Trump Sends Tillerson To Smooth Tensions With Australia, Mexico
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been tasked with improving relations with U.S. allies who may be upset with the Trump administration's policies.
Tillerson kicked off Wednesday by meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The meeting was set up to ease tensions between the U.S. and Australia after reports of a contentious phone call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier this month.
Trump reportedly expressed his frustration about an Obama administration deal that would allow up to 1,500 Muslim immigrants into the U.S. from Australia.
"A previous administration does something, you have to respect that. But you can also say "why are we doing this?" That's why we're in the jams we're in," said Trump on February 2nd.
Tillerson had a closed door meeting with Trump at the White House before he set out on another trip to smooth relations. He will join Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly in Mexico to meet with their foreign minister Wednesday evening. On Thursday, they'll meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena.
The meeting comes on the heels of new guidelines from Kelly which dramatically increases the number of undocumented immigrants at risk for deportation. The guidelines also call for the design and construction of a wall along the border of Mexico to begin immediately.
Mexico has insisted it will not pay for the wall, no matter what Trump has said.
