide showed him a tweet from Mr. Trump announcing the change"
People with highly fragile egos, who are indelibly insecure, often resort to this kind of cowardice rather than facing their contender with integrity.
Trump just doesn't have the guts to face Tillerson, in person, to deliver the message. He knows, at a very basic level, that Tillerson thinks him a fool. You can see (in Trump's cowardice) how he fears anything that makes him insecure.
20
I heard Pompeo on Face the Nation on Sunday, and he scared me. A total Trumpist.
13
This entire "presidency" could have been avoided by requiring a background check. While past candidates honorably and willingly appreciated that, this one has abused that, our Electoral college enabled him to take office based on nothing more than a popularity contest he didn't even come close to actually winning.
10
Rex Tillerson repeats his remarks about Vladimir Putin's plot to murder an ex-spy - this just after President Donald Trump fired Mr. Tillerson for making a comment about Vladimir Putin's plot to murder the ex-spy. Tillerson just spit in Trump's face.
13
I find it incredibly naive on folks' parts to think that the hollowing out of the State Department came at Tillerson's independent initiative - it came from Trump w/ and his requested budget cuts. Yes, Tillerson followed it - and that was wrong and more shame to him - we will pay for at least 15 years for that damage. But Pompeo will continue this - and with a political/ideological/career agenda in mind - which will be far worse. I never liked Tillerson but I have come to a grudging respect - esp. after his Monday morning remarks regarding the use of a clearly Soviet-derived nerve agent on British soil.
5
As a nation, if there is one place where we value consistency and calm, it is in the White House. Looking at the list of arrivals and departures, and more arrivals and more departures of personnel in this administration is a sign of deep problems. These are, in and of themselves a threat to national security. See Rachel Maddow's list growing list of departures: https://twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/971153268868034562
How much responsibility can we rest at the doorstep of the few career staff still around? Little to none. trump has no boundaries and takes joy in showing no respect for the rule of law unless it serves him personally.
I didn't care for Tillerson, but I did feel good that he spoke his mind and called a duck a duck when it came to supporting previous administrative deals struck during previous administrations. I believe Tillerson was firmly against any war and worked to preserve peaceful times. Mick Pompeo, not so much.
trump is a thug occupying and dirtying a highly respected role in the US. The next president will have plenty of work ahead of them to correct all wrongs committed while the GOP sits by, complicitly.
It will be almost impossible for any global partner to ever trust the US again.
9
Gee, what a scathing comment by Nancy Pelosi! Can someone light a fire under her please? Credibility of the next Secretary of State is certainly an issue but perhaps the least of our worries here.
How about a president who fills crucial posts with incompetents who have no government experience? Or a president who has no knowledge of or concern with government protocol? And let's not forget a president who communicates important policy and staffing decisions via Twitter, often catching those in his own administration by complete surprise
Those issues are glaringly obvious here yet Pelosi doesn't have the guts to comment on any of them. With her and the equally timid Chuck Schumer running the show, I fear for the future of the Democratic Party.
5
Tillerson firing just another diversion so Trump doesn't have to see Stormy Daniel's headlines.
8
Trump's lack of class is evident throughout this entire episode. Tillerson learned he had been fired when an aide showed him a tweet from Trump announcing the change.
What kind of lowlife fires his secretary of state in such a manner? How can Trump actually hold his head high and feel proud of himself.
At long last, Trump, have you left no sense of decency?
5
Clearly after the Russia Exxon deal didn’t go through Putin let Trump know he could let Tillerson go as he didn’t do the one job he was suppossed to do.
2
Now we will get to see what the State Department would have looked like under Dick Cheney--just went from the Bad to the Ugly (AKA very worst) never even coming close to the Good.
2
A hand picked (and heavily financed) Koch flying monkey and hard right wing war hawk replaces the uber-unqualified CEO of Exxon - (whose only accomplishment was burning the State Department to the ground) to articulate the "foreign policy" of a guy with the attention span and emotional stability of a 6 year old. You couldn't make this up in a million years and have anyone believe you.
8
It's a sad commentary on the dire state of our affairs when awful Rex Tillerson was one of the less dangerous and evil members of this administration.
The new group is contemptible. May they someday suffer the torture they are so willing to dispense to others ...
9
If our constitutional system were functioning as intended, the Senate would heavily scrutinize Pompeo and the conditions that led to his appointment in thorough public confirmation hearings.
Unfortunately, what we actually have is a ruling party that increasingly regards our constitutional system as an impediment to serving themselves and their donors. (Just as Putin regards it as an impediment to his authoritarian rule and imperialist dreams.) So they will most likely stage a pro-forma hearing in which Republicans toss Pompeo softballs. If Democrats have the audacity to ask substantial questions, Pompeo will enjoy full license to dodge, deflect, or brazenly lie. Then he'll be confirmed along party lines, with the pious patriot Mike Pence sweeping in to do his partisan duty if necessary.
As long as Republican senators believe Trump and Putin benefit the agenda of Republicans and their donors, they will ratify whatever Trump does, and sweep all other concerns under the rug.
8
And so Mr. Trump continues to destroy the Department of State with great aplomb.
Maybe he'll be able to finish the job of destroying the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Judiciary, and every other federal entity that protects the citizens of the United States before his term of office is over.
