Reporter to Tillerson: The White House keeps 'humiliating' you so 'why don't you quit'?
REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
- A reporter confronted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about why he hasn't resigned despite obvious tensions with the White House.
- Tillerson is reportedly on the chopping block, and may leave the State Department within months.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson dismissed a reporter who asked him why he wasn't resigning following reports that President Donald Trump wants to replace him within weeks.
During a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Associated Press reporter Josh Lederman asked Tillerson to address tensions with Trump, which have reached a boiling point in recent days following reports that the president is attempting to oust the top diplomat.
"Many Americans see these efforts as humiliating to you," Lederman said. "You have had an illustrious career. Why do you put up with it? Why don't you quit?"
"This is a narrative that keeps coming up about every six weeks," Tillerson replied. "And I would say you all need to get some new sources, because your story keeps being wrong."
Uncertainty over the secretary of state's future has colored his diplomatic trip to Europe during high level meetings with NATO countries and Russia to discuss issues including North Korea, Syria, and Iran.
Tillerson has repeatedly brushed aside the speculation, calling news of his impending ouster "laughable," while Trump last week denied the veracity of the reports.
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