Donald trump nominates tillerson for secretary of state

A blast from the past!

On December 12, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil, to be the next Secretary of State. At the time, Tillerson was a relatively unknown figure in Washington, D.C., but he had a long and successful career in the energy industry.

Tillerson's nomination was seen as a surprise by many, as he had no prior experience in government or foreign policy. However, Trump praised Tillerson's business acumen and his ability to build relationships with world leaders.

The nomination was met with some controversy, as Tillerson had close ties to Russia and had been criticized for his company's business dealings in the country. Additionally, some lawmakers expressed concerns about Tillerson's lack of experience in government and his potential conflicts of interest.

Despite these concerns, Tillerson was confirmed by the Senate on February 1, 2017, by a vote of 56-43. He served as Secretary of State until March 31, 2018, when he resigned and was replaced by Mike Pompeo.

Tillerson's tenure as Secretary of State was marked by controversy and criticism, particularly over his handling of the North Korean nuclear crisis and his views on climate change. He was also criticized for his close relationship with Trump and his willingness to defend the president's policies, even when they were at odds with the views of other government officials.