Rex Tillerson
CEO, ExxonMobil · 2006–2016
Rex Tillerson was the CEO of ExxonMobil — the largest oil company on Earth. He had no political experience but extensive global relationships forged over decades in the energy business. Trump nominated him Secretary of State. He accepted.
The relationship deteriorated almost immediately. Tillerson reportedly disagreed with Trump on North Korea, Iran, Qatar, and the fundamental direction of American foreign policy. NBC News reported that in a July 2017 meeting with Pentagon officials, Tillerson called Trump 'a fucking moron.' Tillerson did not deny the characterization with any conviction — he called it 'petty' to discuss and pointedly did not say it was false.
Trump fired Tillerson by tweet in March 2018, while Tillerson was on an official trip to Africa. Tillerson learned he had been fired from Trump's Twitter feed. When Tillerson later gave public remarks, he was candid: he said Trump asked him to do things that violated the law, and that he refused. He called Trump's decision-making 'undisciplined.' He confirmed the 'moron' report, in effect, by declining to deny it. He is perhaps the only senior Trump official who left and told the truth about what he saw.
Trump nominates Tillerson as Secretary of State. The nomination surprises Washington — Tillerson has never held public office. He is confirmed by the Senate 56-43 in January 2017, with several Republican senators expressing reservations.
NBC News reports that at a Pentagon meeting, Tillerson called Trump 'a fucking moron.' Tillerson holds a press conference and calls the report 'divisive.' He does not say the quote is inaccurate. Asked directly if he called the President a moron, he does not say no.
Trump fires Tillerson via tweet while Tillerson is on an official diplomatic trip to Kenya. Tillerson learns of his termination from the President's social media account. Trump nominates CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him. Tillerson is given no advance notice.
In public remarks at a Houston event, Tillerson says Trump frequently asked him to do things that 'violated the law.' He says he had to 'help him understand' legal constraints. He describes Trump's decision-making process as 'undisciplined.' He becomes one of the first senior Trump officials to speak critically on the record.