The former CEO of oil company Exxon Mobil had the backing of 56 senators, with 43 voting against him
Democrats in the Senate attempted to delay the vote, but in the end Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as President Trump’s Secretary of State.
How on earth can we trust someone with such a cozy relationship with the Putin government to be our secretary of state?
Democrat Senator
The former chief executive of oil company Exxon Mobil had the backing of 56 senators, with 43 voting against him.
The Senate has confirmed Rex Tillerson, the former head of Exxon Mobil, as America’s new Secretary of State https://t.co/D1zMnw6HuZ
— NPR (@NPR) February 1, 2017
The confirmation comes despite concerns about Tillerson’s connections with Russia.
Rex Tillerson is confirmed as secretary of state, overcoming resistance from both parties https://t.co/QR2Oj0zrZI
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 1, 2017
Republican Senator John Cornyn said: “Our country is no longer respected by many of our friends around the world because we have withdrawn from international leadership.
“We are no longer feared by our adversaries, who are all too quick to fill the leadership vacuum around the world … Russia being perhaps the most obvious example, not only in Crimea and Ukraine but obviously, in Syria and now in Libya. And it’s dangerous, it’s destabilising.
“So I’m really pleased that we’ll have a new secretary of state, and a new national security leadership team. If there’s one thing that I think President Trump has done right is select good people.”
But Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich said: “Right now, when we are trying to hold Russia accountable for its illegal aggression in Eastern Europe, for its war crimes in Aleppo, and its interference in our own nations election.
“How on earth can we trust someone with such a cozy relationship with the Putin government to be our secretary of state?”
Here's how the vote to confirm Rex Tillerson as secretary of state broke down https://t.co/chrIwm75IF
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 1, 2017
There was also concern in the Senate that Tillerson has failed to promise to recuse himself from matters related to Exxon Mobil for the whole time he is Secretary of State and not just for the one year period required by law.
Immediate challenges for Rex Tillerson: Mexico rift, temporary immigration ban, possible embassy move in Israel https://t.co/v0bNDf3mDd
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 30, 2017
