Trump lashes back at Tillerson: ‘lazy,’ ‘dumb as a rock’

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump, never known for taking criticism lying down, responded to unkind words from his former secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Friday by calling Tillerson “dumb as a rock” and “lazy as hell.”

During a public appearance in Houston on Thursday, Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO, discussed his difficult tenure working for Trump. He called the president “undisciplined” and said the president “doesn’t like to read, doesn’t read briefing reports, doesn’t like to get into the details of a lot of things.”

It was met with a biting response Friday from Trump, who lavished praise on Tillerson’s replacement and excoriated Tillerson.

“Mike Pompeo is doing a great job, I am very proud of him. His predecessor, Rex Tillerson, didn’t have the mental capacity needed,” Trump wrote.

“He was dumb as a rock and I couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell. Now it is a whole new ballgame, great spirit at State!”