WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today on President-elect Trump’s nomination of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be the next U.S. Secretary of State:

“I have serious concerns about Mr. Tillerson’s nomination, and it serves as a reminder of the need to quickly and thoroughly investigate Russia’s campaign to subvert our election and our country’s interests.

“Our nation’s top diplomat should be someone who stands up for America’s best interests, but Mr. Tillerson’s profession has been putting Exxon Mobil’s bottom line above all else.  He even opposed U.S. sanctions against Russia after the country’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 because his multinational oil company stood to lose Russian contracts.

“It is troubling that the President-elect continues to fill his cabinet with people who will blur the lines between corporate interests and America’s national interests, and put profits ahead of people.

“Mr. Tillerson deserves a fair confirmation process and I am sure he’ll face some tough questions from both Democrats and Republicans.  I look forward to learning more about his views, background, and plans to prevent his personal conflicts of interest from interfering with his role as Secretary of State.”