WASHINGTON (TIP): News reports circulating on November 30 say Trump is contemplating replacing Secretary of State Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
New York Times quoted unnamed senior administration officials as saying Mr. Trump had soured on Mr. Tillerson and was ready for a change at the State Department, probably around the end of the year.
The two men have aired striking differences in public. Mr. Trump surprised many observers when he tweeted that Mr. Tillerson was “wasting his time” pursuing contacts with North Korea, and Mr. Tillerson was quoted as having said — though he denied it — that the President was a “moron.”
The former ExxonMobil executive has also defended the Iran nuclear deal, which Mr. Trump last month disavowed.
Under the plan, which the paper said was developed by White House chief of staff John Kelly, Mr. Pompeo would be replaced at the CIA by Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and an important Trump ally on national security issues.
That could leave Republicans with another seat to defend in the 2018 elections.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was unaware of any plans to oust him when he spoke to Senator Bob Corker on Thursday, Mr. Corker said.
“He’s conducting business, as is the norm, and is unaware of anything changing, Corker, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters.