Tillerson: I Never Considered Leaving Post Of Top Diplomat
WASHINGTON (AP/CBSDFW) - Rex Tillerson says he has never considered leaving the post of secretary of state.
Tillerson said Wednesday that reports suggesting otherwise are "erroneous."
He was giving a statement Wednesday after NBC News reported the former Exxon Mobil CEO had been on the verge of resigning this summer amid mounting policy disputes with the White House. NBC said the tensions came to a head around the time President Donald Trump gave a politicized speech in July to the Boy Scouts of America, an organization Tillerson once led.
NBC said the tensions came to a head around the time President Donald Trump gave a politicized speech in July to the Boy Scouts of America, an organization Tillerson once led.
#NEW Secretary of State @RexTilllerson denies reports @VP persuaded him to stay on and says he never considered leaving his post. @CBSDFW
— Jack Fink (@cbs11jack) October 4, 2017
NBC also said Tillerson referred to Trump as a "moron" after a July 20 meeting at the Pentagon with members of Trump's national security team and Cabinet officials. NBC cited three anonymous officials familiar with the incident.
President Trump labeled the story as "fake news" on Twitter Monday and demanded that NBC issue an apology.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)