Tillerson, on first day, addresses dissent and calls Mexico, Canada

US President Donald Trump reacts during the swearing in ceremony for new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (2nd R) accompanied by his wife Renda St. Clair (R) and Vice President Mike Pence at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, US, February 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

His separate phone calls with foreign ministers from Canada and Mexico coincided with Trump saying on Thursday he wanted early talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he wants to renegotiate or repeal.

Tillerson also spoke by phone with Netanyahu, the State Department said in a statement. It did not say whether they discussed a White House statement that said Israeli settlements in occupied territories may not be helpful in achieving peace with Palestinians, adopting a more measured tone than its previous pro-Israel announcements.

Tillerson inherits a messy globe, with war in Syria and Iraq, nuclear-armed DPRK threatening to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, and increased violence in eastern Ukraine.

Over the past 48 hours, more foreign policy challenges piled up as tensions erupted between the United States and ally Australia over an existing refugee swap, which Trump called a "dumb deal."

Strains with Iran also increased after the White House said it was putting Tehran on notice for test-firing a ballistic missile and the new administration moved to impose sanctions on several Iranian entities on Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter.