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In a commencement address at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va., Tillerson said that Americans had a responsibility to confront leaders who mislead the public or promote "realities that are no longer grounded in facts."

"If our leaders seek to conceal the truth or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom," he said.

Instead, Americans should seek a fact-based society, rather than one "based on wishful thinking ... [and] hoped-for outcomes made in shallow promises," Tillerson said.

"If we do not as Americans confront the crisis of ethics and integrity in our society and among our leaders in both the public and private sector — and regrettably at times even the nonprofit sector — then American democracy as we know it is entering its twilight years," he said.

At no point in his speech did Tillerson mention President Trump or his administration by name. But the former top diplomat's remarks, at times, appeared laser-focused on the president.