Trump Shifts Iran Compliance Certification Authority Away from State Department to His Own Team
Update: Tillerson Now "Taking a Little Time Off"

Or at least he's trying to do that.

President Donald Trump has reportedly sidelined the State Department and entrusted White House staffers with making the potential case for withholding certification of Iran at the next 90-day review of the nuclear deal, Foreign Policy reported.

According to the report, the president made the decision after his "contentious meeting" with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week.

Newsmax reported:

“This is about the president asking Tillerson at the last certification meeting 90 days earlier to lay the groundwork so Trump could consider his options," one of the sources said.

"Tillerson did not do this, and Trump is infuriated. He can't trust his secretary of state to do his job, so he is turning to the few White House staffers he trusts the most," the source added.

Tillerson, it is reported, is generally "frustrated" (possibly by this maneuver specifically) and is considering resigning.

CNN reports that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is becoming “increasingly frustrated” with President Donald Trump and his administration to the point where he is allegedly considering a resignation from his post, and could quit before 2017 ends.

Sources reportedly close to Tillerson told CNN that the Secretary of State is losing patience with Trump and, as a result, there may be a “Rexit” in the near future.

Except for the Iran certification, Tillerson hasn't impressed me as especially good or especially bad. He's just a warm body filling a hole.

My problem with forcing Tillerson out is the same I have with forcing Sessions out: Who's going to take this job?

No one takes a stressful job except for one reason: to increase their reputation, power, and personal earning potential.

It doesn't seem like being a Secretary in the Trump Administration is the gateway to accomplishing any of those things.

So who comes in? Who has the stature enough, and the Establishment blessing enough (because you know no man comes into the Kingdom of Government except through the Establishment), and is also willing to be professionally humiliated down the line, to become the SecState?

Update: Tillerson "taking a little time off."

posted by Ace at 04:10 PM

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