AFP
President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, according to two sources close to the transition process speaking to NBC’s Andrea Mitchell. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to the report.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Tillerson was leading the field after former Mayor Rudy Giuliani took his name out of the running for the job. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman reported that Tillerson was expected to meet with Trump today.
Tillerson is a surprising choice, particularly for establishment political forces who urged Trump to select Mitt Romney for the job. Romney signaled interest in the position, appearing publicly to recant his opposition to the president-elect’s victory.
It also shows that Trump will start fresh with his diplomatic team, rather than selecting a life-long politician. Tillerson has spent his life in the private sector, working with Exxon-Mobil and has business relationships around the world.