When you call your boss a moron, especially if your boss is the president of the United States, it’s inevitable that your days are numbered at that job.
Such was the case with now-deposed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, though it’s noteworthy that Trump didn’t actually fire Tillerson until after he made disparaging remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin, which only raises more questions about the suspicious relationship between Trump and Putin; but, that’s an ongoing mystery, yet to be solved.
The more immediate concern for Canada is that, for all his faults, Tillerson was one of the few level-headed voices in the Trump administration and, he was a vocal supporter of stronger Canada/U.S. relations.
His replacement, Mike Pompeo, seems to be the polar opposite of Tillerson.
He’s a former member of the ultra-conservative Tea Party who strongly supports Trump’s protectionist economic policy and hawkish foreign policy.
Trump, the most unqualified person to ever occupy the Oval Office in Washington, loves to surround himself with sycophants who tell him how wonderful he is and it appears the new Secretary of State will fit right in.
That could be bad news for Canada regarding NAFTA, steel tariffs and a myriad of other sensitive files.
Canadian officials are hoping that attempts to strengthen ties between the two countries will continue, but, with this latest move, the signs aren’t very encouraging.