It's the perfect strategy for him having no opposition to suspend the constitution before the 2020 elections as, by then, we'll be in a "time of crisis".
I guess firing Rex is a pretty good distraction from the myriad of other problems we face under Mr. Trump's leadership, you know like the national debt well on it's way to $20 trillion.
Putting the Chief Spy in as head of the State Department? Absolutely Putinesque! I'm sure our allies, and enemies alike, will be absolutely overjoyed.
One thing I'll say for Mr. Trump, he's learned a great deal from his good friends Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinpin. Let the Autocrats rule, the rest of us can eat cake.
5
FYI: The debt has hit 20 trillion. Best to start a pool on when it will hit 30 trillion or when the deficit will hit 2 trillion.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Surprised it actually took this long- Rex dared to utter the words we are all thinking.
1
Musical Chairs in the Trump Dis-Administration:
So Tillerson is leaving State, and Pompeo from the CIA is going to replace Tillerson at State. Pompeo is being replaced at the CIA by Gina Kaspel, otherwise known as the "torture lady."
So if Pompeo leaves State, will Trump replace him with the torture lady?
Mission Statement of the State Department for Trump Administration:
The U.S. Department of State advances the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity, by leading America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance.
Here is the Mission Statement from the Obama Administration:
The Department's mission is to shape and sustain a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world and foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit of the American people and people everywhere. This mission is shared with the USAID, ensuring we have a common path forward in partnership as we invest in the shared security and prosperity that will ultimately better prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow.
2
Next will be Sessions, then a massacre ending Mueller's investigation.
How long will congressional Republicans sell our nation's soul in order to keep financial support of the 1%?
Trump is creating a cabinet that he can be sure will not invoke the 25th Amendment, thereby strengthening his autocratic administration.
Benjamin Franklin said we had "a republic, if you can keep it". That was in 1787. Will it last another year?
Americans who value this republic must vote in November to reclaim the Congress from those complicit in Trump's ill-informed and dangerous policies.
3
Trump is a man of decisive action. He does not tolerate any incompetence from his Cabinet or staff. Trump is a breath of fresh air from the normal waffling modern day politicians we have experienced. He has a grand plan for us in both foreign and domestic policy which will play out over time. The country must develop some patience with him in these matters and we will be well rewarded.
Tillerson never had any experience like what a Secretary of State must do to be effective. He never needed thousands of career civil service staff to enable him to function in business and he simply did not understand what was the need for all those people. Over time, I think he has begun to understand that they provide information which the Secretary needs to promote U.S. interests and to keep our obligations met in alliances, treats, and other agreements, and they provide continuity which insures that when the Secretary provides an assurance, that assurance can be trusted. He did not know these things and that made him a less effective Secretary. But Tillerson really did feel an obligation to serve the nation, not Trump's middle school psychology. Pompeo is ready to drop water balloons on the girls heads along with Trump, so we have plenty of unexpected things ahead.
2
I think Tillerson couldn't be effective because Putin blames the US for the various democracy uprisings around the world, and particularly the State Dept., and wants to undermine the influence of the US in the world. What better way than to have a Sec. of State who has no overall foreign policy vision, who clearly doesn't have the support of the president and who is dedicated to dismantling the department. I suspect Putin isn't happy that his hand-picked Sec. of State is being pushed out.
His tax savings (from divesting) alone are more than 10x (100x?)the money I'll ever see in my entire life. I never thought he should have the job and I never thought he did it well, but still, even Rex Tillerson deserves better than to receive the news via a public tweet congratulating his replacement.
1
With the gift from Nunez and the Republicans, Trump was able to thwart the country's attention from guns and those wonderful children pleading for sanity. Once again, trump wants the spotlight.
2
This just in by tweet from Trump"
I am pleased to announce that I am naming Elizabeth McCord as the new Sec. of State and Carrie Matthieson as CIA Director. I have been very impressed with their on-screen performances (something I certainly know about) and have no qualms that they can also portray real Cabinet members frankly better than the ones they're replacing.
2
Mr. Tillerson was a successful corporate CEO with decades of experience in dealing with world leaders across the globe--so other than not being a career diplomat, he was a perfect choice to be the secretary of state, and one of the few President Trump appointees who was very qualified for his job. Plus, he refused to be a yes-man for the President's insanity. So he had to go eventually. This is starting to get scary; can we survive until 2020?
I was no fan of Tillerson but he had solidity (if a bit too obsequious) that the terribly sycophantic Pompeo (who is as jejune as his master, Trump) can never achieve. And, we have a torturer in charge of the CIA.
This country is headed for a very big Constitutional crisis as something must be done, and done quick. Mueller may be able to destroy this president but that will take more time than I fear we have.
More changes are coming, more troubles ahead. Tillerson deserved better.
2
He did not even pick up his smart phone and call Tillerson and tell him directly? That's the deal maker that's going to North Korea now? Or not. Is Trump actually sponsored by Twitter? After all they don't seem to be responsible to support possible collusion.
4
A war criminal to run the CIA. Delightful. At Nuremberg she would have received a sentence of 1 to 20 years and deserved every day of it.
Doesn't matter what she's done the rest of her career because during the part that tested her core value values both as a public official and as a human being she demonstrated her moral compass points in the worst possible direction.
If torture was wrong and it was, is wrong and will always be then a woman who helped design and run the U.S. criminal torture operations 15 years ago has no business being left in our government much less being elevated in it.
6
Another news service reported:
"We have an unfolding dispute over just how Rex Tillerson was fired and what warning or explanation he was given. The AP reports that John Kelly told Tillerson over the weekend to expect a Trump tweet about him but not that it would be the announcement that he’d been fired. Other reports say Kelly told Tillerson over the weekend that he needed to resign or be fired. Meanwhile, Steven Goldstein, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs put out word that Tillerson had received no explanation or notification about his termination. Goldstein himself was promptly fired by the White House after that statement."
Why did I just flash back to the opening credits for Monty Python and the Holy Grail? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79TVMn_d_Pk
"Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked…" Wish I could laugh about this.
7
The U.S.S. Trump: Steady as she goes -- down.
1
Rex Tillerson was wasted as SecState. He should have been put in charge of an Executive-wide reengineering exercise to cut out the abysmal waste, careerism and political knife-fighting, merely starting with the State Dept. He was never allowed by Trump to develop a vision for our foreign relations that walked behind the president with a bucket and a shovel. Everyone in Trump’s White House should have seen that these were two personalities that would not mesh and become an effective foreign policy team. Not sure that Tillerson was any less to blame for it than Trump.
But Pompeyo is about as undistinguished a CIA director as we’ve ever had, and perhaps better for the job of NOT forming visions – of anything; and simply helping the president react to international emergencies and targets of opportunity.
Tillerson is a formidable executive who deserved better.
4
Remember when Tillerson was chosen by Trump there was reporting that he discussed with his wife that he would remain there for about a year.
His primary failure, was that he had no experience in this side of the foreign relations equation. His second and biggest faux pas was his failure to properly cultivate and use his State Department, which had a phenomenal and generational depth and knowledge of foreign affairs.
And the fact that he took some reasonable positions in matters, contrary to Trump kept us at least a little bit in the game instead of the US being a total outlier.
With Pompeo as the new head, there should be some consideration of his hawkish worldview, aligned with Trump, which could result in a negative outcome for the US with many important issues.
Pompeos's most important stance at this point, is how he will deal with Putin and Russia.
He cannot become Trump's apologist, and that point must be brought out by the Senate Committee which must approve him.
4
Republicans who think beyond their immediate wants are tending to leave the Congress. Since Putin favored a Republican President and members of Congress who tend to be Republicans, their interference in our elections is perceived by too many Republicans as innocuous or benevolent rather than a threat to our democracy.
1
First day you has Russian news media have a living fit that Tillerson was in Africa on what business the second day American news media say he was going to Africa the four day he sick under the weather and now his get fire by Trump, so what did Putina tell him that he could not do in Africa that got him fire today, because when it come to Tillerson the Russian news outlet always know one or two more day before American outlet.
2
"A different mind set"? How about A MIND SET period!!
5
So Pompeii(o) is in.....until he is overcome and buried by the poisonous gas and ash spewed from Mt. Dubious
7
Anyone can do better than Hillary and Benghazi.
I was in Libya when the attack of the consulate took place
My knowledgeable conclusion is
That no one could do better than the GOP and their Benghazi witch hunt
Better at undermining a Secretary of State, a president, his party and his country
And go figure
All this poison
Begets us
The master poisoner of them all
1
Good riddance. Tillerson was a horrible Secretary of State. Too bad his replacement is unlikely to be better.
4
It's time to re-name the oval office, to either the awful office or the offal office!
10
Pompeo's a short timer. Shouldn't Don just bring in Sergey Kislyak and put this charade to bed?
15
A tea party congressman in the white house. The apocalypse is nigh.
4
Eagle Scout vs "Stable Genius" Deplorable
The marriage was never going to work.
3
Who shames Putin, Trump fires.
4
The president uses the power of his office to make news, regaining control of the news cycle & kicking the avalanche of evidence of treason & corruption to the back pages.
5
And the sycophants just keep on coming.
4
Mrs. Tillerson had said that her husband had been preparing all of his life for this job. I suppose they will both need a flea bath after lying down with this dog.
7
Rob Porter
Rex W. Tillerson
John McEntee
Keith Schiller
Hope Hicks
Steve Goldstein
Who's next? Melania?
7
Getting fired by Trump is the best thing for Tillerson. After all:
1. He can get back to serving in the true American way: as a corporate CEO reaping millions and millions of dollars he doesn't deserve.
2. His example is one more of the Sinking Ship otherwise known as the Trump Administration (in getting fired, Tillerson won't need a life jacket).
3. Tillerson won't have to make throw-up stops anymore in the Executive Restroom every time Trump says something abominably callous and stupid.
6
I thought he had the Putin seal of approval. What happened?
3
Pompeo is a right-wing nut, perfect for Trump. He complained that the Guantanamo prisoners were overweight (looking in the mirror?), defends the use of enhanced interrogation, supports regime change in North Korea (where a nut has control over nuclear weapons--again, looking in the mirror?), and calls Bibi a great American ally (in which case we don't need enemies, Bibi will do).
The orange dotard strikes again: picks the worst candidate to keep his twitchy twitter finger on the button.
God help us.
15
George W. , Well said . Still laughing!
Thanks Obama for refusing to prosecute the war crimes of the Bush Administration. Now Pompeo, who supports torture & Haspel, who conducted & then destroyed evidence of torture, will be back running our agencies. An utter disgrace.
