Secretary of state nominee faces uphill confirmation battle

WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump wants Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, but Tillerson’s Russia connections could scuttle his confirmation.

Tillerson, 64, runs the world’s second most profitable company, which operates in more than 50 countries.

“His tenacity, broad experience, and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of state,” Trump said of Tillerson in a statement this morning. “I can think of no one more prepared, and no one more dedicated, to serve as secretary of state at this critical time in our history.”

Trump spent weeks meeting with candidates for the job, including former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and David Petraeus, a former Army general and CIA director.

Tillerson’s business successes include a close connection with Russia and a personal relationship with President Vladimir Putin, which gives lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pause. If Senate Republicans can’t coalesce around Tillerson, he might not have enough votes for confirmation.

The nomination announcement comes amid ongoing reports of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, further highlighting fears of Putin’s potential influence over the Trump administration.

Last week, anonymous sources told The Washington Post the CIA believes the Kremlin hacked into U.S. servers in an attempt to swing the presidential race for Trump. Several Republicans chimed in support for an investigation into Russia’s actions just as Tillerson’s name began percolating as Trump’s likely pick for secretary of state.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Twitter on Sunday being a “friend of Vladimir” is not what he had hoped for in a possible State Department leader.

Rubio reiterated concerns when Tillerson’s nomination became official this morning.

“While Rex Tillerson is a respected businessman, I have serious concerns about his nomination,” Rubio said in a statement. “The next secretary of state must be someone who views the world with moral clarity, is free of potential conflicts of interest, has a clear sense of America’s interests, and will be a forceful advocate for America’s foreign policy goals to the president, within the administration, and on the world stage.”

The Foreign Relations Committee will begin confirmation hearings in early January, according to Corker.

The committee includes nine Democrats and each has said Tillerson does not meet their standards for secretary of state. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said he is “deeply concerned” about Tillerson, while Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., called the selection “alarming and absurd.” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the committee’s top Democrat, said he looks forward to meeting with Tillerson but called the CEO’s Russian connection a red flag.

If Rubio votes against Tillerson’s confirmation, Trump will be working with a very small margin of error. After Saturday’s runoff election in Louisiana, Republicans will start the 115th Congress with a 52-48 Senate majority. If Rubio joins Democrats to oppose Tillerson, they only need two more votes to block his nomination.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said over the weekend Tillerson’s relationship with Putin is a matter of concern.

At a press conference yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would not comment on Tillerson specifically but made it clear “the Russians are not our friends.” McConnell said this morning he will support Tillerson now that he’s Trump’s official nominee.

But Tillerson’s confirmation process could be further complicated by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Some Democrats have urged him to abstain from all confirmation votes since he faces his own confirmation process. Without Sessions, Republicans would be down one vote, which could be enough to block the nomination.

Tillerson has spent so much time in Russia because it is among the world’s largest oil producers. He has met personally with Putin several times, and in 2013 Moscow awarded Tillerson the “Order of Friendship”—considered the country’s highest honor for a non-citizen.

Tillerson joined Exxon in 1975 and became its CEO in 2006. He said in a statement this morning he shares Trump’s vision for close relationships with world leaders.

“We must focus on strengthening our alliances, pursuing shared national interests, and enhancing the strength, security, and sovereignty of the United States,” he said.