Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says ‘I’m not going anywhere’

Carlos Barria | Reuters

President Donald Trump (R) sits next to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a bilateral meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping (Not Pictured) at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday appeared to tamp down reports that he could leave his post by year end.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Tillerson said on Wednesday after being questioned about his commitment to staying in his position. Asked how long he plans to stay, he said, “As long as the president lets me.”

Tillerson’s friends outside Washington D.C. say he plans to stay at the State Department through the holidays so he can walk away with a year in the cabinet under his belt, CNN reported Monday. But others told the network Tillerson could leave sooner.

The former Exxon Mobil CEO has been frustrated by State Department staffing issues and policy differences with President Donald Trump, and considers Trump’s public criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions unprofessional, several sources told CNBC.

Trump has repeatedly rebuked Sessions lately for recusing himself from an FBI investigation into Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 elections. Trump told the New York Times last week it was unfair to him. He has continued to issue broadsides against Sessions on Twitter, leading to speculating that the attorney general could soon step down.

@realDonaldTrump: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!

@realDonaldTrump: Why didn’t A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation but got….

Politico on Monday reported Tillerson is reconsidering how long he will stay and feels he “is not being allowed to do his job.”

Tillerson made his comments on Wednesday during a photo op with the Qatari foreign minister. The secretary has defended Qatar in its diplomatic crisis with Gulf neighbors, but Trump has at times contradicted official statements regarding the dispute from the State Department.

Trump’s impromptu remarks about Qatar financing extremists are a source of frustration for Tillerson, a source told Politico.

Asked how about his relationship with the president, Tillerson said it’s “good.”