8
"Different mindset"...Meaning Tillerson is sane?
2
Does this mean that the White House is no longer "a well-oiled machine?"
4
There is obviously no room in this White House for anyone with brains and any measure of integrity. Not that I was in favor of Tillerson, but I had hope....that some semblance of sanity rules his actions. Apparently his sanity doesn't work for madman Trump.
5
Luckily, Trump is a very stable genius !!
4
Pompeo. Bought and paid for by Koch Industries.
4
Tillerson appears palpably upset in delivering his remarks from the State Department. Another calamitous decision by the worst president in American history.
5
In addition to all the policy implications of Tillerson's firing, one must ask oneself:
What kind of low-life boor fires someone publicly via tweet?
Res ipsa loquitur.
NOT my president
4
The same kind of low-life boor who lets people find out they're fired by seeing it on TV.
1
To all you NYT commenters that decried Rex Tillerson and opposed his confirmation..."I hope you're happy!"
As predicted by the Times and, I believe, derided by Trump mouths at the time as fake news.
2
Pompeo shares Trump's world view??? Let's hope not, since Trump's view of the world is primarily of women to be groped, with trade, immigration, weapons, and all else a far distant second!
1
Obviously another "globalist" in Trump's estimation...
Day in, day out, more evidence of Putin's sway over trump. More evidence that our boy king wanna be dictator is a treasonous conman with absolutely no interest whatsoever in the well being of our democracy. These are really sad times. What politician requires loyalty from his picks. Loyalty? Are you kidding me. All of this is way too much and I wish it could all end now. At the moment I'm typing this, there are 1440 comments logged. As I've stated previously, some of you in this comment crowd actually voted for this monstrosity. My question to you once again is, what made you think that this was going to turn out any differently? I'd really like to know what it was that you saw and heard (or didn't see and hear) that made you think that pulling the lever for this guy was the right thing to do for yourself and for our country. Please take your time. I'll wait...
3
Can’t wait for his book
1
You might at least _try_ to recognize that the Senate has to approve presidential appointments and not just assume it.
1
One could wish. This senate is mostly enablers, and until January they are in the majority.
1
In the real business world if a boiss went through as many employees as Trump HE would be dismissed
4
Let's all remember the President's campaign statement that "Only I can......". Everything flows from that point of view. Authoritatianism in plain sight. So, we'll see. "Pride cometh before the fall!"
2
The last adult in the room was just fired by Trump, who can't stand anyone who disagrees with him. Now he's surrounded by synchophants.
1
Cassius returns to his ranch.
1
Tillerson did seem like a patriot.
Looks like that assessment was correct.
Traitors only need apply for Trump administration positions.
Let’s call this charade, “ Putin’s Progress”.
2
A war-hawk Sec of State and a president with no impulse control. What could possibly go wrong?
2
Kakistocracy (/ˌkækɪsˈtɒkrəsi, -ˈstɒk-/) A system of government which is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens. The word was coined as early as the 17th century.
6
Everyone WITH a mind has a different mindset from Trump.
2
I hope installation of a rotating door in the White House wasn't too expensive.
Running the State Department is not like running the CIA.
Pompeo screening by Senate should go fast. Democrats only need asking questions on Russia, and the answers will say enough.
Say what you will about Max Tillerson, I think in this administration so far, he's the winner of the "looking most like a James Bond villain" award.
Also if he hadn't gotten fired for saying something negative about Russia, sooner or later he would have resigned in disgust over being constantly blindsided and undermined by idiotic policy decisions.
The major downside to all this, of course, is that our State department is now fully dysfunctional. Oh well, not like we have a lot to offer other nations at this point anyway.
2
No need to take sides, here. Tillerson was in big ways a bad Sec. of State who did and would continue to harm the country and the world. Trump firing him was not for those legitimate, justified reasons, but for his own awful, destructive-in-themselves ones. As usual with reality, binary thinking isn't good. With the exception of Trump being absolutely horrible as a president of the United States.
A little lost in the tizzy over Tillerson's firing and acolyte/yes man Pompeo's takeover of the State department is Trump's nominee to be CIA chief: Gina Haspel. She has a far from unblemished record--as a facilitator of torture and when the CIA was caught, a destroyer of evidence.
In 2002, she oversaw a secret prison in Thailand that tortured two terrorism suspects. Remember the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” program? It was part of that. When this CIA torture program surfaced a few years later, she ordered videos of CIA torture destroyed.
Now I suppose she'll get to dictate that kind of memo rather than just write it.
2
Trump expects loyalty from everyone around him, even though he is only loyal to himself.
Who in their right mind would want to be associated with this man?
I can't understand men and women of any integrity or moral standing casting their lot with the pathological lair in chief.
1
The last excuse Trump needed: the remarks of Tillerson about the toxic activities of Russia in the UK; not friendly of T. at all....................Interesting for Mueller.
4
It seems that Tillerson did not know of his eminent departure since, according to this morning's New York Times article on page A9 he said he was cutting short his African tour and returning home to prepare for the Korean mini summit. The article focused on his concern about the possible Russian involvement in the attempted murder of the former Russian double agent Skripal and his daughter.
