Tillerson Says He ‘Never Considered Leaving This Post'

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday he hasn’t contemplated resigning and praised President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, calling Mr. Trump “smart.” “I have never considered leaving this post,” Mr. Tillerson said. Mr. Tillerson spoke in the State Department’s Treaty Room to deny longstanding rumors about his possible resignation after a report Wednesday morning that he referred to Mr. Trump as a “moron” and had to be talked out of quitting by Vice President Mike Pence and others.

But in an abruptly scheduled news conference, Mr. Tillerson said that he supports Mr. Trump’s “America first” approach to foreign policy and extolled “what we have accomplished... as a team.” He said that suggestions to the contrary were an attempt to divide administration officials. Later Wednesday, Mr. Trump said that he has “total confidence” in Mr. Tillerson. Mr. Tillerson declined to specifically address an NBC report that he referred to Mr. Trump as a moron, describing such talk as “petty nonsense.”

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