Tillerson called Trump 'moron', weighed resigning: NBC

[WASHINGTON] Washington's top diplomat Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came under new pressure Wednesday after a report claimed he had branded President Donald Trump a "moron" during a Pentagon meeting.

According to an NBC News report citing "multiple senior administration officials" a few days after the heated July 20 meeting, Vice President Mike Pence met Mr Tillerson to ask him to show respect.

It is not clear whether Mr Trump was aware of the language Mr Tillerson had used, but Mr Pence and other senior officials reportedly urged the former oilman not to resign.

The report, which includes a formal denial of the reported outburst from a senior Mr Tillerson aide, came just days after Mr Trump upbraided Mr Tillerson for "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea.

State Department and White House staff did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment on the report, but Mr Trump himself sent a new Tweet which may have been provoked by the report.

"Wow, so many Fake News stories today. No matter what I do or say, they will not write or speak truth. The Fake News Media is out of control!" he wrote, without elaborating.

Mr Tillerson appeared at the State Department on Wednesday for a photo opportunity with Pakistani Foreign Khawaja Muhammad Asif but refused to respond to reporters' questions.

AFP