Credit: Architect of the Capitol(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State by a 56-43 vote.
While Democrats in Congress attempted to block progress on a number of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees, four Democrats opted to vote in favor of Tillerson’s confirmation. Earlier Wednesday, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called Tillerson “a man of character who believes in putting his country first.”
Earlier this week, hundreds of State Department diplomats signed a letter of dissent criticizing President Trump’s executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program and barring immigration from seven Muslim countries in the Middle East.
Democrats, and some Republicans, had openly discussed concerns about Tillerson’s interaction with Russia while serving as Exxon Mobil’s CEO. Tillerson developed oil fields in Russian waters and was awarded the Order of Friendship by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013.
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