Donald Trump was reportedly left “seething” after footage of him comforting victims of the Las Vegas massacre was overshadowed by video of his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appearing to call him a “moron”.

The US leader is reportedly ready to replace the former oil executive with CIA director Mike Pompeo after footage of Mr Tillerson’s gaffe dominated TV news channels ahead of his visit to the scene of America’s worst mass shooting.

After Mr Trump took to Twitter to call the 'moron' story fake, MSNBC anchorwoman Stephanie Ruhle who broke the story, was quoted assaying: “My source didn’t just say he called him a moron. He said he called him an f**ing moron.”

Mr Tillerson hastily organised a press conference shortly afterwards, which coincided with Mr Trump’s visit to Las Vegas.

He used it to deny he was considering his resignation.

“There has never been a consideration in my mind to leave. I serve at the appointment of the president and I’m here as long as the President thinks I can be useful to achieving his objectives,” Mr Tillerson said – but did not deny using the “moron” slur.

Mr Trump called reports about the “moron” slur “totally phoney” and said he had “total confidence" in Mr Tillerson as he visited some of the injured victims and members of the emergency services.

However, he was reportedly furious about the timing of Mr Tillerson's gaffe and the fact that his Secretary of State did not explicitly deny calling him a moron.

After what Trump considered a strong trip to Vegas, he seethed when he got back and saw Tillerson’s gaffe dominating cable-news coverage,” according to US new site Axios, which originally broke the story.

The website added that unnamed insiders claimed the relationship between the two men is now “broken beyond repair”.

Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting – in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

The pair are nonetheless reported to have clashed on matters of foreign policy in recent weeks, particularly when Mr Trump engaged in a war of words with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, branding him “rocket man”.

He promised “fire and fury” if the secretive communist state lands one of its missile trials on US territory.