Rex Tillerson ‘called Donald Trump a moron and threatened to resign’

REX Tillerson has rejected reports that he threatened to resign from Donald Trump’s Cabinet but refused to deny that he called the president a ‘moron’.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly called US President Donald Trump a ‘moron’ and threatened to resign. Picture: AFP

US SECRETARY of State Rex Tillerson has conducted a hastily called press conference where he rubbished reports that he was about to quit the Trump Administration.

Sec Tillerson was responding to reports that he referred to US President Donald Trump as a “moron” after a July 20 meeting at the Pentagon — and was on the verge of resigning amid clashes with the administration.

NBC News reports that Vice President Mike Pence managed to persuade Sec. Tillerson — who is fourth in line to the presidency — to remain in the job at least until the end of the year.

US Vice President Mike Pence (L) reportedly smoothed things over with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Picture: AAP

NBC also reported that Mr Pence urged Sec. Tillerson to be respectful of the president.

In a read statement, Sec. Tillerson recommitted to do all he can for the Trump Administration.

“My commitment is as strong as it was the day I accepted his offer,” he said. “I have never considered leaving this post.”

“The Vice President has never had to persuade me to remain as Secretary of State because I have never considered leaving this post.”

However, he stopped short of denying that he called Mr Trump ‘a moron’

“I am not going to deal with petty stuff like that,” he said when asked directly if he had made the slur. “This is what I don’t understand about Washington. I am not from this place but the places that I come from we don’t deal with that kind of petty nonsense. It is intended to do nothing but divide people and I am not going to be a part of any effort to divide this administration.”

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson makes a statement to the press at the State Department in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP

Sec Tillerson said he serves at the pleasure of the president and will continue to do so as long as Mr Trump wants him to.

“I hope he feels he has the partner he needs in the State Department,” Sec Tillerson said.

Tensions between Sec. Tillerson and Team Trump reportedly came to a boil around the time the president delivered a politicised address to the Boy Scouts of America, which Sec. Tillerson led for two years, according to the network.

A few days before the speech, Sec. Tillerson openly disparaged Mr Trump as a “moron” during a meeting with members of his national security team and cabinet members, three officials told NBC News.

His comments come as a 2014 tweet by Trump that features a cartoon of the American founding fathers as they draft the U.S. Constitution has resurfaced. A caption below the image reads: “I keep thinking we should include something in the Constitution in case the people elect a f***ing moron.”

An interesting cartoon that is circulating. pic.twitter.com/OPG2R2ytkr

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2014

Things have gone cold between former friends US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) and US President Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

Officials said the administration, which has been buffeted by a series of top-level firings and resignations, would have struggled to cope with the fallout from a cabinet member of Sec. Tillerson’s stature quitting so early in the presidency.

But despite the apparent rapprochement, tensions persist between the two men — notably this weekend, when Mr Trump appeared to publicly scold Sec. Tillerson over his handling of North Korean crisis.

NBC News interviewed a dozen current and former senior administration officials for its report, as well as others who are close to Mr Trump.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) looks on as President Donald Trump speaks to the press before he meets with his cabinet in the Cabinet Room at the White House. Picture: AFP

Sec. Tillerson — who was in Texas for his son’s wedding when Mr Trump addressed the Boy Scouts — threatened not to return to Washington, three people with direct knowledge of the threats told NBC News.

He stood down after speaking with retired General John Kelly, who would soon replace Reince Priebus as chief of staff, and Defence Secretary James Mattis, four sources told the network.

General John F. Kelly has helped ease tensions between Rex Tillerson and Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

Mr Pence then gave Sec. Tillerson a “pep talk” in Washington, one of these officials said, but also told the secretary that he had to figure out a way to move forward within Mr Trump’s policy framework.

Mr Trump tweeted that the NBC report was “fake news”.

NBC news is #FakeNews and more dishonest than even CNN. They are a disgrace to good reporting. No wonder their news ratings are way down!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2017

An adviser to Mr Pence said the vice president never discussed the prospect of Sec. Tillerson resigning.

Mr Pence aide Jarrod Agen says “any reporting to the contrary is categorically false”.

Mr Trump took to Twitter again after the comments by Sec Tillerson and Mr Pence.

“The @NBCNews story has just been totally refuted by Sec. Tillerson and @VP Pence. It is #FakeNews. They should issue an apology to AMERICA!” he wrote.

The @NBCNews story has just been totally refuted by Sec. Tillerson and @VP Pence. It is #FakeNews. They should issue an apology to AMERICA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2017

Gen. Kelly and Gen. Mattis have remained Sec. Tillerson’s staunchest allies in the cabinet.

In late July, “they did beg him to stay,” a senior administration official told NBC News. “They just wanted stability”.

The White House declined to comment on the record for the report.

This report was initially published in the New York Post