"He's here. Rex is here,” Trump told reporters who asked if he still wants Tillerson on the job.





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The president spoke during an Oval Office meeting with the crown prince of Bahrain.

Tillerson was not in the room for the meeting, but one reporter said he was at the White House minutes before the president spoke.

“There are no personnel announcements at this time,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. “Secretary Tillerson continues to lead the State Department.”

Trump’s comments are unlikely to quell speculation about the embattled secretary of State’s future in the administration.

Pompeo has become one of the most loyal members of the Trump administration, forming a close bond with the president by frequently delivering his daily intelligence briefing. John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE The plan, which was first reported by The New York Times, is expected to be put into place over the next several weeks. It is said to have been developed by White House chief of staffand has broad support among Trump’s inner circle.