Tag Archives: Rex Tillerson

Rexxon Tillerson Is Unhappy About Russian Sanctions

The Associated Press reports: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says neither he nor President Donald Trump is “very happy” about new sanctions on Russia that Congress has voted to put in place. But he says the sanctions show that Americans are frustrated by Moscow, even though they want the U.S. to have a functional relationship with the nuclear-armed power. Tillerson …

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Rex Tillerson Is “Taking A Little Time Off”

Business Insider reports: Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman, surprised reporters on Tuesday by saying Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was “taking a little time off.” When asked about the discrepancies between Tillerson’s public schedule and his reported movements, and why the department hadn’t updated the press on his whereabouts, Nauert said Tillerson “does have the ability to go away …

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REPORT: Secretary Rex Tillerson Might Resign Soon

CNN reports: Among those who viewed the President’s public rebuke of Sessions as unprofessional, according to several sources, is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon-Mobil CEO. Tillerson has a growing list of differences with the White House, including a new debate over Iran policy and personnel. His frustration is hardly a secret and it has spilled out publicly …

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ExxonMobil Sues Feds Over $2M Fine Levied For Violating Russian Sanctions When Tillerson Was CEO

Reuters reports: Exxon Mobil Corp sued the U.S. government on Thursday, blasting as “unlawful” and “capricious” a $2 million fine levied against it for a three-year-old oil joint venture with Russia’s Rosneft. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday morning slapped the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer with the fine for “reckless disregard” of U.S. sanctions in dealings with Russia …

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US To Ban Americans From Traveling To North Korea

The Associated Press reports: U.S. officials say the Trump administration will ban American citizens from traveling to North Korea following the death of university student Otto Warmbier who passed away after falling into a coma into a North Korean prison. The officials said Friday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had decided to impose “geographic travel restriction” for North Korea, …

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Treasury Department Fines ExxonMobil $2 Million For Violating Sanctions On Russia When Tillerson Was CEO

Reuters reports: The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday said it was fining global oil company ExxonMobil Corp $2 million for violating sanctions on Russia in May 2014. The heads of the company’s U.S. subsidiaries signed eight documents between May 14 and May 23, 2014 with Igor Sechin, the head of Russia’s largest oil producer, Rosneft, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets …

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Trump: My Meeting With Putin Was “Tremendous”

Politico reports: President Donald Trump on Saturday called his highly-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit “tremendous,” marking his first public comments since the gathering. The president, however, declined to offer any clarity on the differing accounts from the U.S. and Russia that have since come out of the two-hour long meeting. On Friday, Tillerson said …

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Rex Tillerson: Officials Sent In Melania To Break Up Overlong Meeting With Putin, But “Clearly She Failed”

The Washington Examiner reports: First Lady Melania Trump was sent into President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to get the two leaders to wrap it up after their scheduled 30-minute meeting ran for more than an hour, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday. She was unsuccessful; the meeting lasted more than an hour longer after …

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Rex Tillerson Claims Trump Opened G20 Meeting By Confronting Putin On Election Meddling, Putin Denied

The Associated Press reports: Tillerson says President Trump opened his meeting with Vladimir Putin raising concern about Russian interference in US election, and that Putin denied playing a role. Putin says he had a long conversation with President Donald Trump, and says that “many issues have piled up, including Ukraine, Syria, some bilateral and other issues.” He says he and …

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Sec. Rex Tillerson Recognizes Pride Month: The State Department Affirms Its Solidarity With LGBT Rights

Via press release from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: In recognition of LGBTI Month, the Department of State affirms its solidarity with the human rights defenders and civil society organizations working around the world to uphold the fundamental freedoms of LGBTI persons to live with dignity and freedom. We also recognize that LGBTI persons continue to face the threat of …

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New Zealand Greets Tillerson With Middle Fingers

New Zealand’s Fairfax Media reports: The weather was awful and the mood of the locals wasn’t much better when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson​ arrived in Wellington. US media travelling with Tillerson were surprised by the number of people flipping the bird at Tillerson as his motorcade sped through town. New York Times correspondent Gardiner Harris said he had …

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Tillerson To UK: We Take Full Responsibility For Leaks

The Hill reports: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday said the U.S. government has taken responsibility for leaks about the investigation into Monday’s terror attack in Manchester, England. “We take full responsibility for that and we obviously regret that that happened,” Tillerson said, appearing alongside British foreign secretary Boris Johnson in London. The British government reportedly resumed intelligence sharing …

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Tony Perkins Flips Out After US Embassy Flies Rainbow Flag, Calls On Rex Tillerson To “Put A Stop” To It

Via press release from hate group leader Tony Perkins: Yesterday, the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia posted this on Twitter: “We’re flying the rainbow flag today to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, & Biphobia.” This kind of activism is hardly likely to endear our country to the Macedonians. The former Yugoslav republic is facing a political crisis in the …

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Russian Foreign Minister Chortles About James Comey’s Firing During Photo-Op With Rex Tillerson [VIDEO]

Of course the Russians are thrilled: Russia’s top diplomat on Wednesday appeared to joke about President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey during a visit to the State Department. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson introduced Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the Washington visit. “I want to welcome foreign minister Lavrov to the state department and express my appreciation …

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Exxon Seeks Waiver From US Sanctions On Russia

The Independent reports: Exxon Mobil has reportedly applied to the US Treasury Department for a waiver from US sanctions on Russia, which – if granted – would mean that it can resume its joint venture with Russian-state owned oil giant PAO Rosneft. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon had been seeking US permission …

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Your Weekly Debrief From Matt Baume: Chechnya, Trans Rights, Gay Adoption, Housing Rights [VIDEO]

Clip recap: Gay men are being rounded up and killed in Chechnya, and US officials seem to be turning a blind eye. A European court just ruled against the mandatory sterilization of trans citizens but the practice will continue indefinitely. And same-sex couples just won new protections for adoption, and for housing in a case that could completely change how …

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SWAMPY: Exxon Paid Tillerson $27M In 2016

Reuters reports: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson received compensation worth $27.4 million last year when he was chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp, the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer, regulatory filings showed on Thursday. He and other senior executives got raises even though Exxon’s net income fell more than 50 percent in 2016 as the company, like many …

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House LGBT Caucus Denounces Chechen Attacks On Gay Men, Demands Action From Secretary Rex Tillerson

Via press release: The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus denounced reports of hundreds gay men being arrested, detained, and tortured in Chechnya, an autonomous, predominantly Muslim subject of Russia. Additional reports indicate that several of the detained individuals have been murdered in custody. On April 10th 2017, Representatives Cicilline and Lowenthal led a bipartisan letter of 50 Members of Congress urging …

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MOSCOW: Tillerson Meets Putin At The Kremlin

The New York Times reports: After Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson waited for much of the day, wondering whether he would get to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin, the two men sat down at the Kremlin late Wednesday afternoon in the first face-to-face meeting between the Russian leader and a top official in the Trump administration. Relations between …

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BRUSSELS: Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson Gives NATO Allies Two Months To Boost Their Defense Spending

Or else…what? The Associated Press reports: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned NATO allies Friday to boost defense spending or come up with plans to reach the alliance’s budget guidelines within two months. Tillerson, in his first talks with NATO counterparts in Brussels, said that Washington is spending a “disproportionate share” on defense compared with its 27 partners, and …

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