Chicago Tribune – President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday he has picked Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state, calling the oil executive with close to ties to Russia one of the most accomplished “international dealmakers in the world.”
Tillerson’s business relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin are certain to draw scrutiny and could fuel a Senate confirmation fight. Leading Republicans have already expressed anxieties as they contend with intelligence assessments saying Russia interfered with the U.S. presidential election to help Trump.
Separately, the president-elect has selected former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to lead the Energy Department, according to people with knowledge of the decision. Perry, who ran two unsuccessful presidential campaigns, is on the board of Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, the company that is trying to build a 1,200-mile pipeline that would carry crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois and has sparked protests.
The people with knowledge of Perry’s pending nomination insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision ahead of an official announcement
As for Tillerson, Trump says he sees the business leader’s ties with Moscow as a selling point, along with his “vast experience at dealing successfully with all types of foreign governments.”
“Rex Tillerson’s career is the embodiment of the American dream. Through hard work, dedication and smart dealmaking, Rex rose through the ranks to become CEO of Exxon Mobil, one of the world’s largest and most respected companies,” the billionaire real estate mogul said in a pre-dawn news release from Trump Tower in New York.
Another great pick from President-Elect Trump. Just Making America Great Again!
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