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Thursday 5 OcTOber 2017
Tillerson denies he weighed resigning or insulting Trump

By MATTHEW LEE mass shooting there, Trump Even so, Trump has at times Staff John Kelly are “those learned about this presi-
BRADLEY KLAPPER told reporters he has “to- appeared to undercut Til- people that help separate dent, whom I did not know
Associated Press tal confidence” in Tillerson. lerson’s message on some our country from chaos.” before taking this office,”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sec- Earlier, Trump denounced of America’s most sensi- While praising Trump’s for- Tillerson said. “He loves his
retary of State Rex Tillerson country. He puts Americans
declared Wednesday he and America first. He’s
never considered resign- smart. He demands results
ing as President Donald wherever he goes, and he
Trump’s top diplomat, dis- holds those around him
puting what he called “er- accountable for whether
roneous” reports that he they’ve done the job he’s
wanted to step down ear- asked them to do.”
lier this year. After point- Later, State Department
edly refusing to answer if spokeswoman Heather
he called the president a Nauert flatly denied that
“moron,” Tillerson had a Tillerson called Trump a
spokeswoman deny he moron. She said Tillerson
used such language. hasn’t said sorry to Trump,
Thrust into the spotlight as no apology was need-
under uncomfortable ed.
circumstances, the nor- Pence backed up Tiller-
mally camera-shy Tillerson son’s account by saying
sought to rebut a widely the two men never dis-
disseminated NBC News cussed the “prospect of
story that claimed Vice the secretary’s resignation
President Mike Pence had from the administration.”
to talk the former oil man “Any reporting to the con-
out of resigning over the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson makes a statement at the State Department in Washington, trary is categorically false,”
summer, and that Tillerson Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Pence’s statement said.
had questioned Trump’s NBC said Tillerson had been
intelligence. The explosive the report as “fake news” tive national security chal- eign policy on Wednesday, on the verge of resigning
claims followed several on Twitter.Trump’s admin- lenges, including Iran and Tillerson raised eyebrows this summer amid mount-
instances in which Trump istration already had seen North Korea. Tillerson also by pointedly declining to ing policy disputes with the
and Tillerson’s policy pro- an unprecedented wave has publicly complained deny he had called the White House. It said the
nouncements have ap- of departures, including a about the White House president a “moron” after tensions came to a head
peared to clash. chief of staff, a national se- blocking him from making a contentious meeting at around the time Trump
“There has never been a curity adviser and a Cabi- key appointments. the Pentagon in July.“I’m gave a politicized speech
consideration in my mind net secretary. However, Sen. Bob Corker, the For- not going to deal with pet- in July to the Boy Scouts of
to leave,” Tillerson told his core national security eign Relations Committee ty stuff like that,” the for- America, an organization
reporters in an unusually team — Tillerson, Defense chairman, said Tillerson mer Exxon Mobil CEO said. Tillerson once led. The net-
personal address from the Secretary Jim Mattis and hasn’t been sufficiently “I mean, this is what I don’t work claimed Pence and
State Department’s staid his second national secu- supported and “is in an in- understand about Wash- Mattis convinced Tillerson
7th-floor Treaty Room out- rity adviser, H.R. McMaster credibly frustrating place.” ington. Again, I’m not from to stay.A person familiar
side of his office. — has been viewed by Re- The Republican senator, this place, but the places I with the conversation also
From Las Vegas, where publicans and even many who has criticized Trump’s come from, we don’t deal disputed that the vice
he traveled to meet with Democrats as a pillar of leadership, offered a stark with that kind of petty non- president sought to coax
medical personnel and stability in an otherwise assessment: Tillerson, Mattis sense.” the secretary of state into
others affected by the chaotic government. and White House Chief of “Let me tell you what I’ve not quitting. q

Nuke deal hangs in balance as Trump plans Iran policy speech

By BRADLEY KLAPPER cording to two officials national economic sanc- ernment’s approach to ways for him to stop signing
MATTHEW LEE who weren’t authorized to tions, one of the nation’s Iran, a traditional U.S. ad- off on the accord without
Associated Press publicly discuss the plan- “worst and most one-sid- versary in the Middle East scuttling it entirely.Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- ning for the event and de- ed transactions” ever. But that Washington considers has said repeatedly that
dent Donald Trump could manded anonymity. They many of his top national the world’s leading state he doesn’t want to certify
announce his secret deci- cautioned that plans could security aides don’t want sponsor of terrorism.The Iran Iranian compliance again
sion on the future of the Iran still change, and the White to dismantle the deal, and deal’s future may hinge on after having done so twice
nuclear deal next week. House declined to com- America’s European allies a face-saving fix for Trump already, declaring last
U.S. officials familiar with ment on the timing or sub- have lobbied the Trump so he doesn’t have to re- month he even had made
the president’s planning stance of Trump’s pending administration heavily not certify the Islamic republic’s his mind up about what
said Wednesday he is pre- announcement.Trump fac- to walk away from the compliance every 90 days, he’ll do next. “Decertifica-
paring to deliver an Iran es an Oct. 15 deadline to agreement.“We’re go- as mandated in a provision tion” could lead Congress
policy speech in which he tell Congress if he believes ing to give him a couple of a 2015 U.S. law known to reintroduce economic
is expected to declare the Iran is complying with the of options of how to move as the Iran Nuclear Agree- sanctions on Iran that were
landmark 2015 agreement seven-nation pact and if it forward to advance the ment Review Act.Several suspended under the deal.
contrary to America’s na- advances U.S. interests. important policy toward officials familiar with internal If that happens, Iran has
tional security interests. The president has called Iran,” Secretary of State discussions say the periodic threatened to walk away
The speech has been tenta- the 2015 deal, which forced Rex Tillerson told reporters deadlines have become from the arrangement and
tively scheduled for Oct. 12 Iran to scale back its nucle- Wednesday. He said the such a source of embar- restart activities that could
at an as yet undetermined ar program in exchange Iran deal comprised “only rassment for Trump that take it closer to nuclear
venue in Washington, ac- for broad relief from inter- a small part” of the gov- his aides are trying to find weapons.q