Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have formed a “suicide pact,” promising to all leave their cabinet positions in the event one of their jobs is in jeopardy, Buzzfeed reports.
News of the pact came to light Wednesday after NBC News indicated Tilllerson had called President Trump a “moron” during an intense period in the West Wing over the summer. Tillerson on Wednesday denied reports he has ever considered stepping down as secretary of state, but declined to say whether or not he's ever debased the president.
In a series of tweets and a public statement on Wednesday, Trump dismissed the report, calling NBC "fake news" and demanding an apology from the network.
“It was fake news,” Trump said during his visit to Las Vegas. “A totally phony story. NBC just made it up. They made it all up.”
NBC News reporter Stephanie Ruhle hit back at Trump shortly thereafter, iterating her sources said Tillerson called the president a "f*cking moron."
