WaPo Updates Report After Gorka Sets Record Straight on Tillerson ‘Fake News’

Deputy assistant to President Trump Sebastian Gorka participates in a discussion during th
Alex Wong/Getty

Dr. Sebastian Gorka, a top adviser to President Donald Trump on national security, set the record straight after the Washington Post ran a political analysis insinuating that Gorka was dismissing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s role in the Trump administration.

“For those worried that President Trump might get into nuclear war with North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson provided some solace Wednesday,” the Post reported.

“Americans should sleep well at night,” Tillerson said, tempering Trump’s promise to unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea if it continued to threaten the United States. Tillerson emphasized that no conflict was imminent,” the Post reported.

“But now another Trump administration voice is suggesting that we shouldn’t pay Tillerson much mind,” the Post reported, referring to an interview Gorka gave on BBC radio.

“You should listen to the president; the idea that Secretary Tillerson is going to discuss military matters is simply nonsensical,” Gorka said. “It is the job of Secretary Mattis, the secretary of defense, to talk about the military options, and he has done so unequivocally.”

‘Woe betide anyone who militarily challenges the United States,’ and that is his portfolio” Gorka said. “That is his mandate.

“Secretary Tillerson is the chief diplomat of the United States, and it is his portfolio to handle those issues,” Gorka said.

The Post went so far as to say Tillerson was receiving the same treatment from Gorka as Attorney General Jeff Sessions has received from the president.

“It looks like more backbiting and internal discord,” said the Post.

But an update has been added to the Post’s story, clarifying that the way Gorka’s comments were reported was fake news:

Update: Gorka is now saying his comments have been misconstrued and that he was merely saying the media shouldn’t ask Tillerson questions about military matters. “I said for reporters to force our chief diplomat — the amazing Rex Tillerson — to give details of military options is nonsensical. He is the secretary of state. … I was admonishing the journalist of the fake news-industrial complex … who are demanding that he make the military case for action.”

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