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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 11 OctOber 2017
Trump’s jibe deepens feud with Tillerson; he was joking?

Continued from Front Tillerson was soon painted
Trump on Tuesday declared by some “America First”
that he had confidence in forces in the White House
Tillerson just hours after the as a publicity-shy, slow-
publication of the interview moving “globalist” who did
and before a private not grasp the nationalist
luncheon with Tillerson platform of Trump’s
and Defense Secretary Jim campaign. In particular,
Mattis.But people close to Trump has been irked by
Trump say the president Tillerson’s advocacy of
has grown increasingly staying in both the Paris
dissatisfied with the former climate deal and the Iran
Exxon CEO, whom he nuclear pact, and has
views as holding a merely complained to associates
conventional view of that he does not like how
America’s role in the world Tillerson candidly voices his
and lacking star power. disapproval to the president
Tillerson, meanwhile, is said in meetings, according to
to have grown weary of White House officials and
Trump contradicting his outside advisers.Trump
public pronouncements empowered his son-in-
and of becoming law, senior adviser Jared
increasingly isolated in a Kushner, to spearhead
capital to which he has the administration’s In this Aug. 11, 2017 photo, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, speaks following a meeting with
never warmed. efforts at Middle East President Donald Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Trump challenged Tillerson
The NBC News report last peace, stripping the State to “compare IQ tests,” delivering a sharp-edged ribbing that threw a bright spotlight on his seem-
week claiming Tillerson Department of what is ingly shaky relationship with his top diplomat. The White House insisted he was only joking.
described Trump as a usually a major priority. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
“moron” — to associates Trump also grew annoyed
after a highly classified with what he perceived
July briefing — brought as Tillerson’s go-it-alone
the simmering frustration approach to diplomacy
between the men into with North Korea, declaring
the open.This account is in a scorching tweet last
based on conversations weekend that the secretary
with several White House of state was “wasting his
aides, State Department time trying to negotiate
officials and others who with Little Rocket Man,”
spoke with the two men Trump’s nickname for Kim
over the past week.Seldom Jong Un.The president was
backing down from a fight, also angry with Tillerson’s
Trump escalated another remarks after Trump
public feud on Tuesday, declared there were “fine
unloading on ‘Liddle Bob people” on both sides of the
Corker,” a Republican clashes in Charlottesville,
senator who has dubbed Virginia, between white
the White House an “adult supremacists and anti-racist
day care center” and said demonstrators that left one
the president could be person dead, according
setting the nation on the to two people familiar with
path toward World War III. the Trump’s beliefs but
Other GOP leaders urged not authorized to discuss
the two men to calm a private conversations.
quarrel that could imperil “The president speaks for
the Republican agenda on himself,” Tillerson said at
Capitol Hill and lawmakers’ the time.The back-and-
election chances next fall. forth has been eyebrow
As for Tillerson, Trump raising for foreign diplomats
had no relationship with tasked with decoding U.S.
him prior to last year’s foreign policy. While the
election but offered him State Department has
the secretary of state post assured diplomats there’s
after being impressed no rift between Trump and
with his global oil tycoon Tillerson, the president’s
resume and receiving barbed comments
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s have risked undermining
from foreign policy confidence in the direction
heavyweights including of Washington’s foreign
former Secretary of State policy and given an
Condoleezza Rice and impression of disunity in
former Secretary of Defense the Cabinet, according
Bob Gates.But the two to three foreign diplomats
men have not clicked, and based in Washington.q