Trump Tillerson feud deepens with president’s jibe on IQ

FILE PHOTO: Trump issued the challenge in an interview with Forbes magazine, when asked about reports that Tillerson called him a “moron” after a classified briefing this summer. The president responded that if the claim was true, the two should duke it out in a battle of brainpower (Photo by arctic_council/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has challenged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to “compare IQ tests.” That sharp-edged ribbing threw a bright spotlight on his seemingly shaky relationship with his top diplomat.

The White House insisted the president was only joking.

Trump issued the challenge in an interview with Forbes magazine, when asked about reports that Tillerson called him a “moron” after a classified briefing this summer. The president responded that if the claim was true, the two should duke it out in a battle of brainpower.

And Trump said “I can tell you who is going to win.”