Donald Trump fires Rex Tillerson and appoints CIA director Mike Pompeo
Washington — US President Donald Trump says he has replaced US secretary of state Rex Tillerson with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Mike Pompeo, and has tapped Gina Haspel to lead the CIA. The replacement represents the biggest shake-up of the Trump cabinet so far and had been expected since October, when reports surfaced about a falling out between Trump and Tillerson, who left his position as CEO of Exxon Mobil to join the administration. US stock index futures pared their gains and the dollar also trimmed gains versus the yen while extending losses versus the euro. Trump publicly undercut Tillerson’s diplomatic initiatives numerous times, including on Monday when the former secretary of state’s comments about Russia appeared to be at odds with those of the White House. Tillerson also appeared out of the loop last week when Trump announced he would meet North Korea’s leader and become the first sitting US president to do so. "Mike Pompeo, director of the CIA, will beco...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.