Who is Rex Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chairman who may become secretary of state?
So far, Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks have mostly been either multimillionaire and billionaire executives or retired generals.
.. In that context, it’s probably less of a surprise that Trump may be close to selecting ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, elevating a dark-horse prospect who may surge past seasoned political actors like Mitt Romney and Sen. Bob Corker in the stretch.
.. Tillerson has no experience in the public sector, a first in modern history for a potential secretary of state.
.. Two years before receiving the award, ExxonMobil won a contract to explore for oil in a Russia-controlled portion of the Arctic Ocean, which was made more economically viable for drilling in part thanks to the sea ice decline that’s followed global warming.
.. Once Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the United States instituted sanctions against Russia which froze ExxonMobil’s Arctic agreement. Were those sanctions to be lifted, the deal would likely move forward — making Tillerson’s shares of ExxonMobil stock much more valuable.
.. Tillerson is a lifelong Boy Scout. Tillerson was an Eagle Scout in his youth and eventually became president of the national organization. It was under his leadership — and through his advocacy — that the organization embraced the membership of young men who identified as gay.