The truth is we Americans are all sitting ring side, like it or not, in the gilded circus that Trump transformed from our former White House with his magic wand of information fabrication. None of us know what will happen next. But there is one certainty, we go into the North Korean talks with a new crew of inexperience and the surety that any doubts we might have about Russian collusion with members of the Trump campaign will not ruffle the feathers of this death defying ring leader.
1
I can hardly wait for Tillerson's inevitable tell-all book.
4
You shouldn't announce in your tweet that it is the first woman to hold the position. Let others take note of the historic moment, it just makes you appear to have put her in place so that you could call it an accomplishment for yourself.
Trump's administration is based on a very old model: musical chairs!
1
Ooooo. More drama! More entertainment for the masses! I especially like the "evil spy lady" touch. Can't wait for the big military parade!
1
Back in October 4, 2017, Rex Tillerson made a public statement denying there was pressure for him to resign, calling the reports "laughable."
Keep on laughing, Rex! That's what people do in a mad house, isn't it?
1
Tillerson may well have been the weakest Secretary of State in modern times, but at least he wasn't a spineless lickspittle like the rest of Trump's Cabinet of the Absurd. And he leaves a total diplomatic void. We have no ambassador in Seoul, no negotiator with Pyongyang, no experts with long histories of interacting with the North. Russian counterintelligence just staged a terrorist attack against British civilians, while the Republican toads in the House Intelligence Committee just announced they officially have seen and heard no evil whatever, so what's the problem?
Angels and ministers of grace, defend us.
3
Is Trump pushing out all the Americans from his administration so that he will have to resort to personnel from abroad?
Please God. When will our nightmare be over? If Trump ever leaves office, he'll only have 3 people left working for him.... Meanwhile the government continues to fall apart, and the Republicans just sit there twiddling their thumbs, watching this monster dismantle everything anyone's ever held dear.
3
Gaining a toady who will flatter our would-be-tyrant is not my idea of selecting a Secretary of State. Pampeo will have to rehearse his prepared script of fawning praise to keep is job!
In the meanwhile, the major assets and resources of the the State Department will sit idle, made dysfunctional by the caprice of this administration.
1
Trump administration is pure chaos. Rex Tillerson fired; how can the World trust what our diplomats say when Trump undercuts them? Cohen; head of finance; resigns over tariffs that were implemented on spur of the moment. Kushner can not get a clear security clearance;why would anyone trust him? Numerous scandals in HUD;VA; EPA. Porter and Hicks out. Trump made pro gun control statements; then talked to NRA and backed out of them. Stormy Daniels scandal continues to fester. Trump agreed to meet N Korea with no concessions or pre conditions. Trump administration is complete chaos. Trump is not fit for office. Ray Sipe registered Florida voter AARP member
Thanks for playing Rex! See ya later!
2
Interesting how close Pompeo is in spelling and pronunciation to Pompeii -- you know, that once thriving, sophisticated Roman city that was wiped out in 79 A.D. by a catastrophic volcano eruption.
3
I'm a CEO. If any executive who worked for me fired someone in a tweet (or an email), I'd fire the executive -- in person. What T did was cowardly, and way outside the norms that all executives live by.
3
Trump would had never been chosen to become an executive at any company. He was the executive by default because he owned the company.
Come what may, there was one thing Rex Tillerson had absolutely dead right about Donald J Trump.
2
This stunt has been saved up for a while now and it is meant to cover for the Devin Nunes hit job on the Intelligence Committee's investigation. In other words its meant to distract and push back from the headlines the false report Devin Nunes chaired Intelligence Committee just issued.
In a week or so El Trumpo will be talking about his having been cleared of all suspicion.
Wonder what he's gonna say when Devin Nunes is arrested by Mueller?
3
Putin must not have been too happy with Tillerson's comments yesterday in regard to the poisoning of the Russian dissident in the UK. Trump received his marching orders, and now here we are.
1
Trump acts like he is king. His staff are falling faster than Henry VIII's wives.
Seriously, what a carnival show. The Executive Branch can't run itself, and its supposed to run the country?
1
Tillerson is an intelligent man. He should have known from the beginning not to accept a position that he should have realized was supposed to be nothing more than being a lackey for Trump. Nevertheless, he did accept it, and this intelligent man was not only badly treated by Trump, but also did not have the kind of intelligence that it takes to run the State Department. Tillerson's biggest mistake in my opinion was not resigning last summer when his lack of ability in this area and poor treatment by Trump had become apparent. I wish Pompeo success, but I don't expect to him to have much if any more success than Tillerson. When your boss wants to be a dictator but can't and is not too bright to boot, you are not going to accomplish much if anything.
2
One (crazy, changing, resigning, firing, front-page worthy) day at a time. I wake up, go for a jog, and always come back to disruptive news from or about Mr. Hoax. I'm not sure the nation can stand much more of this mess. And it's a mess.
November. Let's get that vote out!!
2
Good riddance. Tillerson was not carrying out anybody's policy -- including himself; he did not see eye-to-eye with Trump's Russian or NATO policy; he was at odds with most if not all of the career diplomats in the State Dept. At the end, Tillerson was a boat without a rudder just drifting into nowhere land. He was poorly recommended for a very important job he should have never taken. Another poor advice by Condoleezza Rice.
I’m sure Mr. Putin has a good reason for making this change to his original pick for Secretary of State.
2
Trump will eventually be alone in the White House with only Kushner and Ivanka at his side.
He and only he can solve all of America's problems.
