NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump early Tuesday announced he intends to nominate ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state.
Tillerson, 64, has spent his entire career at Exxon, where he was hired as an engineer in 1975. He was named CEO in 2006.
"Rex Tillerson's career is the embodiment of the American dream," Trump said in a statement. "Through hard work, dedication and smart deal-making, Rex rose through the ranks to become CEO of ExxonMobil, one of the world's largest and most respected companies."
JUST IN: @realDonaldTrump will tap ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, via @transition2017 pic.twitter.com/xsAdCADMvk
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) December 13, 2016
Trump also took to Twitter to praise Tillerson, calling him "one of the truly great business leaders of the world."
I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, to be Secretary of State.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2016
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