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Dec 13, 2016

What does it mean to have the ExxonMobil CEO as secretary of state

The multinational oil company has what amounts to its own foreign policy, which can be contrary to U.S. policy.

by Annie Baxter
Chairman and CEO of US oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson, speaks during the 2015 Oil and Money conference in central London on October 7, 2015. 
Chairman and CEO of US oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson, speaks during the 2015 Oil and Money conference in central London on October 7, 2015. 
BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump is tapping ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson to be the nation’s next secretary of state — an appointment that could prompt a big confirmation fight.

The multinational oil company Tillerson leads has very large prospects in Russia, which right now are by official U.S. foreign policy — sanctions against Russia. Critics say that creates too many conflicts of interest for Tillerson.

Correction (Dec. 14, 2016): A previous headline misspelled ExxonMobil. 

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What does it mean to have the ExxonMobil CEO as secretary of state