Will John McCain, Marco Rubio, and Lindsey Graham block Rex Tillerson?
Before President-elect Donald Trump had even officially selected ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state, Republican senators were piping up with concerns, particularly about Tillerson's ties to Russia. Tillerson has built a career on making oil deals abroad and he has established a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin along the way, even winning the Russian Order of Friendship award in 2013. Now that Trump has officially tapped Tillerson for the role, the question is whether those dissenters would go so far as to block his nomination.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said prior to Trump's announcement that he would give Tillerson a "chance," but he seemed wary about putting his concerns entirely aside. "It's a matter of concern to me that he has such a close personal relationship with Vladimir Putin," McCain said of Tillerson. "And obviously they've done enormous deals together and that would color his approach to Vladimir Putin and the Russian threat."
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was similarly skeptical. "I don't know the man much at all, but let's put it this way: If you received an award from the Kremlin, [an] Order of Friendship, then we're gonna have some talkin'," Graham said. "We'll have some questions. I don't want to prejudge the guy, but that's a bit unnerving."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) came the closest to suggesting he might block Tillerson's nomination. In a statement released Tuesday, just hours after Trump announced he'd chosen Tillerson, Rubio voiced "serious concerns" about Tillerson's nomination. "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," Rubio said in the statement. However, he vowed to do his part to "ensure [Tillerson] receives a full and fair but also thorough hearing."
It would take the defections of only three GOP senators to block one of Trump's Cabinet nominations.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Cicada-geddon: the fungus that controls insects like 'zombies'
Under The Radar Expert says bugs will develop 'hypersexualisation' despite their genitals falling off
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published