INCREASING ASSERTIVENESS IN U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
Analysts said that Tillerson's leaving and being replaced by Pompeo may indicate further aggressiveness in U.S. foreign policy and the U.S. trade stance.
Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that Tillerson, with a "softer" approach to international affairs than Trump, "believed in diplomacy and wanted to engage allies in U.S. activities."
"That ran contrary to Trump's 'Lone Ranger' approach of relying upon himself for major initiatives," he added, noting that the White House "likely will take a tougher stance on foreign policy because there will be fewer impediments to Trump being Trump."
Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, also told Xinhua that the sacking of Tillerson was a sign for Trump to "double down on the idea of letting 'Trump be Trump' and removing a voice of moderation -- even if controversial in his departmental management."
"The president will have greater leeway to follow his own instincts on foreign policy and he will be less restrained in taking actions," West said.
He predicted that Pompeo may take a tougher line on the talks with Pyongyang. "Trump probably will be more impulsive and more prone to rattle cages around the world."
Mahaffee added that the dismissal "further sidelines the State Department and traditional diplomatic efforts as the effort is largely being driven by Trump himself" in the U.S. further engagement with Pyongyang.
Also in terms of the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump lambasted on Tuesday as "terrible," the U.S. stance may get tougher under Pompeo.
"That is consistent with Trump's overall perspective and geo-political concerns regarding Iran's role ... There likely will be close attention to Iran with the new leadership," West said.
Mahaffee also said Tillerson's leaving may create "a complex impact" on the U.S. trade relations with other nations.
"Tillerson had been a voice for avoiding a trade war ... (the Tillerson firing) makes it much easier to have an 'America First' approach in the truest sense of what was heard on the campaign trail, as Trump is removing a moderate, pragmatic voice from his cabinet," said Mahaffee.
Max Boot, a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, also voiced concerns over the future U.S. foreign policy.
"Does that mean that Trump is now likely to scrap the Iranian nuclear deal at the same time that he is meeting with Kim to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea)?" he said.
"This is a schizophrenic approach that is likely to lead to failed talks with North Korea, which could in turn lead to a renewed push within the administration to launch Korean War II. For all his faults, Tillerson knew that a war with a nuclear-armed state was a bad idea. Does Pompeo?"
