Laying out his policy positions as the nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson set out a vision which appeared aimed at keeping US hostility toward Russia largely intact, declaring Russia a “danger” and insisting that he supports keeping sanctions in place against Russia.
A former Exxon-Mobil CEO, many in Congress were opposed to Tillerson on the grounds that his company had done business in Russia in the past. This was exacerbated by President-elect Donald Trump seeking improved relations with Russia, which Senate hawks loudly oppose.
Tillerson’s hostility toward Russia, and his complaints Obama’s hostility toward Russia was “weak,” might improve his position with Senate officials who want to keep the “New Cold War” policy going. At the same time, Tillerson conceded he hasn’t even talked about Russia policy with Trump.
That’s a shocking admission, since most of his nomination hearing is centered heavily on Russia, and Trump has made normalization of ties with Russia a top priority for his foreign policy. It is hard to imagine, then, that Trump would not have broached the subject before nominating someone to run the State Department.
It’s consistent with how Trump never bothered to talk about policy with his VP pick before the debates.
It is illegal to promise anyone a position in your government while you are not yet the party’s nominee.
Come on now. Pence was fully aware of what kind of a mad psychopath Trump is. He just chose the lowroad and accepted the VP offer because of what it could get him in the future. Or maybe even before 4 years is up!
Trump is going to wise up pretty quickly but if he doesn’t, and there’s always a chance he’s stupid enough to not, then he could be impeached by the Dems and supported by the R’s in doing it.
luv from Canada.
You sure look stupid telling us we have a loser for our next president with what you have had and now have running your country
Yes that was comical Pence made a Anti Russian remark in a interview the next day Trump told him that may not be our policy . Trump said he hopes to be friends with all foreign countries .
Calm down. This is a confirmation hearing- trying to be confirmed by warmongering a**holes. He also said he never talked to Trump about Russia policy. Do you guys believe that too? Tillerson is totally sandbagging the committee.
You could be correct but why did he have to be so explicit by using the word “danger” instead of hiding behind more moderate words? For example: concern?
He could be telling them what they want to hear.
Russia is probably the only country that could totally destroy us that is a danger . Trump will instruct Tillerson when Kelly Anna tells him what he has decided . I have a lot of confidence it will be our best decision and I think Tillerson will be a great man at getting the correct decision done . Tillerson has to be nominated before he can act on Trumps orders . He has to be nominated by a bunch of corrupt war hawks too . A lot of them did not want Trump to be in this position . Trump did Tell Pence he thought he had a different position on Russia than Pence had .. Trumps offical position to all countries is we want to be friends . If McCain , Graham and Rubio position is we want to be enemies . Then that’s there position .But it is not Trumps . There might even be a democrat or 2 that prefer Trumps position to those 3 republican war hawks . I know the American people think Trump has better plans than they have .
No he’s not. He’s saying what Trump isn’t smart enough to say. Or, Trump said a lot of dumb things to get himself elected. Proposing friendly relations with Russia was one of them and you are going to find out soon enough that he talked out of turn and naively on the matter. However, he did it to become elected and threw caution to the wind for that reason. Now he has to weasel his way back to a posiiton which is suitable for his country’s agenda.
He has to do it slowly baldric, because he can’t reneg on all his promises even before he is the pres. His lowlife supporters just wouldn’t be able to accept it. They’ll be given the big letdown by Trump in a careful way so they will be able to digest it and keep it down.
luv from Canada.
you run Canada We will run the United States
I believe it, because they’re far more strategic thinkers than anyone in the Senate.
Trump: “Should we discuss Russia?”
Tillerson: “Hell no; then they’ll be able to ask me about it.”
Trump: “My man.”
Mr. Tillerson, will you be giving back that award Putin gave you?
And Mattis said Russia was a threat(bulls**t) and the Iran deal should not be scraped(bravo). Start firing these a**clowns Donald.
Yeah, Donald is the one who shot his mouth off too soon and said the Iran deal needs to be scrapped. (not scraped) It was Obama that was largely responsible for the Iran deal and is still in favour of keeping it. I think you mean that the a**clown that should be fired is Donald himself. Unless you meant something other than you wrote and you’re prowar and you want to see a war on Iran. Who knows around this site these days?
luv from Canada.
I was using “firing” as a reference to his reality show. Being a smart a**. But if I were him I wouldn’t want anyone who was on the opposite side of such hot issues as Russia and the Iran deal as part of my team. The Iran deal is the only good thing Obama did other than not vetoing the UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements. And thank you so much for the spelling lesson.
He didn’t veto, he merely abstained.
That’s why I said “not vetoing”.
that allowed the UN resolution to pass against Israel . I don’t think Trump wanted another U.N. resolution to pass against Israel . Obama is trying to make it tough for Trump . He is not cooperating with Trump at all . In fact doing as much as he can in the opposite direction .
Trump said he would honor the Iranian deal but if they cheated and violated their part of the deal he would be all to happy to scrap the whole deal .
Was there ever any doubt? This is more about demonstrating Trump’s naivety on how it works and how it will continue to work. Trump is going to slowly be clued in to it all in time.
The difference between Trump and other presidents is that Trump is dumb enough to shoot his mouth off about things he doesn’t understand. While other presidents and V.P’s kept their mouths shut until the spooks told them what it’s all about. Really you people, this isn’t rocket science. Tillerson is obviously way ahead of the curve regardless of Trump. Not that he has been informed yet but he just knows what ‘not’ to say.
luv from Canada.
So what is this information you seem to be so in the know about? Is it the propaganda about the big bad Russians? It’s all about control with the types that demonize Russia, they see them as a threat to their global power hold.
Love from the US.
Can’t understand your question. I don’t think I’ve suggested that I’m in the know about anything in particular. But I do voice my opinions when I figure out what’s going on. I’ve predicted correctly a few times in case you haven’t noticed.
Here’s something for you to inform yourself about: Trump made an ass of himself again today on Clapper’s statement that it wasn’t the intelligence community that spilled the beans on the pissing match in Russia. Trump couldn’t understand that and misinterpreted Clapper’s statement completely. Thereby causing Clapper to have to come out again and explain what he said. The reason why I mention this is because Trump is cutting himself a new as-hole without the Dems’ assistance. What will tomorrow bring?
Now make it your business to try to understand at least that.
You see, I don’t have any special information, I just am able to pay attention to what’s happening.
In fairness to Americans, I do have an advantage being on the outside with much less at stake. Americans have cut out half of their brains that is the half that would be able to hear the other party’s truths and lies. And that doesn’t mean any particular party.
luv from Canada.
Hopefully Tillerson will change his mind after his confirmation and Trump’s inauguration. Or, at least he could signal Europe that it’s okay to lift sanctions.
Wow what a show
If you think it’s an “oversight” that they haven’t spoken yet about Russia, I suggest that you try to remember what these two gentlemen have accomplished in their lives.
Do you think either of them has ever uttered the phrase, “I don’t even want to know.”
If Trump and Tillerson had discussed Russia, then what do you think would’ve been the focus of the hearing? It’s like preparing for a deposition – the worst thing a witness can do is try to learn a bunch of information beforehand. If you don’t know, then you just say, “I don’t know anything about that,” and then there’s no more questions that they can ask you.
As for Tillerson’s personal views, they are immaterial. We did not elect a community organizer, or whatever it was that Bush did for the Rangers. Neither did Trump nominate a self-important politician who fully believes that it should be them sitting in the big-boy chair.
Tillerson is a company man, and he will implement the policies dictated to him by his boss. He was the CEO of Exxon, not the owner. He answered to a Board of Directors, and ultimately to shareholders.