National Politics

Trump to tap Exxon CEO to lead State Dept.

Associated Press
In this Friday, March 27, 2015 file photo, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson delivers remarks on the release of a report by the National Petroleum Council on oil drilling in the Arctic, in Washington. President-elect Donald Trump selected Tillerson to lead the State Department on Monday, Dec. 12, 2016.
In this Friday, March 27, 2015 file photo, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson delivers remarks on the release of a report by the National Petroleum Council on oil drilling in the Arctic, in Washington. President-elect Donald Trump selected Tillerson to lead the State Department on Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Evan Vucci AP
WASHINGTON

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to lead the State Department.

That’s according to two people close to Trump’s transition team.

The decision caps a lengthy process that often played out In public and exposed rifts within Trump’s transition team. But Tillerson’s close ties to Russia could still complicate his Senate confirmation hearings.

Trump was set to formally announce Tillerson’s nomination Tuesday morning. The people close to Trump’s transition insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the pick ahead of that announcement.

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Trump to tap Exxon CEO to lead State Dept.."

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