Rex Tillerson

November 30, 2017 in News

White House: Rumors Of Rex Tillerson’s Firing Are Fake News!

The New York Times reported today that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was going to be replaced in the Trump administration. The report – based solely off of unnamed sources – claimed Tillerson was going to be replaced with current CIA director Mike Pompeo with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) taking over Pompeo’s position. The White House issued a statement this afternoon indicating that this report was little more than fake news. “The President was here today with the Secretary of State, and they engaged in a foreign leader visit, and are continuing to work together to close out what we… Keep Reading

November 22, 2017November 22, 2017 in News

What’s Next For North Korea?

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders held a press conference along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday afternoon. Tillerson reiterated the importance of President Trump’s trip throughout Asia and the diplomatic efforts to suppress nuclear proliferation in North Korea. When discussing the trip’s goals, Tillerson said, “We continue to turn the pressure up on North Korea by getting the countries to join and take actions on their own.” North Korea has been heavily sanctioned for quite some time by United Nations resolutions designed to incentivize the country to stop its nuclear development program among other strategic goals. Today, the Treasury Department slapped… Keep Reading

September 21, 2017September 21, 2017 in News/Politics

Rand Paul Backs Tillerson In Trump Administration’s Internal Iran Deal Dispute

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has called for the United States to remain in the Iran nuclear deal, providing new negotiations regarding restricting Iran’s ballistic missiles are conducted, in an interview with Politico. In doing so, he has backed the position of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is said to favor maintaining the nuclear agreement with Iran, albeit with some modifications to strengthen the current arrangement. Tillerson’s position echoes that of Trump’s during the 2016 presidential campaign period. Both Trump and his campaign advisers argued that while they did not support the Iran deal, they would respect the fact that a deal… Keep Reading

August 8, 2017 in News

Rex Tillerson: Trump’s Voice Of Reason On North Korea

As tensions with North Korea continue to be stoked by belligerent members of the Trump administration (as well as by Trump himself on occasion), one man has stood strong as the voice of reason: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He is still advocating diplomacy, even after US Ambassador Nikki Haley declared “the time for talk is over” with regards to North Korea. “The best signal that North Korea can give us that they are prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches,” Tillerson said, according to a Reuters report. Tillerson went on to add that “other means of… Keep Reading

June 17, 2017June 16, 2017 in News

Trump Administration Revives the Bush Doctrine, Calls for Regime Change in Iran

Any person hoping that the Trump administration would depart from the long-standing foreign policy consensus of Washington D.C. should be sorely disappointed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s congressional testimony this week. “I would tell you that we certainly recognize Iran’s continued destabilizing presence in the region, their payment of foreign fighters, their export of militia forces in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen,” Tillerson said to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Tillerson apparently finds it problematic that Iranian forces are working to fight ISIS throughout the Middle East. The Trump administration funnels weapons to states such as Saudi… Keep Reading

June 15, 2017June 17, 2017 in News

Paul, Lee only Senators to stand with Trump administration on Russia sanctions

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) were the only Senators in either party to support the Trump administration’s position on Russia sanctions on Wednesday. Although the White House has yet to take an official position on the bill, their displeasure with it is clear. It is said that the administration’s objection to the Senate bill was principally grounded in the fact it prevents the President negotiating any downgrade in sanctions without the approval of Congress. President Trump, who often emphasizes his negotiating skills, was no doubt disappointed about having this issue taken out of his hands. This was… Keep Reading

June 7, 2017June 7, 2017 in News

Trump Administration Scrambles to Salvage Russian Diplomatic Ties in New Era of McCarthyism

The Trump administration hoped to normalize relations with Russia after his predecessor’s diplomatic failures reignited a Cold War of sorts, but the sore losers in the Democratic Party are intent upon keeping the countries at odds with each other. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is trying to repair the damage, but it is a tall order. “Today our relationships with Russia are at a very low point so the President asked me to begin a re-engagement process with Russia,” Tillerson said during a diplomatic visit to New Zealand. Tillerson was chosen as Secretary of State partly because of his strong… Keep Reading

