Tillerson out, Pompeo in as secretary of state

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump announced a mammoth-sized shakeup in his administration Tuesday morning, replacing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo. “Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service,” Trump tweeted. “Gina Haspel will become the new director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!” Haspel currently serves as deputy director of the CIA. Tillerson’s ouster comes as the Trump administration plans a controversial but significant meeting with North Korea. The president did not explain why he chose to fire Tillerson but extolled his admiration for Pompeo in a written statement. Tillerson publicly sparred with Trump last year as they diverged on several issues, including the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear agreement. Last fall, Tillerson reportedly called Trump “a moron” and threatened to quit amid the ongoing tension. Pompeo in a statement thanked the president for his new assignment: “His leadership has made America safer, and I look forward to representing him and the American people to the rest of the world to further America’s prosperity.” Senate confirmation is needed for Pompeo and Haspel to assume their new roles.