Rex Tillerson says 'radical Islam' would be his top priority as secretary of state

Rex Tillerson.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

At his confirmation hearing Wednesday, former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson made it clear that addressing "radical Islam" would be a top priority if he is confirmed as secretary of state. "We need to be honest about radical Islam," Tillerson said. "It is with good reason that our fellow citizens have a growing concern about radical Islam and murderous acts committed in its name against Americans and our friends."

He said the key to "thwarting radical Islam," which he noted "poses a grave risk to the stability of nations and the well-being of their citizens," is to defeat the Islamic State. "The demise of ISIS would also allow us to increase our attention on other agents of radical Islam like al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, and certain elements within Iran," Tillerson said.

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