1
Trump is going to be the last president of the usa, he wants to be king. Just wait till he won't step down when we vote him out of office in 2020.
Unless he gets voted most crooked money hungry president ever and gets ousted for all the laws he is breaking.
Out, with plenty of time to ponder the fact that he permanently - historically - stained his reputation by working with Trump. He'll pretend it won't matter, but it will. The greedy and depraved always expect money to be a softer cushion than it turns out to be.
Any chance that Tillerson's criticism of the Russians for poisoning the man in London was what pushed Trump over the line? Trump never criticizes the Russians; could he tolerate the message coming from his Sec of State?
1
Fire the Secretary of State via Twitter? What kind of person does a thing like that? A temp file clerk deserves a more courteous send-off. Ever the class act, our Republican minority President.
1
And somehow, Trump expects DPRK to become compliant with the Geneva Conventions and other prohibitions on torture - after nominating Pompeo for SOS, and someone for CIA Director who personally oversaw torture in a secret Thai prison, then destroyed the tapes which documented it.
True, no one looks at the bright side of the Spanish Inquisition...
1
And the Trump-Go-Round continues. When is this ride over?
So long, Till' we meet again One Sunny Day. Donald was more at ease with hand in the till than with hand on the tiller. What a farce this regime is.
Someday we will find out how the Kremlin is encoding orders to Trump on Fox&Friends. Until then, like Tillerson, we will just have to wait until the tweets arrive.
1
So it looks like our country is going to be run by Trump, Sarah Sanders in the Lying Booth, and Kellyanne Conway holding down the Propaganda Office. A 1930s style complicity-team in the GOP is propping this up.
This is more shameful than the Nixon years.
4
The ball is now in Congress' court, as it has to approve Pompeo and Haspel. These hearings should be closely watched by Americans and remembered come election day in November.
3
We'll see if Pompeo actually becomes Secretary of State. If 2 Republican senators have doubt about him or the general administration clown show, Pompeo may not be confirmed.
1
It's amusing (in an extremely disturbing, black humor kind of way) to see this firing transform Tillerson overnight from a bumbling, grifter, whose decisions were based on what was best for the oil industry, into a thoughtful, knowledgeable (former) diplomat.
2
"It's amusing (in an extremely disturbing, black humor kind of way) to see this firing transform Tillerson overnight from a bumbling, grifter, whose decisions were based on what was best for the oil industry, into a thoughtful, knowledgeable (former) diplomat." I don't see much of a transformation here. Bumbling his management of the state department, working for the oil industry, and yet still probably was the most knowledgeable, responsible, and thoughtful person in the administration.
All right all right all right! Now, all we have to do is try to guess how long it will take Trump to get rid of Pompeo. Is this a neat game or what?!
1
Who’s not watching for Stormy Daniels 12:00 deadline...
“He will continue our program of restoring America’s standing in the world, strengthening our alliances...”
REALLY?? I would suggest that what has been happening over the past 14 months is exactly the opposite of this statement.
1
Trump can not afford to have a Secretary of State who, however distinguished, does not agree with his Commander in Chief. This is especially true now, as President Trump negotiates with North Korea. Any wrong signal-could start a war, or create the impression that this President does not mean what he says.
Trump needs a team that is totally in synch with his views. Our safety as a nation depends upon that.
2
trump has a different mind set from Tillerson?. Given that Tillerson actually has a mind that's a given.
3
This is not like electing a pope.
The president is an experienced executive who no doubt has relied on the services of many short-term consultants during his career.
Nothing wrong with dismissing specialists once they complete their assigned tasks. Sometimes the best people are incentivized to hit their objectives rapidly and move on to bigger and better things.
Given the rapid rate at which the state of the world is changing, its more useful to view these roles as dynamically evolving in terms of their requirements, and to stay focused on anticipating needs and filling the talent pipeline accordingly.
More important concerns than ruffled diplomatic feathers.
What's the assigned task this specialist was supposed to carry out in his brief tenure? Cutting an oil deal in Russia? (Funny, that's off the table and he's out.) Neutering the state department? Putting a gloss of gravitas on the administration?
Top diplomat informed of his firing by tweet. How classy, how reassuring.
1
It appears that Trump is running the government like a reality show. Who gets to go another round? Who will be the last one standing? Tune in next week...
"And that was a total mystery because the people at the State Department would work for the devil if he is advancing American interests, which Mr. Tillerson was.”
Frankly, I'm not sure what to make of this statement, but it hardly seems flattering to anyone.
Few think Rex Tillerson took the job as Sec of State to cap his storied career as Exxon-Mobil's CEO with a stint of public service, or for an opportunity to report to Trump.
He took the role to manage completion of Exxon's $500bn deal with Russia, dependent on lifting sanctions by the US. Trump wanted Tillerson because of his Russia connections. None of it's worked out as planned.
Seems obvious Tillerson - who unlike his former boss is both competent and sane - has wanted out for months. Congratulations, Rex.
5
Sounds like a good time for Robert Mueller to schedule an interview with Rex Tillerson, especially for information on self-dealing by the Trump and Kushner families. Tillerson no longer has to worry about job security and can talk freely.
3
First, Pompeo has to be approved by the senate. Now we will see the GOP senators cower and vacillate over the appointment of an obviously unqualified TP from Kansas.
