Tillerson ‘never thought to step down’

Rex Tillerson said he has never considered stepping down as US Secretary of State.

America’s top diplomat said that reports suggesting otherwise are “erroneous”.

Mr Tillerson delivered a statement after NBC News reported the former Exxon Mobil chief executive had been on the verge of resigning this summer amid mounting policy disputes with the White House.

NBC said the tensions came to a head around the time President Donald Trump gave a politicised speech in July to the Boy Scouts of America, an organisation Mr Tillerson once led.

NBC also said Mr Tillerson referred to Trump as a “moron” after a 20 July meeting at the Pentagon with members of the president’s national security team and Cabinet officials.

NBC cited three anonymous officials familiar with the incident.

When asked if he called Mr Trump a moron, Mr Tillerson said: “We don’t deal with that kind of petty nonsense.”