AP sources: Trump considers replacing Tillerson with Pompeo
After months of clashes on policy and personality   President Donald Trump  is considering ousting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replacing  him  with hard-nosed CIA Director Mike Pompeo following less than a year on the job  senior U.S. officials said as turmoil within  Trump 's national security team burst into the open.
The White House plan  which  Trump  has not yet signed off on  would force a major realignment early in  his  term  also creating a vacancy atop the CIA that officials said could be filled by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. The overhaul could produce a significant shift in both the tone and direction of  the president 's foreign policy  removing it from the understated former oil man whose style has never fit well with  Trump 's.
It is exceedingly rare for a secretary of state  America's face on the global stage  to be fired or to serve for a year or less. Nor is it common for presidents to have such a significant Cabinet revamp so soon after taking office. Too much churn could fuel the perception of chaos in the  Trump  White House â perhaps one reason he has yet to pull the trigger.
Tillerson's likely ouster  which was first reported by the New York Times  loomed awkwardly over an Oval Office meeting Thursday between  Trump  and the visiting Bahraini crown prince. Asked by a reporter whether he wanted Tillerson to stay on the job   Trump  was coy  merely pointing out that Tillerson was in fact in the building.
" He 's here. Rex is here " the president said.
After a report last month that Tillerson had called the president a "moron " Tillerson was forced to appear before cameras at the State Department to pledge fealty to his boss. Soon after   Trump  publicly challenged his secretary to an IQ match.
When Tillerson was tapped for the job late last year  many  Trump  critics expressed quiet relief that he'd picked a sober "adult" who could form a counterweight to the president's brasher  impulsive approach  especially on critical matters of war and peace.
Yet divisions on key foreign policy issues emerged quickly  and  Trump  has repeatedly undermined Tillerson by voicing positions at odds with those the State Department was pushing.
When Tillerson in June called on Arab nations to ease their blockade on Qatar   Trump  emerged in the Rose Garden hours later to lambaste Qatar for funding terrorism.  Trump  also deemed diplomacy with North Korea a waste of time  when Tillerson was pursuing just that. Tillerson's advice to  Trump  to stay in the Paris climate deal and certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal was similarly overruled.
Pompeo  in contrast  has formed a tight relationship with  Trump  that's led to a role much broader than many past CIA chiefs. A former businessman and conservative Republican congressman from Kansas  Pompeo is at the White House nearly every day to deliver the daily intelligence briefing  a task often delegated to less senior officials. He sometimes stays longer to accompany  Trump  to other meetings. He shares the president's hardline stance against Iran.
Cotton  a top contender to take over at CIA  has been one of  Trump 's staunchest defenders on foreign policy in Congress. Yet moving him would create a Senate vacancy just as Republicans need every vote possible. Under Arkansas law  if Cotton steps down before next July  the state's Republican governor would appoint a replacement who would serve until the November 2018 election. If Cotton stays in the Senate  his current term doesn't end until 2020.
Tillerson's future came up in the Oval Office earlier this month at a meeting in which White House officials closest to the president agreed the Texan should go â and soon â said one individual who consults regularly with the administration. But  Trump  never signed off  and officials have struggled to focus  his  attention on the matter  the individual said.
No matter how long Tillerson is allowed to stay on  his stature and ability to speak on  Trump 's behalf has been impaired  it is widely agreed.
After months of clashes on policy and personality   President Donald Trump  is considering ousting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replacing  him  with hard-nosed CIA Director Mike Pompeo following less than a year on the job  senior U.S. officials said as turmoil within  Trump 's national security team burst into the open.
The White House plan  which   [TGT] has not yet signed off on  would force a major realignment early in   [TGT]   term  also creating a vacancy atop the CIA that officials said could be filled by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. The overhaul could produce a significant shift in both the tone and direction of  the president 's foreign policy  removing it from the understated former oil man whose style has never fit well with  Trump 's.
It is exceedingly rare for a secretary of state  America's face on the global stage  to be fired or to serve for a year or less. Nor is it common for presidents to have such a significant Cabinet revamp so soon after taking office. Too much churn could fuel the perception of chaos in the   [TGT] White House â perhaps one reason he has yet to pull the trigger.
Tillerson's likely ouster  which was first reported by the New York Times  loomed awkwardly over an Oval Office meeting Thursday between   [TGT] and the visiting Bahraini crown prince. Asked by a reporter whether he wanted Tillerson to stay on  [TGT] was coy  merely pointing out that Tillerson was in fact in the building.
" He 's here. Rex is here " the president said.
After a report last month that Tillerson had called the president a "moron " Tillerson was forced to appear before cameras at the State Department to pledge fealty to his boss. Soon after    [TGT] publicly challenged his secretary to an IQ match.
When Tillerson was tapped for  [TGT]  late last year  many   [TGT]   critics expressed quiet relief that  [TGT] 'd picked a sober "adult" who could form a counterweight to the president's brasher  impulsive approach  especially on critical matters of war and peace.
Yet divisions on key foreign policy issues emerged quickly  and   [TGT] has repeatedly undermined Tillerson by voicing positions at odds with those the State Department was pushing.
When Tillerson in June called on Arab nations to ease their blockade on Qatar    [TGT] emerged in the Rose Garden hours later to lambaste Qatar for funding terrorism.   [TGT] also deemed diplomacy with North Korea a waste of time  when Tillerson was pursuing just that. Tillerson's advice to  [TGT] to stay in the Paris climate deal and certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal was similarly overruled.
Pompeo  in contrast  has formed a tight relationship with  [TGT] that's led to a role much broader than many past CIA chiefs. A former businessman and conservative Republican congressman from Kansas  Pompeo is at the White House nearly every day to deliver the daily intelligence briefing  a task often delegated to less senior officials. He sometimes stays longer to accompany   [TGT]   to other meetings. He shares the president's hardline stance against Iran.
Cotton  a top contender to take over at CIA  has been one of  Trump 's staunchest defenders on foreign policy in Congress. Yet moving him would create a Senate vacancy just as Republicans need every vote possible. Under Arkansas law  if Cotton steps down before next July  the state's Republican governor would appoint a replacement who would serve until the November 2018 election. If Cotton stays in the Senate  his current term doesn't end until 2020.
Tillerson's future came up in the Oval Office earlier this month at a meeting in which White House officials closest to the president agreed the Texan should go â and soon â said one individual who consults regularly with the administration. But   [TGT] never signed off  and officials have struggled to focus   [TGT]   attention on the matter  the individual said.
No matter how long Tillerson is allowed to stay on  his stature and ability to speak on   [TGT]  's behalf has been impaired   [TGT]  is widely agreed.