Trump has fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO and multimillionaire who's repeatedly been called variations of "one of the worst secretaries of State we've had" for failing to effectively respond to crises or even appoint people to key positions in his agency.
Reportedly, Tillerson was blindsided and found out he had been fired through a tweet by President Trump on Tuesday. "The Secretary did not speak to the President and is unaware of the reason" he was fired, according to a statement from the State Department.
Trump will nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Tillerson. Pompeo will require Senate confirmation to assume his post.
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Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
The Tuesday morning ousting has led to another interesting development: Trump has named Gina Haspel to Pompeo's job, which will make her the first woman CIA director. She currently serves as deputy director and will also have to be confirmed. Haspel has served in the CIA for 30 years and once ran a prison where terrorism suspects were waterboarded and subjected to other brutal torture techniques. Trump has repeatedly said that he believes torture works when it comes to interrogation methods.
CNN reported that Tillerson has been "on thin ice" for months, sparring with Trump on everything from North Korea to Ivanka Trump leading a delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India. Tillerson vocally advocated both for staying in the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear pact, which were both points of contention for Trump and others in the White House.
And lest we forget, Tillerson reportedly called Trump a "moron" last year — a "fucking moron," according to some sources.
REPORTER: Did you fire him because he called you a moron?
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) March 13, 2018
TRUMP: What?
REPORTER: Did you fire him because he called you a moron?
TRUMP: Say it again.https://t.co/T0pe5KyKXv
"The relationship [with Pompeo] has been very good, and that's what I need in a Secretary of State," Trump said to reporters on Tuesday. "I wish Rex Tillerson well."
"We're getting very close to having the cabinet and other things that I want," Pres. Trump says following announcement he was replacing Sec. of State Rex Tillerson. https://t.co/lhhFhpfFAP pic.twitter.com/esWH9rJ1DS
— ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2018