The White House fired a top aide to former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Tuesday for suggesting in an unusual statement that Tillerson learned of his own replacement via Twitter, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Less than an hour after President Trump announced his decision to replace Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, State Department spokesman Steve Goldstein told reporters the following:
Goldstein added Tillerson “did not speak to the President and is unaware of the reason” for his firing. “But he is grateful for the opportunity to serve, and still believes strongly that public service is a noble calling,” he said.
In a statement following his dismissal, Goldstein said he was happy to have served.
“This has been the honor or a lifetime,” Steve Goldstein, the under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, told Buzzfeed Tuesday. “I wish everyone well,” Goldstein said. “I look forward to getting more rest and perhaps winning an indoor rowing competition.”
Goldstein was confirmed unanimously to the post in December and took over as Tillerson’s top communications aide. His arrival dovetailed with the departure of embattled communications advisor R.C. Hammond, who was faulted for accidentally stoking speculation that Trump might fire Tillerson and replace him with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
The statement he sent shocked reporters, as it appeared to suggest that Tillerson, who returned days ago from a foreign trip to Africa, was kept out of the loop about his own firing until the rest of the world learned of his fate.
“I’ve been in Washington covering foreign policy and politics for nearly a decade now. I’ve never seen anything like this statement,” Vox’s Zack Beauchamp wrote in reaction.
Other journalists described the statement as “remarkable,” while previous reports have suggested Goldstein’s loyalty to Tillerson caused White House staffers to loathe him.
The Associated Press first reported Goldstein’s firing on Tuesday.
