Secretary of Stat Rex Tillerson is 'taking a little time off' from work during a tumultuous period in Washington, a State Department spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Spokeswoman Heather Nauert didn't give an exact reason or provide a location, while brushing back reports that Tillerson might be leaving his post six months into the Trump administration.

'He does have the ability to go away for a few days on his own," Nauert told reporters.

'He's got a lot of work, he just came back from that mega-trip overseas ... so he's entitled to take a few days for himself,' she said, the Washington Examiner reported.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson found President Trump's dissing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions unprofessional, according to a report

Tillerson, who has clashed with the White House over staffing issues, plans to stay put, she said. 'The secretary has been very clear he intends to stay here at the State Department,' Nauert said.

'We have a lot of work that is left to be done ahead of us. He recognizes that, he is deeply engaged in that work, we have meetings scheduled, he has meeting scheduled for the rest of the week here in Washington.'

But she noted that Tillerson does 'serve at the pleasure of the president, just as any cabinet official.'

That principle was clearly illustrated Tuesday, when Trump once again offered public comments knocking his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for failing to recuse himself from a Russia probe.

President Donald Trump bashed attorney general Jeff Sessions at a press conference Tuesday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is taking some time off

'He does have the ability to go away for a few days on his own," State spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

Asked if he was letting Sessions twist in the wind, Trump said: 'Well, I don't think I am doing that, but I am disappointed in the attorney general. He should not have recused himself almost immediately after he took office. And if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me prior to taking office, and I would have quite simply picked somebody else. So I think that's a bad thing – not for the president, but for the presidency. I think it's unfair for the presidency, and that's the way I feel.'

'I want the attorney general to be much tougher' Trump said at the news conference in the Rose Garden.

Trump's earlier comments undermining Sessions came off as unprofessional to Tillerson, who may depart his post sooner than expected, according to a report Monday.

Trumptold the New York Times last week: 'I think is very unfair to the president. It's extremely unfair, and that's a mild word, to the president,' in reference to the nation's top law enforcement officer.

Several sources said the former Exxon CEO found the attack unprofessional,CNN reported.

Two sources told the network they wouldn't be surprised if Tillerson didn't depart his post sooner than the end of the year – after earlier giving the impression he was determined to stay on the job at least that long.

The sources said they were familiar with Tillerson conversations with 'friends outside Washington.'

Talk of an early exit by the nation's top diplomat comes just days after White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned Friday in a staff shakeup.

Tillerson, who was new to government when he left his lucrative job and took the post, has yet to produce his reorganization of the agency. Staying a full year would allow him to leave a more lasting mark.

Tillerson has clashed with the White House over personnel issues, and had one reported blowup over the inability to get his team in place. A recent White House encounter with the head of personnel grew 'intense' and 'uncomfortable,' according to a CNN report.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions wait to give remarks related to a reconstituted travel ban at a news conference at the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection headquarters, on March 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. Tillerson reportedly found the president's recent treatment of Sessions unprofessional

TAKE THIS JOB: The former Exxon CEO got a $182 million golden parachute from the oil giant when he left to join the administration

The president's comments to the Times appear to have been another irritant. Trump said he wouldn't have hired Sessions had he known in advance he would recuse himself from the sprawling Russia probe that has grown to include his own financial transactions.

'Sessions should have never recused himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else,' Trump said.

The administration budget is calling for a 30 per cent staff cut at the agency, something Tillerson says he supports.

One thing Tillerson doesn't need is a pay check. The former Exxon CEO got a $182 million golden parachute from the oil giant when he left to join the administration.