April 19, 2017April 20, 2017 in Politics

Antifa Cowards Meet their Match

Newton’s Third Law of physics states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Though commonly understood to apply to physical interactions between objects in action, this law is as true in boxing and baseball as it is in politics. Midterm elections are often a down-ballot repudiation of a president and ruling party’s policy initiatives. This accounts for the Democratic Party’s drubbings in 2010 and 2014. It accounts for the humiliating dressing down they received at the hands of the forgotten men and women of the American electorate in November of last year. It accounts for the… Keep Reading

April 12, 2017April 12, 2017 in News

‘Putin’ Her Place: Russian Foreign Minister Smacks Down Anti-Trump Media Hack

In an incredible display of tone-deaf arrogance, corporate media stalwart Andrea Mitchell complained about dishonesty and a lack of access from the Trump White House. Mitchell’s boisterousness even drew the ire of a Russian bureaucrat during a State Department press conference today. “I have never seen anything like this where people just flat-out lie,” NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell said in a recent Politico interview. “You know, black is white and white is black, and they mislead you. It’s really disconcerting to see the podium in the White House briefing room being used to mislead or misdirect… Keep Reading

April 10, 2017 in News

Despite Missile Strikes, Trump Administration Claims Syrian Policy is Unchanged

In the wake of President Trump’s missile strikes in Syria, many observers are alarmed over the possibility of the United States being involved in another full-blown war. However, the Trump Administration is indicating that this strike is more of an isolated incident than a substantiative change of policy. “I would not in any way attempt to extrapolate that to a change in our policy or posture relative to our military activities in Syria today. There has been no change in that status,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. “I think it does demonstrate that President Trump is willing to act… Keep Reading

April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 in News

Sen. McCain Fumes as Syrian President Receives Vote of Confidence from Trump State Department

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has indicated that regime change is no longer the official policy regarding Syria, where embattled President Bashar Al-Assad is fighting a civil war against ISIS and other Islamist factions. This is a serious departure in policy from the Obama/Hillary/Neocon doctrine of nation-building and extreme militarism, and Sen. John McCain is far from pleased. Although the Trump Administration is boosting drone strikes in the Middle East and actually has boots on the ground in Syria, that is not enough to satisfy McCain’s longing for war. In addition to the Trump regime furthering America’s overseas presence, McCain… Keep Reading

March 27, 2017May 21, 2017 in History/Politics/World

North Korea, A Desperate Foe with the Courage of Despair

One of the most insightful observations made by Sun Tzu in his seminal masterwork, The Art of War, is the following: “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” Tu Mu was more specific in his elaboration on the point; the ancient Chinese poet said the enemy must be made to think “that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair.” The beauty of Sun Tzu’s tome is in its timelessness; the succinct profundity of his proverbs is as relevant today as it… Keep Reading

March 27, 2017March 27, 2017 in Politics

Why I Side With CEI’s Myron Ebell on Tillerson Claims

Myron Ebell, a libertarian policy hero and the environmental chief of the Competitive Enterprise Institute struck a chord with me when he characterized Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as being a part of the “swamp” of the beltway. And, frankly, I agree with him. Before we go on any further, I went to the national stage to advocate for the confirmation of Secretary Tillerson during his contested confirmation phase. This is also the case for many of my conservative and libertarian brothers and sisters who sought out an accountable and steadfast diplomat to negotiate on our nation’s behalf. Keep Reading

December 13, 2016December 13, 2016 in News/Politics

Why Rex Tillerson Gives Neocons Heartburn

Donald Trump announced this morning that he will nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State. But Trump can’t expect to get Tillerson’s nomination through the Senate without a fight. In the days leading up to Trump’s official announcement, the Senate’s leading neocons – Lindsay Graham, Marco Rubio, and John McCain – all expressed opposition to Rex Tillerson. Tillerson also received critical coverage from leading neoconservative publications including the National Review and the Weekly Standard. So what is behind neoconservatives’ opposition to Tillerson? Keep Reading