Rex Tillerson was “stunned” when he was offered the secretary of state job by President Trump — but was “convinced” to accept the job by his wife, he said in an interview.
“I didn’t want this job. I didn’t seek this job,” Tillerson told Independent Journal Review in an interview.
“My wife told me I’m supposed to do this,” he said, explaining why he finally agreed.
Tillerson met with Trump amid his search for a secretary of state. The former ExxonMobil CEO said he believed he was meeting with the then-president-elect to discuss “the world” — and not for a job interview.
“When he asked me at the end of that conversation to be secretary of state, I was stunned,” Tillerson said.
Trump at the time was seriously considering former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for the job.
Tillerson instead had planned to hang up his hat and head to his ranch.
“I was supposed to retire in March, this month. I was going to go to the ranch to be with my grandkids,” he said.
But Tillerson’s wife said to him, “I told you God’s not through with you.”
“My wife convinced me. She was right. I’m supposed to do this,” Tillerson said.