Trump picks ExxonMobil boss Tillerson as secretary of state

Who’s who in Donald Trump’s administration? .

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state, the transition team announced Tuesday, setting up a heated Senate confirmation battle and signaling a desire to ease Washington’s estrangement with Russian Federation. On Tuesday, Flake issued a statement sounding open to Tillerson’s nomination, citing his support from former secretaries of State and Defense marshaled by Trump’s team.

“My discussions with President-elect Trump have been both enjoyable and enlightening”, Romney wrote.

Romney acknowledged late Monday night in a Facebook post that he had been passed over, writing, “It was an honor to have been considered for Secretary of State of our great country”.

One of Trump’s closest friend Rudy Giuliani, the former NY mayor, had withdrawn his name from being considered for any position in the Trump Administration.

Another Republican, Sen. Marco Rubio, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that would review a Tillerson nomination, has voiced similar worries.

She attributed the delay to “how convoluted and complex many of these business holdings are”, adding that Trump still intends to relinquish operational control of his company while serving as president.

If confirmed by the Senate, Tillerson would replace John Kerry as the Secretary of State.

Gen. Petraeus, a former commander of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, would have brought extensive military and intelligence experience to the job. Trump was said to be drawn to the idea of having an global businessman serve as the nation’s top diplomat. He is also another down-payment by the President-elect to tear down the political establishment in Washington and to replace the inhabitants of what he has called a “swamp” with new blood and potential cabinet secretaries with real world experience.

Trump’s transition team belittled the USA intelligence community in a statement on The Post’s report late Friday that also exaggerated Trump’s margin of victory.

“The State Department will continue to provide our full support for a smooth transition, so that the incoming administration can pursue the important work of USA foreign policy around the world”, said Kerry.

Trump’s choice has already attracted criticism due to Tillerson’s close ties with Russian Federation, where he represented Exxon’s interests in the 1990s, and his friendly relationship with President Vladimir Putin. “Rex knows how to manage a global enterprise, which is crucial to running a successful State Department, and his relationships with leaders all over the world are second to none”.

In 2013 he was even awarded the Order of Friendship by the Russian government.

However, none of the three has said thus far that he will oppose Tillerson. But a number of senators expressed reservations. Sen.

If he is indeed nominated on Tuesday, Tillerson – who has no formal foreign policy background – is sure to face sharp questions in Senate confirmation hearings. “At this time especially, Mr. Trump needs a secretary of state unencumbered by any perceived pro-Kremlin alignment”. Romney had also highlighted Russian Federation as a danger to USA interests during the 2012 race. She cited sources “close to the transition” who said the president-elect would “likely” tap former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton as deputy secretary of state.

However, Trump had indicated he was leaning towards 64-year-old Tillerson in an interview broadcast on Fox News on Sunday (yesterday in Malaysia), when he said the Texan was “a world-class player”.

He would face immediate challenges in Syria, where a civil war rages on, and in China, given Trump’s recent suggestions that he could take a more aggressive approach to dealing with Beijing.

Mr. Trump will need China, however, in efforts to address the growing threat from North Korea. Last month, President Barack Obama and European leaders agreed to keep sanctions in place until Putin agrees to a cease-fire and to the withdrawal of heavy weapons from front lines in eastern Ukraine.

A group of US state attorneys general is investigating Exxon for allegedly misleading the public about climate change and some environmental groups are alarmed Exxon’s CEO could be America’s top diplomat.

McCain and the incoming Senate Democratic leader, Charles Schumer of NY, said Sunday in an unusual joint statement that the Senate would investigate Russia’s interference in Trump’s election. US relations with Israel have been deeply strained by disagreements between Messrs. Obama and Netanyahu on the Iran deal and other issues.

“I will be making my announcement on the next Secretary of State tomorrow morning”, Trump said Monday evening using his favoured medium, Twitter.