Rex Tillerson, who was fired by President Donald Trump as the US secretary of State, said he would ensure an orderly and smooth transition by delegating his responsibilities to his deputy before stepping down by the end of this month.
Tillerson, who was travelling to Africa, had to return in midway citing “the demands of work and the need to be in Washington for in-person meetings.”
For technical purposes, Tillerson said he would remain the secretary of state till March 31 and till then he would delegate his responsibilities to the Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.
The 65-year-old former Exxon Mobil chief executive and the president had strained relations and the two had differences over a host of issues including the US policy on North Korea, Russia and Iran.
Trump fired Tillerson on Tuesday and replaced him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo.