Tillerson Says He Will Remain as U.S. Secretary of State in 2018

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that despite speculation about his difficult relationship with Donald Trump, he will remain in his position throughout 2018. On January 5th, in an interview with CNN, Tillerson expressed his belief that the Trump administration had a 'successful year' in 2017 and is now implementing policies that will lead to 'another successful year.' When asked about his plans, he said, 'My intention is to stay in this position throughout the new year.' It appears that Tillerson's relationship with Trump soured in 2017. In October, NBC reported that Tillerson referred to the President as a 'moron' after a meeting at the Pentagon in July. In November, reports emerged suggesting that the White House was looking to replace Tillerson with someone else, a claim that was denied by both the White House and Trump himself at the time. Tillerson also mentioned in the CNN interview that the President had made no indication that his job might be in jeopardy. The CNN interview coincided with the release of a book about Trump's first year in office, titled 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' by Michael Wolff, which claims that the President's behavior is 'childish' and raises doubts about his fitness for the presidency. However, when asked if he believed Trump was mentally fit for the presidency, Tillerson stated, 'I have never had any doubts about his capability and mental fitness. I see no reason to doubt his mental fitness.' Before his appointment as Secretary of State, Tillerson managed ExxonMobil for years, and at the time of his appointment, Trump described him as a stable person with extensive experience and a deep understanding of global geopolitical issues, calling him an excellent choice for the position.