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Trump replaces Secretary of State Tillerson with CIA chief

Mike Pompeo will become the new secretary of state

Rex Tillerson and US President Donald Trump REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Rex Tillerson and US President Donald Trump

© REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, March 13. /TASS/. Rex Tillerson has been dismissed from the post of the US Secretary of State and Mike Pompeo, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has been appointed to this position, US President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday.

"Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service!" the US president wrote.

Pompeo’s candidacy is to be further approved by the US Senate.

Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 13 March 2018

Before joining the key US intelligence agency, Pompeo was a member of the US House of Representatives. According to recent numerous US media reports, Tillerson had strained relations with Trump. Experts and media outlets unanimously predicted Tillerson’s early resignation. He assumed office on February 1, 2017.

Rex Tillerson was reluctant to step down as US Secretary of State, while President Trump provided no explanations as to why he decided to sack him, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Steve Goldstein told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

According to Goldstein, Tillerson "had every intention of staying because of the critical progress made in national security." He noted that "the Secretary did not speak to the president and is unaware of the reason" behind his dismissal.

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