Former CIA officer Phil Mudd explained that he isn't "much of a diplomat" but he doesn't anticipate Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be long in President Donald Trump's White House.
"Put a fork in that dude, he's done," the CNN commentator told Wolf Blitzer Friday. "There's a rule of thumb you learn as an entry level government official: You never embarrass the president of the United States, even when he makes a mistake. And in this case he has his press secretary talking about North Korea, the Iran nuclear deal, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas. And by the way, let me reaffirm to you, the president is not a blithering idiot. With a president this sensitive, it's a kiss of death."
That said, former senior staffer to President Barack Obama, David Axelrod, explained that Tillerson's opinions aren't far off.
"Teddy Roosevelt said 'Speak softly and carry a big stick.' This president has taken a different tactic," Axelrod said. "That's dangerous. If people misinterpret your words, that can cause a catastrophe in a short time. I think the words the president speaks are weighed carefully for that reason. But I don't think this president sees himself in this role. I think he sees this whole thing as a television program and this plays well. The suspense builds. Let's wait till the next episode. So, that's a dangerous tactic to take."
Watch the full conversation below:
Phil Mudd on Tillerson "Stick a fork in him... by sarahburris
