A shaky start
Despite some missteps, Tillerson still can emerge as a competent secretary of state.
We supported the appointment of fellow Texan Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, anticipating that his international experience as head of ExxonMobil and reputation as a smart, competent manager could be a good fit for the administration of mercurial President Donald Trump.
Tillerson, who turns 65 on Thursday, had no official political background, but if he could negotiate huge oil deals with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as he did, and rise to the top of the world’s largest oil company, we assumed he had to be an astute political player, which would be helpful in the world of national and international politics.
It’s early, of course, but thus far Tillerson has been less the confident, competent leader we expected and more of a stumblebum in his relations with the public, the press and foreign governments.
In contrast to his predecessor John Kerry, Tillerson has largely avoided unscripted events or fielding questions from the press or so far even taking the press corps with him on diplomatic trips, which has long been State Department policy.
On his recent trip to Japan, South Korea and China, perhaps taking a cue from his press-baiting boss, the only accompanying press was a reporter from a conservative-leaning website, to whom he gave his only interview so far.
When she asked why he didn’t bring a full press contingent, Tillerson first explained it as an attempt to save money because he could use a smaller jet, apparently forgetting or perhaps not knowing that the press pays its own way when accompanying government officials.
Then he said he’s been told its traditional for the Secretary of State to spend time with the press while flying, which he said was time he would rather be “working.”
“I’m not a big media access person. I personally don’t need it,” he said, sounding more like an executive from traditionally tight-lipped ExxonMobil than a government official who reports to the American people.
There were other disconcerting things about Tillerson’s Far East trip, ranging from his Trump-like hawkish threats toward North Korea to his oddball experience in South Korea of failing to dine with the country’s acting president and foreign minister. They said he was too tired; he said he was not invited.
Then he went to Beijing and gave a public statement of U.S.-China friendship so warm it greatly pleased Chinese officials, but shook nearby U.S. allies who feared it might be viewed as tacit permission for Chinese expansionism in the region.
And now we learn that he intends to skip next month’s NATO meeting to visit Russia — a move that sets off alarm bells not only in the U.S., where the FBI is investigating ties between the Kremlin and individuals in Trump’s presidential campaign, but also internationally among NATO allies who view Tillerson’s travel plans as a dangerous diplomatic slight.
Even if you’ve been head of a huge oil company, we suppose it takes a while to understand that as a member of the president’s Cabinet, everything you do and say takes on much greater significance, especially when one of those things threatens the press’ ability to perform its job of government
Maybe the most disappointing thing our fellow Texan has done is join in Trump’s campaign to favor rightwing media outlets while attempting to marginalize and demonize the mainstream media.
watchdog.
Maybe the most disappointing thing our fellow Texan has done is join in Trump’s campaign to favor right-wing media outlets while attempting to marginalize and demonize the mainstream media. Tillerson should be smart enough to know this is a favorite tactic of totalitarian governments and anti-democratic leaders and has no place in American politics.
It is too early to give up hope that Tillerson will yet emerge as a competent Secretary of State. History will judge him harshly if he doesn’t quickly learn the ropes in this new, more complex realm.
We urge the secretary to reject Trump’s ill-informed tactics and let the media freely and fairly do their job of informing the American people. By so doing, he can set an example for an administration that is showing troublesome and very dangerous anti-press tendencies.