U.S. allies fret as 'guillotine' hangs over Tillerson
Rex Tillerson
BRUSSELS/BERLIN (Reuters) - On the eve of his trip to Europe  Rex Tillerson gave a speech last week that European allies had waited months to hear: an âironcladâ promise of U.S. support to its oldest allies.
 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson  participates in a panel discussion after  his  remarks on U.S.-European Relations at the Wilson Center in Washington  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
The question is whether European officials believe him  given tensions during his April visit to Europe  when Reuters reported  Tillerson  initially planned to skip a NATO meeting in Brussels and then only attended under pressure from allies.
âIf there were expectations that  Tillerson  might evolve into a counterweight to Trump  someone who could pass on messages from partners and exert moderating influence over American foreign policy â those expectations have been disappointed â said Niels Annen  foreign policy spokesman for Germanyâs Social Democrats in parliament.
The French have gone around  Tillerson  to develop contacts with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis  White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly  while the EUâs top diplomat Federica Mogherini has gone directly to Vice President Mike Pence.
One European diplomat said  Tillerson  was in a difficult position from the outset because the Trump administration was hostile to Iran and brought in a team of generals who took a hard line  âso it never left  Tillerson  much room.â
BRUSSELS/BERLIN (Reuters) - On the eve of his trip to Europe  Rex Tillerson gave a speech last week that European allies had waited months to hear: an âironcladâ promise of U.S. support to its oldest allies.
  [TGT] participates in a panel discussion after   [TGT]   remarks on U.S.-European Relations at the Wilson Center in Washington  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
The question is whether European officials believe him  given tensions during his April visit to Europe  when Reuters reported   [TGT] initially planned to skip a NATO meeting in Brussels and then only attended under pressure from allies.
âIf there were expectations that   [TGT] might evolve into a counterweight to Trump  someone who could pass on messages from partners and exert moderating influence over American foreign policy â those expectations have been disappointed â said Niels Annen  foreign policy spokesman for Germanyâs Social Democrats in parliament.
The French have gone around   [TGT] to develop contacts with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis  White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly  while the EUâs top diplomat Federica Mogherini has gone directly to Vice President Mike Pence.
One European diplomat said   [TGT] was in a difficult position from the outset because the Trump administration was hostile to Iran and brought in a team of generals who took a hard line  âso it never left   [TGT] much room.â