So much for Trump’s vow to drain the swamp.
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At least three Republican senators are expressing concerns. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of SC and Marco Rubio of Florida.
Exxon Mobil has billions of dollars in oil contracts that can go forward only if the United States lifts sanctions against Russian Federation, and Tillerson’s stake in Russia’s energy industry could create a very blurry line between his interests as an oilman and his role as America’s leading diplomat, according to the report.
Putting the stock in a blind trust would not be allowed because it would remain a financial interest for Tillerson, Painter said. A Texas judge on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, refused to throw out a felony abuse-of-power case against former Gov. Perry on constitutional grounds, ruling that the case against the possible 2016 presidential hopeful should continue.
Despite their shared business backgrounds, Tillerson doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Trump on everything. When President Obama entered office in 2009, he dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on what would be a failed attempt to reset strained relations with Moscow. “I will do my part to ensure he receives a full and fair but also thorough hearing”.
Republicans hold a thin majority in the Senate, and a few GOP defections could doom the Tillerson appointment. Tillerson has been at the helm of the world’s largest and most profitable publicly traded oil company for more than a decade.
Trump also has offered the position of interior secretary to Montana first-term Representative Ryan Zinke, an ex-Navy SEAL commander who was an early Trump supporter, according to media reports.
It was unclear Tuesday whether the fight over Tillerson would turn into a major brawl in the Senate or just a minor skirmish.
A former Boy Scouts executive who worked with Tillerson called the burly Texan a “brilliant pick” for secretary of state.
“He’s accustomed to standing toe to toe with some of the world’s toughest leaders and coming out with an agreement that must withstand close scrutiny”, said Steve LeVine, who has followed the oil industry for many years and is now Washington correspondent for Quartz. The two were featured together in a session.
On Monday, Russia praised Tillerson.
Tillerson was quoted as saying in October that ExxonMobil “share [s] the view that the risks of climate change are real and warrant serious action”, and the company issued a statement in November supporting the Paris climate accord. Criticism lingers. “While the world needs to go one direction, he’s been hell-bent as CEO trying to go the other direction”, said U.S. Sen. They understand this is not about us.
While his relationship with Putin should be thoroughly vetted, it is shortsighted to suggest that because his company was heavily invested in Russian Federation he would somehow be compromised while pursuing America’s interests. “Tillerson even got Vladimir Putin to smile”.
Citing Trump’s famous quote that the objective of a deal is to “crush the other side and take the benefits”, Mr. Sokolski says that diplomatic negotiations would seldom bear fruit with that approach.
“The question is: What the hell does an oil man know about the intricacies of global relations?”
Weeks before he takes office on January 20, Trump has injected an air of unpredictability into US relations with both allies and adversaries.
Trump postponed a press conference originally set for Thursday at which he was to unveil plans for separating himself from his global business dealings, instead writing on Twitter that his adult sons would manage the company. Rice and Gates were the ones who first brought Tillerson to Trump’s attention.
But Flake is up for re-election in 2018 in a state Trump won, and has already drawn a conservative primary opponent.
Tillerson will face Senate confirmation for the post with his connections to Russian Federation having already been called into question.
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There also are concerns among lawmakers about former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who an adviser to Trump’s transition team said was still under consideration for the deputy secretary of state role.
