President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he let Rex Tillerson go as Secretary of State and nominated CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him. And Russia conspiracy theorists are pretty sure this is evidence that Donald Trump is a traitor who colludes with Russia. Or something.
Here’s NBC’s senior political editor:
News comes *immediately* Tillerson said the the poisoning in the UK “clearly came from Russia” — while Trump has been silent on the poisoning https://t.co/0UL8gcqwsQ
— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) March 13, 2018
The paper of record suggests something nefarious:
Mike Pompeo has called for the Iran nuclear agreement to be ripped up, played down talk of Russia’s interference in the election and suggested that regime change in North Korea would be a welcome development (from November) https://t.co/CG6soWJhsD
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 13, 2018
Here’s Fusion GPS’ mouthpiece at The Atlantic:
Interesting that Tillerson’s ouster came one day after he very publicly broke with the official WH line and said the poisoning of Sergei Skripal “clearly” came from Russia. https://t.co/KfPy9b2iO6
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) March 13, 2018
NeverTrump conservative contributor at CNN:
Yesterday Sec. Tillerson said Russia was responsible for the UK poisoning. Today he is fired.
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) March 13, 2018
Mother Jones DC bureau chief agrees:
Tillerson says Russia “clearly” involved in poisoning of former Russian spy in UK.
Trump fires Tillerson. #JustSaying
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 13, 2018
MSNBC security analyst:
No wonder Tillerson felt free to speak clearly yesterday about Russia and its involvement in the spy poisoning in London. He was already fired. https://t.co/K3injqxMam
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) March 13, 2018
MSNBC host:
WH saying Tillerson was informed Friday, but State Dept statement today seems to indicate he just found out today. Which *really* makes one wonder about the role of the Russia statement yesterday.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 13, 2018
Vanity Fair contributing editor:
By firing Tillerson one day after he publicly stated that Russia behind a WMD attack on British soil, we now have proof Trump is colluding with Putin. I don’t know if he did in the election. But he is doing it NOW in front of our eyes. He is Kremlin-owned.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) March 13, 2018
Amy Siskind:
And I’m sure Trump’s decision to fire Rex Tillerson had nothing to do with the fact someone in this regime finally spoke out on Russia – yesterday! https://t.co/bl4dgcROGp
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) March 13, 2018
NeverTrump’s chief social media activist:
I guess you could say Trump chose Putin over Tillerson.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 13, 2018
ABC’s chief foreign correspondent:
Tillerson stood by the Brits 100 pecent against Russia. That’s why he got fired–because Trump won’t.
— Terry Moran (@TerryMoran) March 13, 2018
The idea that Trump fired Tillerson because he was upset at Tillerson being too tough on Russia is delusional. Tillerson rather famously disagreed with Trump on Jerusalem, Qatar, North Korea, and Iran. Trump said earlier today, in fact, “When you look at the Iran deal, I think it’s terrible.” Tillerson, he said, thought “it was okay. I wanted to either break it or do something, and he felt a little bit differently. So we were not really thinking the same.”
Even Saturday Night Live is making fun of conspiracy theorists who still cling to a theory that Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 election from its rightful heir Hillary Clinton. When you’ve lost Saturday Night Live during its resistance-isn’t-funny era, you’re in bad shape.
The idea that Trump fired Tillerson over Russia is also a complete narrative flip from where the media were when he was nominated. Then, the nomination of Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State was evidence for the Treasonous Collusion With Russia Conspiracy Theory!
THE RUSSIANS AR’NT COMING THE RUSSIANS AR’NT COMING. SQUAWK SQUAWK,KRAAWW,SKREEE,SKREET