Later that day, Mr. Goldstein and several other aides who were close to Mr. Tillerson also were fired by the White House. Although he held a news conference that day to heap praise on Mr. Trump, Mr. Tillerson never denied making the remark, a refusal that rankled the president. In his speech on Thursday, Mr. Tillerson hinted at a possible reason for his non-denial. “Never lose sight of your most valuable asset, the most valuable asset you possess: your personal integrity,” Mr. Tillerson said. In his final weeks in office, Mr. Tillerson stopped mentioning the reorganization that he had once identified as his top priority.

Source: New York Times March 22, 2018 22:18 UTC