Tillerson on his time as SoS

jon-nyc

As interesting as it was depressing to read.

Loki

I would agree it’s very interesting and reasoned. Don’t necessarily agree on NK and I found the answer on how he handled the European allies question unsatisfying. No mention of why other than the “weakness” comment. We already heard a lot more from Trump himself on that.

Would love to have seen questions on how Tillerson handled the state department and to compare the outcomes of Trump’s foreign policy to Obama and Bush.

taiwan_girl

@jon-nyc said in Tillerson on his time as SoS:

As interesting as it was depressing to read.

Agree. But not really any surprises in his statements. I think that most people involved in foreign affairs agree that that is not President Trumps strong area.

I was not a fan of Secretary Tillerson, but I am sure that his feedback on his time with President Trump is accurate.

LuFins Dad

Quite frankly, a lot of what Tillerson said was exactly why I voted for Trump this time around...We needed a shakeup and to get away from the same old ways of thinking. Foreign policy is one of the things that I feel Trump excelled at especially when so many other nations and experienced diplomats feel otherwise.

I chuckled a piece on CNN today that exclaimed with horror that there were more troops in DC this week than in Afghanistan and Iraq combined but they completely ignored why there are so few troops in those countries...

Renauda

@xenon said in Tillerson on his time as SoS:

RT: His understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of U.S. history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this....

FP: If you’re having a hard time briefing him, and he’s not reading the briefings on important subjects, how does one make an informed decision then?
RT: Well, that’s the key. I’m not sure many of those decisions were well informed.
I think the other challenge that I came to realize early on is there were so many people who had access to his ear who were telling him things, most of which were untrue, and then he began to listen to those voices and form a view that had no basis in fact. So then you spent an inordinate amount of time working through why that’s not true, working through why that’s not factual, working through why that’s not the basis on which you want to understand this, you need to set that aside, let’s talk about what’s real. I think that was as big a challenge as anything. There were other people giving him information that was not accurate, every day, usually before I got to see him. First thing in the morning and not from people inside the White House. It was really frustrating.

Not at all surprised. Not one bit.

Whatever you might think about Tillerson's competence as SoS he is no fool. Fools do not become the head of EXXON/Mobil. Nor could he or would he allow himself, ever to be treated as anyone's doormat.

Eagerly anticipating the reminiscences from the likes of Kelly, Mattis and other highly competent individuals who had the displeasure of trying to work with the now defeated and disgraced, POTUS.

taiwan_girl

@renauda It will be interesting over the next ~5 years or so, as people come out with interviews or books on their time with President Trump.

I am somewhat bias but I doubt that too many will be very complementary towards President Trumps skills as an intellectual.

Copper

Based on his spectacular success in business and in government I think we can all agree that he has a way of bringing out the best in people. Is there anyone who has worked on his team that doesn’t feel better for having done this work?

The whole world will get a chance to recognize this achievement when he receives the peace prize.