A bit of contention was noticed in former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s commencement speech at the Virginia Military institute (VMI) on Wednesday as he cautioned the graduating class that a “crisis of ethics and integrity” is occurring in America. Although he never mentioned him by name, many say he was alluding to the conduct of his former boss, President Donald Trump.
Tillerson was announced as VMI’s commencement address speaker in February while he was secretary of state. However, after weeks of clashing with the President on the Iran nuclear deal and trade policies, the former ExxonMobil CEO was fired via a Twitter post from the commander-in-chief.
In his address, Tillerson told the Keydets that the ability to seek out the truth was the “essence of freedom itself” and encouraged the graduates to stand up to leaders who mislead the public.
“If our leaders seek to conceal the truth or we as a people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on the pathway to relinquishing our freedom,” Tillerson said according to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Tillerson alluded to some policies of the Trump Administration by denouncing those who neglect or ignore long-standing allies or deny that free trade is an engine of global growth. He said the U.S. should not “take for granted” its allies and partner countries and must solve the differences surrounding trade agreements and issues stemming from national security.
The former State Department head urged the 373 VMI graduates to to live a life of integrity. Thus defining integrity as, “the state of being complete and whole.”
Furthermore, he spoke about growth and development in underdeveloped areas of the world, which has caused anxiety and fear in the U.S. Tillerson said that as the world becomes more interconnected, integrity will serve as the building block on which people can solve the world’s most complex problems.
