Former U.S. Foreign Secretary Rex Tillerson [Photo/Xinhua]

President Donald Trump unceremoniously sacked foreign secretary Rex Tillerson after it became clear that the two men have different strategies for some of the toughest foreign policy challenges the U.S. and the world have been facing. 

It was not a surprise for those who are closely following Trump's presidency. In fact, many experts might have wondered how they could pull along for so long. 

Tillerson spent his life in the corporate world holding key positions, including one as chief executive of ExxonMobil. If connections with the powerful businesses were an advantage for others, to Tillerson it became a hindrance because being an outsider and from a different professional background, he could not crave out a safe niche within the State Department. 

Yet, nevertheless, he could have cultivated a relationship with his subordinates and counterparts during his tenure but for his boss in the White House, who considered that the former business executive was not doing the job well and hence was no longer needed. 

A trademark Trump tweet did it all for the most powerful diplomat in the world. He was forewarned by chief of staff John Kelly to keep a tab on social media without telling him anything about the gravity of the incoming presidential tweet.

The difference between the president and his foreign secretary were not limited to the foreign policy arena but were far varied and deeper, as the two had different temperaments – a brash and self-promoting and even self-indulgent Trump versus a cool and lazily composed Tillerson. 

Trump also disliked Tillerson's body language. The New York Times reported that Tillerson rolled his eyes or slouched whenever he differed with Trump. This mismatch in the body chemistry was not the only point of concern. 

They had different ideas over the Iran nuclear deal and other threats. Trump was clearly unhappy with the agreement that allowed Iran to wriggle out of the sanctions by halting the nuclear program and accept strict international monitoring. 

Evidence shows that Iranians are following through on their commitments. Trump wants changes in the agreement but the State Department under Tillerson was not in favor of reopening the agreed deal as it could create new problems and ultimately crush the current arrangement.

There was also confusion about how to handle the issue of North Korea. Tillerson was in favor of direct talks without any preconditions but the State Department and security establishment wanted a promise by Kim Jong-un to denuclearize the country, as a bare minimum to unroll the process of talks. 

Trump wanted to be tough and rattle the regime by ratcheting up pressure through rhetoric and sanctions. But then he suddenly showed readiness for talks and accepted an offer of meeting with the Korean leader, apparently without bothering to seek opinion of his chief diplomat. 

Trump's handling of the Korean issues has raised questions about his methods of running foreign policy. The idea of direct negotiations is fine but the entire scheme is shrouded in mystery. The meeting should not be just a photo session. So the diplomats need time to sit and chalk out a comprehensive plan to make the talks resulted oriented.

Reportedly, Trump and Tillerson also had different opinions about the shifting of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. Trump wanted to do it as early as possible and made a public commitment about it. The decisions has compromised U.S. neutrality and made the peace between Palestine and Israel more difficult.

Tillerson's successor, former CIA Director Mike Pompeo, has a difficult task ahead. Though, Trump said about him that "we have a very similar thought process" but it might make the new foreign secretary's job even harder.

Tillerson was doing the balancing act against unsteady statements by Trump. With him gone and the new foreign secretary and the president having the same thoughts, one can smell problems ahead. The duo may do more harm to the global order when the world needs a dexterous pair of hands to handle international issues.  

The sacked foreign secretary could call Trump a "moron" and still hang on for months but nothing like that is expected from Pompeo. He is considered as a loyalist of Trump and also shares his conservatism. All that might be acceptable if he passed the first big test that is to make parleys with North Korea successful.

Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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