Tillerson took secretary of state job because his wife told him to

USA officials said this week that Tillerson was planning to skip next month’s meeting in Brussels. “They are not multilateral”.

Tillerson’s trip to Russian Federation comes at a time when Moscow’s alleged cyberattacks during the presidential campaign are being scrutinized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Congress, the Post said. Several countries immediately started trying to change the date. “We have offered alternative dates that the secretary could attend”.

She said there would be no separate, NATO-focused meeting in Washington.

The State Department spokesman did not mention this detail and NBC News could not immediately independently confirm it.

“Looking at ongoing conflicts, if we accept that we’re just going to continue to never solve any of these conflicts, then the budget should stay at the current level”, he said.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2-ranked House Democrat, said Tillerson was sending a “dangerous signal to our allies and adversaries”.

FBI Director James Comey says the FBI and Justice Department have no information to substantiate President Donald Trump’s claims that former President Barack Obama wiretapped him before the election.

And in April, NATO leaders have a lot to hash out: major new troop deployments to the Baltic States to deter Russian Federation, disintegrating European relations with fellow NATO ally Turkey, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, the NATO mission in Afghanistan, and key priorities for NATO’s upcoming head of state summit in May. Smaller Eastern European countries fear that will happen at their expense, while the continent’s larger nations are unsure about the ultimate direction of USA policy.

The administration, meanwhile, has been scrambling to reaffirm its commitment Washington’s military alliances – including North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – after Trump called into question their usefulness during his campaign.

The former diplomat, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was vital to present a united front toward Moscow.

As President Donald Trump’s administration continues to be embroiled in controversy, reports surfaced this week that Tillerson didn’t even want his position and his wife had to nudge him to take it.

“No matter how you spin it, this is unfortunate symbolism”, one European diplomat reflected.

He said he had not yet talked to Trump about what a pared-down state department would look like or how it will be staffed: “We haven’t gotten that far yet”. President Trump said this in his very first address to a joint session of Congress.

“I think every department of government should be looked at continuously, and so I’m all for us looking into that”, Corker said. “We have a lot of skittish allies out there”.

President Trump has come under scrutiny for his overtures on improving relations with Russian Federation.