The original NBC report said the secretary of state was fed up with Trump consistently undermining his attempts at diplomacy with North Korea. This, coupled with reports that Tillerson resented the president's politically charged speech to the Boy Scouts of America, suggest that all is not how it seems within the Trump administration. According to NBC, Defense Secretary James Mattis' "begging" for stability in the White House was the only reason Tillerson didn't choose to walk.
If these allegations prove true, Trump may want to ditch the phrase "fake news" and find another form of deflection.