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Trump Lines Up Establishment Republicans to Vouch for Rex Tillerson Trump Lines Up Establishment Republicans to Vouch for Rex Tillerson
(about 9 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump is enlisting veteran members of the Republican foreign policy establishment to vouch for Rex W. Tillerson, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, as his choice to be the nation’s chief diplomat. WASHINGTON — After waging an 18-month assault on the Republican establishment, President-elect Donald J. Trump changed course on Tuesday and enlisted the party’s high priests of foreign policy to help him win the confirmation of Rex W. Tillerson as secretary of state.
To win Senate confirmation, Mr. Tillerson will need to counter bipartisan skepticism about his ties to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia over his long career at the giant energy company. Hearings are expected to focus, in particular, on the potential conflict between Exxon’s oil and gas deals and American sanctions on Russia. Several former Republican secretaries of defense and state sought to dismiss bipartisan concerns about Mr. Tillerson, the Exxon Mobil chief executive, over his two-decade relationship with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. At the center of the debate are questions about Mr. Tillerson’s vocal opposition to American sanctions imposed on Russia as he pursued oil and gas deals in that country.
But Mr. Trump’s transition team has lined up high-profile endorsements for Mr. Tillerson that began to roll out early Tuesday morning and were intended to address concerns about Russia and Mr. Putin, according to people familiar with the plan. The transition team’s goal is to press for a swift confirmation after Mr. Trump is inaugurated next month. Their mobilization showed how much Mr. Tillerson’s nomination is already a Congressional proxy fight over Mr. Trump’s embrace of Russia and Mr. Putin. Democrats issued blunt denunciations of the idea that a globe-trotting energy executive could adequately represent the national interests of the United States. So did several leading Republicans, whose party orthodoxy has been anti-Kremlin for decades.
Robert M. Gates, who served as secretary of defense under President Obama and President George W. Bush, strongly endorsed Mr. Tillerson in a statement Tuesday morning, calling him “a global champion of the best values of our country” and saying he would bring “vast knowledge, experience and success in dealing with dozens of governments and leaders in every corner of the world.” “I have serious concerns about his nomination,” said Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida. Senator Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, declared himself “deeply troubled” by Mr. Tillerson’s opposition to sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia after its intervention in Ukraine in 2014.
Others expected to strongly back Mr. Tillerson — and to reject concerns about Russia — are said to include former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretaries of State James A. Baker III and Condoleezza Rice, among others. Democrats and liberal activists also expressed deep concern about the fate of human rights and climate change under a State Department led by Mr. Tillerson, a 40-year veteran of the country’s largest oil company. At the other end of the political spectrum, social conservatives condemned him for playing a role in reversing the Boy Scouts’ longstanding policy of excluding gay people, an issue that became a cultural flashpoint for the religious right.
Senator Bob Corker, who was a finalist to become Mr. Trump’s secretary of state and will oversee confirmation hearings as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also issued an enthusiastic statement about Mr. Tillerson’s selection on Tuesday. “Mr. Tillerson is a very impressive individual and has an extraordinary working knowledge of the world,” Mr. Corker said. “I congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to meeting with him and chairing his confirmation hearing.” And when he faces lawmakers during hearings before the Foreign Relations Committee, Mr. Tillerson will almost certainly be grilled about his finances, his tax returns and his personal investments — questions that Mr. Trump managed to largely avoid answering about himself during his presidential campaign.
In the last several days, Republican and Democratic lawmakers warned that Mr. Tillerson would face intense scrutiny over his relationship with Russia, which awarded him its Order of Friendship in 2013, and with Mr. Putin. “Rex Tillerson’s philosophy on international religious freedom, Middle East instability, foreign assistance and relations with countries like Russia and China must be closely examined before confirmation,” Senator James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, said on Tuesday in a statement on Facebook.
Mr. Tillerson has been publicly skeptical about the sanctions, which have halted some of Exxon’s biggest projects in Russia, including an agreement with the state oil company to explore and pump underground resources in Siberia that could be worth tens of billions of dollars. Mr. Trump’s effort to counter those concerns began early Tuesday morning, almost immediately after his Twitter message making the nomination official: “I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, to be Secretary of State,” he posted at 6:43 a.m.
In a statement on Tuesday, Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, signaled that he may oppose Mr. Tillerson’s selection to be the face of American foreign policy abroad. A series of statements followed from former Vice President Dick Cheney and former secretaries of state James A. Baker III and Condoleezza Rice, among others. In an interview, Robert M. Gates, who served as secretary of defense under President Obama and President George W. Bush, strongly endorsed Mr. Tillerson, a longtime friend, calling him someone who “knows the world like the back of his hand.”
“While Rex Tillerson is a respected businessman, I have serious concerns about his nomination,” said Mr. Rubio, who lost a bid for the Republican nomination to Mr. Trump. “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.” Mr. Gates, whose consulting firm has represented Exxon Mobil, said that senators concerned about Mr. Tillerson’s relationship with Mr. Putin are basing their criticism “on a superficial watching” of video clips of the Exxon executive receiving the Russian Order of Friendship in 2013 with Mr. Putin.
Mr. Trump’s selection of Mr. Tillerson quickly generated opposition from Democrats and liberal activists, who expressed deep concern about the potential impact that his appointment could have on climate change and other issues. Mr. Gates said he recommended Mr. Tillerson to the president-elect because he is someone with decades of experience negotiating with foreign leaders.
“I think it’s a mistake to confuse having a friendly relationship based on business with sympathy or friendship,” said Mr. Gates, who acknowledged in an earlier statement that Exxon has been a client. “I think Rex is a hard-eyed realist, and I think he will absolutely put America’s interests first in any negotiation.”