4
Where are the “leaders” in congress? They appear oddly silent, but perhaps they are simply at a complete loss of words.
This chaos is disturbing.
7
I am disturbed that our President tweets out the Secretary of State/CIA replacements as if they are already "hired". He forgets that it is up to the Senate, not him. I wish we had a Senate that would deny one or both of his "new hires" just to put a clamp on his ego. The cabinet is not a room of wannabes on a reality show.
18
Personally, I like the theory that Trump fired Tillerson because he (Trump) is worried about Stormy Daniels and wants us all to be distracted. We have seen this distraction tactic before. The thing is, as the dirt on Trump gets worse and worse, the distractions need to get bigger, like firing the Secretary of State. What a mess we are in in this country--we deserve better.
15
I would disagree with your last comment, “we deserve better.” I don’t recall who said it, but it goes like this, “Americans don’t get the government they want, they get the government they deserve.” I agree with that statement more, because (not me, but..)we put this guy, would be tyrant, in the White House, therefore we have the government we deserve.
3
Also to distract from PA election, with news that Lamb is up in polls.
1
Mike, as much as I hate to admit it, I think you are right, in one respect. But we do deserve better and now have to figure out how to get out of this mess!
Tillerson was never qualified to be Secretary of State. The idea that negotiating oil deals with other governments is equivalent to diplomacy was always a fiction. And during his short tenure Tillerson as wrecked the state Department.
Career officers have left in droves. Those that stayed have largely been ignored and there obviously has been little if any coordination between the White House and the State Department.
Sadly, in the midst of this wreckage there are numerous issue facing the US. During the campaign Trump questioned our extended presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet under Tillerson we expanded our footprint my invading Syria.
Trump claims to have a Middle East Peace plan, but it seems to have been crafted without the State Department. And of course we have critical negotiations upcoming with North korea. This is a time when all the experienced hands at State should be on board. But it appears that Tillerson drove half of them out and ignored the other half.
This is not a department where chaos in the White House should be allowed to spread. But under Tillerson's hand it seems that it has.
6
It's no secret that we need qualified people running and working at DOS, also no secret that many positions remain vacant. To find out just how important this is pick up a copy of Daniel Ellsberg's The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner. The last thing we need is a described "Hawk" leading the North Korea talks.
3
Putin nixed Romney for state. Think Putin had any influence here? Of course he did...puppet Trump's strings are again being pulled by Putin. Just yesterday, Trump pressured the House Intelligence Committee to wrap up its Russian investigation and the Russian government mocked the United States, as if we were an adjunct republic of Russia.
7
Hawkish Mike Pompeo is taking over as Secretary of State. Super-hawk John Bolton is rumored to be in line to replace National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. With these two advising a president who asked "why can't we use nuclear weapons?'", I foresee war as a grave possibility.
11
It would appear that Putin is running things around here, and Trump needs to keep the true patriots out of our government.
3
Just two questions: (1) Who is Putin’s mole in the White House who delivers Putin’s daily instructions to the “Supermole,” and (2) is it true that Putin bought the Supermole the Babbel app for improving his spoken Russian during their weekly strategy/planning calls?
4
Tillerson should never have been confirmed for SOS to begin with, as we learned last week that his appointment was dictated to Trump by Putin. Now that Putin has the big oil deal all wrapped up, he doesn't need Tillerson anymore. I imagine he wants Pompeo in there now, so the sanctions voted by Congress will never be imposed.
Now as we are facing confirmation hearings for Pompeo, I long for the old days when the Republican Party was led by patriots like Barry Goldwater and the younger John McCain. Is there no member of the GOP leadership that will say "Enough! I refuse to sell out my country to Russia and the Trump crime family!"?
3
What can be said to even slightly diminish this dreadful fact?: The world's largest enterprise is daily entrusted to amateurs and ideologues--men and women whose only qualification for high and mighty office, extraordinary power, and the ability to subvert the long and carefully wrought history of our government, is their affection and support for a carnival barker.
4
I am genuinely curious. When is it bad enough to act? Are we actually waiting for the nukes to start falling? Pompeo will hasten that along nicely.
3
Are you expecting the Republicans in congress to act in defiance to Trump?
They are willing to destroy this country to achieve their objective of bringing back the gilded age.
3
"We were not really thinking the same". Sounds to me that Trump likes to be surrounded by "yes" men and that means he may not always hear the truth and become isolated from reality. It is good to be challenged with alternative thinking.
4
Rex Tillerson did not use the $120 million given to the department specifically for counter intelligence on Russia meddling. He downsized the department to the point where the US had the lowest amount of diplomats ever, many of those posts crucial, in keeping with Trump’s America First, isolationist policy. But, backing up the UK, our closest Ally by confirming the UK’s assessment that Russia was behind the recent chemical attack on a double agent, who was part of a swap deal, the double agents daughter in a way that several other UK citizens were also exposed, that’s going to far. He broke the never say anything bad about Russia rule. That said, by confirming our alliance with the UK, he confirmed our alliance with NATO, which means when one country in the Alliance is claiming an act of war, as will probably be the case this Wednesday by the UK, that means all the countries in NATO must act, meaning the US, will have to act, just like when Russia annexed Crimea, which resulted in the US and the rest of NATO put sanctions on Russia that crippled their economy. So, most likely more sanctions are going to be placed on Russia. President Trump can’t fulfill his duty the enact the Sanctions, he is legally obligated to enact when both the house and Senate pass the legislation almost unanimously, with only 4 or so votes against the sanctions.
