NEW YORK: Outgoing United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was reportedly sitting on the toilet when the White House chief of staff called him to inform about his dismissal.
During his Africa trip, Tillerson was suffering from a stomach bug when Chief of Staff John Kelly informed him to return to Washington and be on the lookout for a presidential tweet.
During the call, the chief of staff told Tillerson to cut short his diplomatic trip and added, "You may get a tweet," The New York Times reported.
Earlier on Tuesday, United States President Donald Trump revealed that he fired Tillerson because the two disagreed on issues such as dealing with North Korea and Iran Nuclear deal.
The President's decision comes as he prepares for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
While leaving for California, Trump told reporters that Tillerson "had a different mindset. I think Rex is much happier now".
The President, taking a dig at the dismissed Secretary of State, said Tillerson's replacement Mike Pompeo and he have always been "on the same wavelength".
The President earlier in the day tweeted: "Mike Pompeo will become our new Secretary of State. He will do fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service!"
He also said: "Gina Haspel would be the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!"
The President in a statement also urged Pompeo's "swift confirmation" and said his experience in US military, Congress, and the CIA have prepared him well for his new role.