IM SAVANNAH G .
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>>> GOOD DAY, EVERYONE 37.
IS THIS A BUSY NEWS DAY.
WERE EXPECTING TO HEAR REMARKS FROM REX TILLERSON JUST HOURSS
FROM REX TILLERSON JUST HOURS AFTER HIS SURPRISE FIRING BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
HERE IN FACT IS THE SECRETARY. >> -- A LITTLE AFTER NOONTIME.
>> -- A LITTLE AFTER NOONTIME FROM AIR FORCE ONE.
AND IVE ALSO SPOKEN TO CHIEF OF
STAFF KELLY TO ENSURE WE HAVE
CLARITY AS TO THE DAYS AHEAD,
WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IS TO ENSURE AN ORDINARILY AND SMOOTH
TRANSITION DURING A TIME THAT
THE COUNTRY CONTINUES TO FACE
SIGNIFICANT POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES.ND NATIONAL
SECURITY CHALLENGES. AS SUCH, EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF
THE DAY, IM DELEGATING ALL
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICE
OF THE SECRETARY TO DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE SULLIVAN.
MY COMMISSION AS SECRETARY OF
STATE WILL TERMINATE AT MIDNIGHT
MARCH 31. BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, I WILL
ADDRESS A FEW ADMINISTRATIVE
MATTERS RELATED TO MY DEPARTURE
AND WORK TOWARDS A SMOOTH AND
ORDERLY TRANSITION FOR SECRETARY
OF STATE DESIGNATE MIKE POMPEO.
IM ENCOURAGING MY POLICY
PLANNING TEAM AND UNDER
SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT
SECRETARIES, THOSE CONFIRMED, AS
WELL AS THOSE IN ACTING
POSITIONS, TO REMAIN AT THEIR
POST TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION AT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN WORKING
WITH THE INTERAGENCY PROCESS. I WILL BE MEETING MEMBERS OF MY
FRONT OFFICE TEAM AND POLICY
PLANNING LATER TODAY TO THANK
THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
THEY HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY
DEDICATED TO OUR MISSION WHICH
INCLUDES PROMOTING VALUES THAT I
VIEW AS BEING VERY IMPORTANT FOR
THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR
STATE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL,
ACCOUNTABILITY WHICH MEANS
TREATING EACH OTHER WITH HONESTY
AND INTEGRITY, AND RESPECT FOR
ONE ANOTHER.
ONE ANOTHER. MOST RECENTLY IN PARTICULAR TO
ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO SPEAK NOW TO MY STATE DEPARTMENT COLLEAGUES AND TO OUR
INTERAGENCY COLLEAGUES AND
PARTNERS AT DOD AND JOINT CHIEF
OF STAFF MOST PARTICULARLY.
TO MY FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS
AND CIVIL SERVICE COLLEAGUES, WE
ALL TOOK THE SAME OATH OF
OFFICE.
OFFICE.
WHETHER YOU ARE A CAREER EMPLOYEE OR POLITICAL APPOINTEE,
WE ARE ALL BOUND BY THAT COMMON
COMMITMENT.
COMMITMENT.
TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE
CONSTITUTION.
TO BEAR TRUE FAITH AND
ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME. AND TO FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE
DUTIES OF OUR OFFICE.
AS A STATE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE
BOUND TOGETHER BY THAT OATH.
WE REMAIN STEADFAST HERE IN
WASHINGTON AND AT POSTS ACROSS
THE WORLD.
THE WORLD. MANY OF WHOM ARE IN DANGER PAY
SITUATIONS WITHOUT THEIR
FAMILIES.
FAMILIES.
THE WORLD NEEDS SELFLESS LEADERS
LIKE THESE.
READY TO WORK WITH LONG STANDING
ALLIES, NEW EMERGING PARTNERS
AND ALLIES, WHO NOW MANY ARE
STRUGGLING AS DEMOCRACIES AND IN
SOME CASES ARE DEALING WITH
HUMAN TRAGEDY, CRISIS OF NATURAL DISASTERS, LITERALLY CRAWLINGRAL
DISASTERS, LITERALLY CRAWLING THEMSELVES OUT OF THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THESE ARE EXPERIENCES THAT NO LECTURE HALL IN AN ACADEMICNO
LECTURE HALL IN AN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT OR THINK TANK CAN
TEACH YOU.
TEACH YOU.
ONLY BY PEOPLE GOING TO THE
FRONT LINES TO SERVE CAN THEY DEVELOP THIS KIND OF TALENT.Y
DEVELOP THIS KIND OF TALENT. TO THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM,
IM TOLD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
MOST PEOPLES MEMORY THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE HAVE A CLOSE, WOULD
WOULDINGWOULD
WOULDINGWOULD WOULDING WORKING RELATIONSHIP
WHERE WE ALL AGREE THE U.S.
LEADERSHIP STARTS WITH
DIPLOMACY.
THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF SECRETARY
MATTIS AND GENERAL DUNFORD
PROTECT US AS AMERICANS AND OUR
WAY OF LIFE DAILY AT HOME AND
ABROAD.
