Tillerson denies reports of resignation

Amid rumours of rift between himself and US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he never considered leaving his post and was committed to Trump's foreign policy goals.

The news came out after NBC News reported that Tillerson almost resigned after he had called the President a "moron".

"I'm not going to deal with petty stuff like that," he said, without denying the alleged remark, BBC reported.

According to the report in NBC, he had been advised by Vice President Mike Pence "on ways to ease tensions" with the President -- something which Tillerson denies.

"The Vice President has never had to persuade me to stay as secretary of state, because I have never considered leaving this post," he said.

"I'm new to Washington, I have learned there are some who try to sow dissension to advance their own agenda by tearing others apart in an effort to undermine President Trump's own agenda. I do not and I will not operate that way," he added.

Later, Donald Trump targetted NBC in a tweet: "NBC news is #FakeNews and more dishonest than even CNN. They are a disgrace to good reporting. No wonder their news ratings are way down!"

In Las Vegas, where he paid a visit to the survivors of the mass shooting, Trump said he it was a "totally phony story... made up by NBC" and he had "total confidence in Rex."

--IANS

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