Secretary of State Says Trump 'Speaks For Himself'

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared on Fox News Sunday and was pressed about the administration’s response to the Charlottesville attacks.

August 27, 2017

After the deadly attacks in Charlottesville two weeks ago, a United Nations committee criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for not strongly enough condemning the acts of violence. The committee urged Trump’s administration to “unequivocally and unconditionally reject and condemn racist hate speech.”

“We are alarmed by the racist demonstrations, with overtly racist slogans, chants and salutes by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and the Ku Klux Klan, promoting white supremacy and inciting racial discrimination and hatred,” said the chair of the committee, Anastasia Crickley.

Following the committee’s response, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared on Fox News Sunday and was pressed about the administration’s response to the attacks.

“I don’t believe anyone doubts the American people’s values or the commitment of the American government or the government’s agencies to advancing those values and defending those values,” Tillerson said.

The host, Chris Wallace, pushed Tillerson to speak on the president’s values.

“The president speaks for himself, Chris,” Tillerson said.

Wallace then asked whether Tillerson “separating himself” from Trump’s response.

“I’ve made my own comment as to our values,” Tillerson responded.

Kenneth Frazier, the African-American CEO of the pharmaceutical company Merck, resigned from Trump’s advisory council after the president’s remarks.