ABROAD.
AS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER MILITARY, THEY DO IT FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY,
THEY DO IT FOR YOU, AND THEY DO
IT FOR ME.
AND FOR NO OTHER REASON.
AS AMERICANS, WE ARE ALL
ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO EACH OF
THEM AND WE HONOR THEIR
SACRIFICES.
SACRIFICES.
THE REWARDING PART OF HAVING LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIPS IS
PLACE IS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY
GET SOME THINGS DONE.
AND I WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION
TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND OUR
PARTNERS FOR A FEW OF THEIR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION.
FIRST WORKING WITH ALLIES, WE EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATIONS OFE
EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMOST EVERYONE WITH THE DPRK
MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN.
WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON MY VERY
FIRST TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE
TO THE REGION THAT THE ERA OF
STRATEGIC PATIENCE WAS OVER AND
WE CONVINCED THE STEPS TO
DRAMATICALLY INCREASE NOT JUST
THE SCOPE BUT THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE SANCTIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT UNDERTOOK A
GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO BRING
PARTNERS AND ALLIES ON BOARD IN
EVERY COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD,
WHETHER EVERY EMBASSY AND
MISSION RAISING THIS TO THE
HIGHEST LEVELS AND AT EVERY
MEETING IVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR THIS HAS BEEN ON THEED A AG
TO DISCUSS.
TO DISCUSS. THE ADOPTION OF THE SOUTH ASIA
STRATEGY WITH THE CONDITIONS
BASED MILITARY PLAN IS THE TOOL
TO COMPEL THE TALIBAN TO
RECONCILIATION AND PEACE TALKS
WITH THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT.
FINALLY EQUIP OUR MILITARY
PLANNERS WITH A STRATEGY WHICH
THEY CAN EXECUTE AS OPPOSED TO A
SUCCESSION OF 16 ONE YEAR
STRATEGIES.
STRATEGIES.
THIS CLEAR MILITARY COMMITMENT AT TRANKTED THETRACTED THE SUPPO
BROADLY AND EQUIPPED OUR
DIPLOMATS WITH A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
OF CERTAINTY AROUND HOW TO
PREPARE FOR THE PEACE TALKS AND
ACHIEVE THE FINAL OBJECTIVES.
IN OTHER AREAS WHILE PROGRESS
HAS BEEN MADE, MUCH WORK
REMAINS.
REMAINS.
IN SYRIA, WE DID ACHIEVE
IMPORTANT CEASE FIRES AND
STABILIZATIONS WHICH WE KNOW HAS
SAVED ALLOWTHOUSANDS OF LIVES.
THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE
PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO
ACHIEVING PEACE AND STABILIZING
IRAQ AND SEEING A HEALTHY
GOVERNMENT INSTALLED.
AND MORE BROADLY IN THE ENTIRE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO DEFEAT ISIS.
NOTHING IS RESPONSIBLE WITHOUT
ALOULYIES AND PARTNERS.
MUCH WORK REMAINS TO ESTABLISH A
CLEAR VIEW OF THE NATURE OF OUR
FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA.
HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH ONE
ANOTHER OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS
AND ENSURE A PERIOD OF
PROSPERITY FOR ALL OF OUR
PEOPLES FREE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN
BETWEEN VERY POWERFUL NATIONS.
AND MUCH WORK REMAINS TO RESPOND
TO THE TROUBLING BEHAVIOR AND
ACTIONS ON THE PART OF THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. RUSSIA MUST ASSESS CAREFULLY AS
TO HOW ITS ACTIONS ARE IN THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THE RUSSIAN
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
AND OF THE WORLD ARE MORE BROADLY.HE WORLD ARE MORE
BROADLY.
CONTINUING ON THEIR CURRENT
TRAJECTORY IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO GREATER ISOLATION ON THEIR PART.
A SITUATION WHICH IS NOT IN
ANYONES INTEREST.
ANYONES INTEREST. SO TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, MUCH REMAINS TO BE
DONE TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WITH ALLIES AND WITH PARTNERS.
I CLOSE BY THANKING ALL FOR THE
PRIVILEGE OF SERVING BESIDE YOU
FOR THE LAST 14 MONTHS.
IMPORTANTLY TO THE 300 PLUS
MILLION AMERICANS, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR DEVOTION TO A FREE AND OPEN
SOCIETY, TO ACTS OF KINDNESS
TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, TO HONESTY
AND THE QUIET HARD WORK THAT YOU
DO EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT THIS
GOVERNMENT WITH YOUR TAX
DOLLARS.
DOLLARS. ALL OF US WE KNOW WANT TO LEAVE
THIS PLACE AS A BETTER PLACE FOR
THE NEXT GENERATION.
ILL NOW RETURN TO PRIVATE LIFE,
PRIVATE CITIZEN, AS A PROUD
AMERICAN, PROUD OF THE
OPPORTUNITY IVE HAD TO SERVE MY
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.