Rex Tillerson Told Congress Putin “Out-Prepared” Trump At G20 Meeting; President Calls Him “Dumb As A Rock”

by Pablo MenaMay 23, 2019, 4:23 pmCongress, Daily Digest, News, News Feed, Trump News >

Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told members of Congress that President Donald Trump was less prepared than his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for their meeting at the 2017 G20 Summit.

Tillerson said in a clandestine meeting with lawmakers Tuesday that he was a firm believer in longstanding “American values” like freedom and democracy, but did not explicitly say he thought Trump adhered to those values as well.

Tillerson — who left the White House in April 2018 and was replaced by Mike Pompeo — also reportedly said Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, failed to consult with the State Department and other agencies before participating in decisions regarding foreign policy, and that Kushner’s lack of experience in international relations was a cause for concern.

Shortly after taking office, Trump tasked 38-year-old Kushner — who also comes from a real estate family — with several duties that included securing peace in the Middle East.

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In an angry tweet on Thursday, Trump lashed out at Tillerson by denying he was “out-prepared” by Putin at the G20 meeting in Hamburg in July 2017 and by calling his former secretary of state “dumb as a rock” and “ill-prepared.”

“I don’t think Putin would agree,” Trump wrote.

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Among the congressman Tillerson reportedly met with this week for a seven-hour interview about his time in the Trump administration were Rep. Eliot Engel (D-New York) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), respectively the chairman and top-ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The group discussed the U.S.’s relationship with Russia, among other topics.