This is about sanctions, it has been from the very beginning.
4
Trump has appointed Pompeo as the country's top diplomat, a man with no diplomatic experience. At least Tillerson had run a large multi-national corporation.
1
October 2017: NBC reports Tillerson is on verge of resigning because of clashes with Trump. The media volleys this story around for a bit.
December 2017: "The media has been speculating that I fired Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving soon - FAKE NEWS!" - @realdonaldtrump
March 2018: Trump fires Tillerson.
MR. TRUMP: "Rex and I have been talking about this for a long time."
3
OK, so his presidency is run like The Apprentice. What´s new?
I don´t understand why he keeps talking about The Wall. Been a while now since we heard about it. He should rather start building a railway on a bridge from Sarah Palin´s house to Russia. Layered in gold; worthy of Trump´s brand.
To those who can read between the lines: You are free to interpret this however you wish.
3
Stalin purged bureaucrats on occasion; perhaps that is from whom Trump is taking lessons in management.
What do the words the President uses to describe Tillerson say about his thought process? He characterizes Tillerson has having " a different mindset." Instead of considering Tillerson's opinions to see if they are fact-based he expels him from his administration. This action reflects the behavior of a dictator.
2
Bet the cultural Marxists from the Obama years are in quite the tizzy right now, especially all those officials who speak "on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about personnel moves," e.g., Goldstein's firing. Let's hope the NSA gives Trump the list of those "not authorized to speak publicly"--so he can do more firing.
1
Wot's a cultural marxist? Explain in 300 words or less and you can't reference Fox, Breitbart or Alex Stone.
I really don't care for his "leading by tweet" method. At least have the courtesy and respect for your staff to call them first about this. It is rather tacky and uncouth to have someone find out they're fired from a social media message.
4
Rearrangement of the deck chairs on this political sinking ship...
No one from the outside would come to work for Trump, knowing they'd need to immediately "lawyer up" against possible RICO charges.
1
Ich bin ein Berliner is so long gone...
Theresa, Angela, we are counting on you.
3
Why would anyone, at this point, believe that Pompeo will be any better or worse than Tillerson. Trump does not hire people who are smart, intelligent, especially brave, or care one bit about this country. They are all grifters, in this term for however long it lasts, to drain our treasury, take everything and anything they can get. Keep in mind that Republicans are in "it" for the moment without any regard for the future. They do not know how to plan or have any interest in protecting us, aligning with us or have any regard for us in any shape of form. It is over for us as the America we all grew up in. We lost!
1
So let me get this straight: One day after Trump crowed that there was NO COLLUSION between his campaign and Russia, he fires the secretary of state who had taken a hard line against Russia over a nerve gas attack in the UK.
But Russia has nothing on Trump. Right.
9
To Tillerson I say "Free at last, Free at last..." This job could not have been easy by any stretch. Kick back and enjoy life. I have a feeling what ultimately happens you'll be pleased your name is not attached.
3
About Gina Haspel, Wikipedia:
Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and has held several top positions in the agency including deputy director of the National Clandestine Service.[9] Haspel ran a "black site" CIA prison located in Thailand in 2002.[10][11] The site was codenamed "Cat’s Eye" and held suspected al Qaeda members Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Abu Zubaydah for a time. The Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture specifies that during their detention at the site they were waterboarded and interrogated using no-longer-authorized methods.[9][12] Declassified CIA cables specify that Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in a month, was sleep deprived, kept in a "large box", had his head slammed against a wall, and he lost his left eye. Zubaydah was deemed, by the CIA interrogators, to not be in possession of any useful intelligence (Interrogation of Abu Zubaydah).[13]
...In his memoir, Rodriguez wrote that Haspel had "drafted a cable" in 2005 ordering the destruction of dozens of videotapes made at the black site in Thailand.[12]
In 2013, John Brennan...named Haspel as acting Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, which carries out covert operations around the globe.[14] However, she was denied the position permanently due to criticism about her involvement in the Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program.[15] Haspel has also served as the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and Covert Action.[10]
3
Peter, check with any Greatest Generation survivors who knew State and CIA. Never would the lines between these two agencies have been blurred, or eliminated, as has been done in recent years, and especially today. Dangerous.
2
I'm surprised he didn't appoint Jared Kushner for secretary of state. Trump's main foreign policy concern is getting on the same page with Putin regarding their ongoing collusion. To do this, you need a family member.
4
Not too stable in the Trump administration, eh? The chaos that worked in Trump's businesses is very risky for the US government. Very different situation.
I wonder why American voters thought a businessman who used lawsuits and bankruptcies to turn a profit on building projects, was right for the Presidency.
2
Tillerson turned out to be a voice of independence and rationality. Pompeo is an extreme right-wing inexperienced yes-man and ideologue.
3
Memo
To: HBO
From: Concerned Citizen
In the interests of getting the U.S.A. out of its Banana Republic status, please consider an HBO series ( and I'm borrowing from your content here) titled
"Desperate Trump Administrators". I, as well as many others, are certain this weekly series will be a great success for HBO, in terms of revenue and profit, and the country, in terms of governance, intelligence, democracy, and civics education, not necessarily in that order.
Thank you for your consideration.
2