Tillerson: Gorka ‘Completely Wrong’ on ‘Radical Islam’ Term

On this weekend’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said former White House aide Sebastian Gorka was “completely wrong” to criticize President Donald Trump’s Afghanistan speech because he did not say radical Islamic terrorism.

Partial transcript as follows:

WALLACE: The president spokesman on foreign policy was fired on Friday following the firing of Steve Bannon and some folks are saying that this is a victory of the globalist and they include you in that group, over the so-called “America first.” Sebastian Gorka in his resignation letter wrote this about the Afghanistan speech. The fact that those who drafted and approved the speech removed any mention of radical Islam or radical Islamic terrorism proves that a crucial element of the presidential campaign has been lost. Is he right?

TILLERSON: I think it’s completely wrong. It shows a lack of understanding of the president’s broader policy when it comes to protecting Americans at home and abroad from all acts of terrorism. Terrorism, as we’ve said, it manifests itself in many types of organization. The president has charged us to develop policies and tactics most diplomatically and militarily to attack terrorism in as many forms wherever it exists in the world and wherever it might present a threat to the homeland or to Americans anywhere. This means that we have to develop techniques that are global in nature. All we want is to ensure that terrorists do not have the capability to organize and carry out attacks.

(h/t The Hill)

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN