Tillerson on reports of ouster: ‘It’s laughable’
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday dismissed reports that the White House has hatched a plan to force him out.
“It’s laughable,” he told reporters.
Tillerson spoke during a meeting with Libya’s prime minister at the State Department.
Tillerson grinned at a reporter who asked the question and waved his hands as if to brush it aside before leaving the room with the prime minister.
It’s the secretary of State’s first comments since multiple news outlets reported Thursday the White House is considering ousting him and replacing him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo in the coming weeks. {mosads}
They are an indication Tillerson plans to try and fight for his job rather than resign — at least for now.
The reports, which were attributed to high-ranking White House sources, appeared to be a coordinated effort to shame the former Exxon Mobil Corp. CEO into quitting.
President Trump and his aides did little on Thursday to bat down the reports. When asked about the plan, the president simply replied: “Rex is here.”
Amid the mounting speculation about his demise, Tillerson plans to join a meeting with Trump and the Libyan prime minister at the White House on Friday and then eat lunch with the president and Defense Secretary James Mattis.
News of the plan was the latest humiliation for Tillerson, who has frequently clashed with Trump over policy and personnel.
Pompeo, on the other hand, is seen as one of the most loyal members of the Trump administration and someone who has formed a close relationship with the president through their daily intelligence briefings.
Updated at 10:45 a.m.
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