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'He’s just taking a little time off': State Dept spokesperson evades question about Tillerson's whereabouts

State Department spokesman Heather Nauert (Screengrab)
Elizabeth Preza
July 25, 2017

State Department spokesman Heather Nauert on Tuesday declined to provide the whereabouts of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, saying simply that the head of the U.S. Department of State is “entitled to take a few days for himself.”

Asked by a reporter if she can explain “why we’re not being told where he is,” Nauert shot back that it’s the senior U.S. official’s prerogative to step away from the world stage and not tell anybody.


“He does have the ability to go away on his own, just taking a little time off,” Nauert said. “He’s got a lot of work, he just came back from that mega trip overseas, as you all know … so he’s entitled to take a few days for himself.”

“I don’t think anyone’s arguing against that,” the reporter replied. “But why not just say he’s on vacation then?”


“I don’t know what’s standard for Secretary of State, how they actually list private days,” Nauert said. “I can check to see what the prior arrangements were.”

The spokesperson’s dodge comes just days afte it was reported Tillerson is considering an early exit from the State Department. Nauert on Monday pushed back on those reports.

“Secretary Tillerson is committed to staying at the State Department,” she said on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.”

Watch them video below, via CNN:

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