Eli Lake, Columnist

Tillerson's Exit Hurts Iran Deal, But Not Korea Talks

The nominee to lead State flatters the president's agenda.

March 13, 2018 at 3:48 PM UTC

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.

Well. That was fun.
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

As far as firings under President Donald Trump go, Rex Tillerson's is not the most humiliating. That dishonor would have to go to former chief of staff, Reince Priebus. He learned he was fired through three Trump tweets and soon after was decoupled from the president's motorcade.

But Tillerson's departure is nonetheless a slap in the face to a former CEO who advised and quarreled with a man who used to play one on TV. As Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Steve Goldstein said in a statement Tuesday: "The Secretary did not speak to the President this morning and is unaware of the reason, but he is grateful for the opportunity to serve." Ouch.