During the 2016 primary campaign, Mr. Trump often railed against a Republican establishment that he accused of trying to prevent him from becoming president. On Tuesday, his transition staff proudly released statements of support for Mr. Tillerson that included some of his fiercest critics, including Jeb Bush, the former Republican governor of Florida who fought a losing battle for the party’s presidential nomination.
Mr. Gates had written one of the most scathing statements, writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed article in September that “a thin-skinned, temperamental, shoot-from-the-hip and lip, uninformed commander-in-chief is too great a risk for America.”
Mr. Trump’s willingness to embrace the very establishment that he once scorned is partly a reflection of the difficulty that Mr. Tillerson faces in his confirmation battle.
Over the past several days, Republican and Democratic lawmakers warned that Mr. Tillerson would face intense scrutiny about his relationship with Russia and with Mr. Putin. Mr. Tillerson has been publicly skeptical about Russian sanctions, which have halted some of Exxon’s biggest projects in Russia, including an agreement with the state oil company to explore and pump underground resources in Siberia that could be worth tens of billions of dollars.
Democrats seized on Mr. Tillerson’s background as the leader of an oil company to raise doubts about his commitment to environmental issues. A native of Wichita Falls, Tex., who speaks with a strong Texan twang, Mr. Tillerson, 64, runs a company with operations in about 50 countries, and has cut deals to expand businesses in Venezuela, Qatar, Kurdistan and elsewhere.
“He and other company executives led Exxon Mobil in funding outside groups to create an illusion of scientific uncertainty around the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change,” Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, said in a statement.“He and other company executives led Exxon Mobil in funding outside groups to create an illusion of scientific uncertainty around the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change,” Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, said in a statement.
Ms. Tanden, who has been a longtime confidante of Hillary Clinton, added, “This decades-long misinformation campaign directly narrowed the world’s window of opportunity to cut emissions and avert the catastrophic effects of climate change.”Ms. Tanden, who has been a longtime confidante of Hillary Clinton, added, “This decades-long misinformation campaign directly narrowed the world’s window of opportunity to cut emissions and avert the catastrophic effects of climate change.”
Amnesty International said in a statement that “Rex Tillerson’s nomination is deeply troubling and could undermine human rights in the U.S. and abroad.”Amnesty International said in a statement that “Rex Tillerson’s nomination is deeply troubling and could undermine human rights in the U.S. and abroad.”
The nomination also drew criticism from some social conservatives. In condemning Mr. Tillerson, they said he had played a central role in reversing the Boy Scouts’ longstanding policy of excluding gay people, an issue that became a cultural flash point for the religious right. A former national president for the Boy Scouts, Mr. Tillerson was involved in opening the Scouts up to gay scouts and leaders. Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, wrote on his organization’s website that Mr. Tillerson “caved to the pressure of the far left, irreparably splitting the Scouts and destroying a proud and honorable American tradition.”
A former national president for the Boy Scouts, Mr. Tillerson was involved in opening the Scouts up to gay scouts and leaders. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, wrote on his organization’s website that Mr. Tillerson “caved to the pressure of the far left, irreparably splitting the Scouts and destroying a proud and honorable American tradition.”
Mr. Perkins also cited Exxon’s financial donations to Planned Parenthood, calling them “upsetting at best.”Mr. Perkins also cited Exxon’s financial donations to Planned Parenthood, calling them “upsetting at best.”
Mr. Trump appeared unfazed by the potential roadblocks to Mr. Tillerson’s confirmation. In his statement making official his decision to nominate Mr. Tillerson, the president-elect lavished praise on the Exxon executive for his business acumen and knowledge of the world.Mr. Trump appeared unfazed by the potential roadblocks to Mr. Tillerson’s confirmation. In his statement making official his decision to nominate Mr. Tillerson, the president-elect lavished praise on the Exxon executive for his business acumen and knowledge of the world.
“His tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of state,” Mr. Trump said. “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.”“His tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of state,” Mr. Trump said. “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.”
Mr. Tillerson said in the statement that he shared Mr. Trump’s vision for “restoring the credibility of the United States’ foreign relations,” and he vowed to “focus on strengthening our alliances, pursuing shared national interests and enhancing the strength, security and sovereignty of the United States.”Mr. Tillerson said in the statement that he shared Mr. Trump’s vision for “restoring the credibility of the United States’ foreign relations,” and he vowed to “focus on strengthening our alliances, pursuing shared national interests and enhancing the strength, security and sovereignty of the United States.”
On Twitter on Tuesday morning, Mr. Trump emphasized his State Department pick’s experience. Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, who was a finalist to become Mr. Trump’s secretary of state and will oversee confirmation hearings as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued an enthusiastic statement.
Reince Priebus, the incoming White House chief of staff, said on MSNBC that Mr. Trump’s choice of Mr. Tillerson came down to “chemistry” and a shared vision between the men about how to conduct diplomacy and confront difficult issues overseas. “Mr. Tillerson is a very impressive individual and has an extraordinary working knowledge of the world,” Mr. Corker said. “I congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to meeting with him and chairing his confirmation hearing.”
Mr. Priebus rejected the idea that Mr. Tillerson’s relationship with Mr. Putin should be disqualifying. He said that “ignoring people and acting as if people don’t exist isn’t going to get things done.”
Mr. Priebus said that despite Mr. Tillerson’s criticism of sanctions against Russia, he believes that they are an important part of diplomacy — but only if they are adequately enforced. “He’s not against sanctions,” Mr. Priebus said on the network’s “Morning Joe” program.