President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE on Tuesday praised CIA Director Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Trump steps up Iran fight in final election stretch MORE and highlighted his differences with the man Pompeo will be replacing as secretary of State, Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE.

In comments outside the White House, Trump said he was "close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want” with Tillerson exiting and Pompeo moving to a different role.

"I've worked with Mike Pompeo now for quite some time. Tremendous energy, tremendous intellect. We're always on the same wavelength. The relationship has been very good and that's what I need as secretary of State," Trump said. "I wish Rex Tillerson well."

After praising Gina Haspel, his pick to replace Pompeo at the CIA, Trump said, “I'm really at a point where we're getting very close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want.”

“But I think Mike Pompeo will be a truly great secretary of State. I have total confidence in him.”

Pompeo has been giving Trump briefings and had been rumored as a potential replacement for Tillerson, who frequently clashed with the president.

Asked if he had discussed the change with Tillerson, Trump said: "I really didn't discuss it very much with him, honestly. I made that decision by myself."

ADVERTISEMENT

He then noted differences he had with Tillerson, who once reportedly referred to the president as a "moron" in private.

“When you look at the Iran deal, I think it’s terrible. I guess he thought it was okay,” the president said of Tillerson.

“I wanted to either break it or do something, and he felt a little bit differently. So we were really not thinking the same.”

The president also said that he believed Tillerson would be “much happier” leaving the State Department.