
A new report reveals that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson privately called Trump a “moron” and nearly resigned a few months ago.

On top of every other problem with his administration, Donald Trump has had to deal with an incredibly high amount of turnover, as various government officials either resign in protest or are pushed out in disgrace over malfeasance.

But according to a bombshell from NBC, it could have been a lot worse. In July, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was very nearly one of those resignations after Trump delivered an embarrassing and disgraceful speech to the Boy Scouts of America, which resulted in days of widespread criticism.

Even more amazingly, behind closed doors, Tillerson referred to Trump as a “moron”:

Tillerson had openly disparaged the president, referring to him as a “moron,” after a July 20 meeting at the Pentagon with members of Trump’s national security team and Cabinet officials, according to three officials familiar with the incident. While it's unclear if he was aware of the incident, Vice President Mike Pence counseled Tillerson, who is fourth in line to the presidency, on ways to ease tensions with Trump, and other top administration officials urged him to remain in the job at least until the end of the year, officials said.


Tillerson has established himself from the start as one of the least effective secretaries of state in U.S. history, as well as one of the most powerless and neglected members of Trump’s Cabinet. He was one of the few voices urging Trump to stay in the Paris agreement — which in and of itself says a lot, given he was the CEO of an oil company.

Trump has been embarrassed by a long string of revelations about how he and his inner circle operate, from the fact that he decides significant military policy based on what he just watched on Fox News, to the fact that he only reads presidential memos if they keep mentioning him by name.

But flatly being called a “moron” by the highest member of his Cabinet is incredible even by Trumpian standards.

Decades from now, historians will look back in amazement on what a farce this administration was at every level and every point in time. It is our job, here and now, to speak up and refuse to accept it as the new normal.