Tillerson says he barely knew defendant Tom Barrack, who is accused of leaking intelligence to the United Arab Emirates. [78], On February 15, 2017, Tillerson embarked on his first overseas trip as Secretary of State, to Bonn, Germany, for a meeting with foreign ministers from the G20. Tillerson explained that he met Putin in 1996 and acknowledged he was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship while at Exxon. [174], In 2012, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Tillerson expressed his impatience with government regulation, saying "there are a thousand ways you can be told 'no' in this country. [156] He told the meeting "We do not support sanctions, generally, because we don't find them to be effective unless they are very well implemented comprehensively and that's a very hard thing to do. He was born to Bobby Joe Tillerson and Patty Sue in Wichita Falls, Texas. [71] On December 9, transition officials reported that Tillerson was the top candidate for the position, surpassing contenders such as Mitt Romney and David Petraeus. In Russia's New Configuration of Power", "Think it's just Putin who runs Russia? [103] In June 2017, Tillerson told graduates of the Rangel and the Pickering foreign affairs fellowships that their offers to join the United States Foreign Service were rescinded, and that they needed to repay the $85,000 scholarships or agree to work in temporary positions. Jurors have also been shown messages sent by Barrack in 2016 to Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner pushing for the Trump campaign to hire Paul Manafort, who later served as chair of the campaign for about two months. [136][137] A senior Trump administration official cited "upcoming North Korea talks and various trade negotiations" as the reason for replacing Tillerson. In February 2017, they held an interview with President Trump in the Oval Office. [18] There, Tillerson contradicted the president's criticism of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, advising Trump of Exxon's success in refusing a bribe demand by Yemen's oil minister. Education Tillerson attended Huntsville High School and graduated in 1970. Tillerson reversed that decision and allowed the graduates to become full Foreign Service Officers after being asked to do so by 31 members of Congress. Tillerson will be one of the most accomplished secretaries of state that the private sector has ever produced. "You really dont want outside parties to have that information and try to use it to their advantage," Tillerson said. Barrack is the founder of amulti-billion dollar global investment firm DigitalBridge, which was formerly known as Colony Capital. [59] Later that month, Exxon revealed that emails from the alias account from September 2014 to September 2015 were missing; a further search recovered some emails, but none between September 5, 2014, and November 28, 2014. [8][9], Tillerson became Secretary of State on February 1, 2017. [42] Exxon owns a dacha next door to Sechin's, and Tillerson would often visit there. A sentence in this article was amended on 4 October 2022 to refer to North Korea, rather Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. [59][58], Tillerson's use of the alias became publicly known in March 2017, after New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman wrote in a letter to a judge that Tillerson had used the "Wayne Tracker" email for at least seven years. Tillerson, who served as Trump's secretary of state for just over a year before he was fired by tweet in March 2018, said he first met Barrack when he was heading [13][14] After their relationship deteriorated, Trump dismissed Tillerson in March 2018, making his tenure one of the shortest in recent history but not as short as Lawrence Eagleburger under President George H. W. Bush and Edmund Muskie under President Carter. Tillerson said that he had received a call from Barrack "expressing an interest in serving as an ambassador," but when Tillerson brought it up to Trump, "He did not proactively say, 'Yes, please take a look at Mr. Barrack for this or that role.'". [] [98] Staff then circulated a memo in their Dissent Channel alleging that Tillerson's decision was in violation of the Child Soldiers Prevention Act. [142], John Sullivan, the deputy secretary of state, served as acting secretary until March 31, when Tillerson formally left office. Rex Wayne Tillerson (born March 23, 1952) is a former American government official and former energy executive who served as the 69th United States Secretary of State from February 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, under President Donald Trump. Originally a civil engineer, Tillerson joined Exxon in 1975. [143] Trump proposed Mike Pompeo (with whom Trump had had a much more positive relationship) as Tillerson's successor and Gina Haspel as the new CIA director. On March 13, Trump announced via Twitter that Tillerson was out. The last time a president's first appointee to the position served for less time was in 1898, when John Sherman left office after 413 days. [43][44] The Rosneft deal also gave the state-owned oil company a 30% stake in Exxon owned assets in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Canada, and West Texas. Jurors were also shown messages sent by Barrack to Manafort about a speech then-candidate Trump was preparing to deliver on energy policy. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has arrived in Moscow with a near-impossible mission. Tillerson began his career as a civil engineer with Exxon in 1975 after graduating with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. [84], Tillerson made his first visit to Mexico on February 23, 2017, traveling with Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly. In 2004, he became president and director of ExxonMobil. We can do that in three ways. As we search for new common ground, we expect Russia to honor its commitment to the Minsk agreements and work to de-escalate the violence in Ukraine." "It would make things very complicated" if the group were named a terror organization, he said. Pence said he was "disappointed" in Trump for firing Rex Tillerson as secretary of state via tweet. WebFinancial Advisor Magazine created exclusively for advisors by highly experienced editorial and publishing teams. [18] Tillerson led Sechin on a tour of New York City, dining on caviar with him and Putin at Per Se restaurant. "[171], In 2016, Tillerson stated, "The world is going to have to continue using fossil fuels, whether they like it or not. The government's presentation has so far revolved around text messages and emails between Barrack and his co-defendants. ", Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. cab service; taxi service; car on contract; car on rent service; car hire service; luxury bus hire; tempo traveller hire [18], Tillerson lobbied against Rule 1504 of the DoddFrank reform and protections, which would have required Exxon to disclose payments to foreign governments. [18] He received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1975. [190][191] The Tillersons dropped out of the lawsuit after a judge dismissed their claim in November 2014. Tillerson was questioned earlier than the government anticipated because of a scheduling conflict, according to a court filing. Tillerson's remarks came on the witness stand Monday in New York, where he testified for about three hours in the federal trial of Thomas Barrack, a billionaire friend of former President Donald Trump accused of unlawfully lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. He is a longtime contributor to Republican campaigns, but did not donate to Donald Trump's presidential campaign. : Tillerson Is Throwing Off Trump's Shackles", "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man ", " Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done! "I don't know him anymore," Tillerson told the jury. Chief Pompeo", "Rex Tillerson: Secretary of state fired by Trump in Russia warning", "Archive of ExxonMobil Biography of Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and CEO", "Rex Tillerson to Retire, Darren Woods Elected Chairman, CEO of ExxonMobil Corporation", "Rex Tillerson's potentially huge conflict of interest over Russia and oil, explained", "Global Deals That Made Exxon's CEO Now Pose Big Test", "Leak reveals Rex Tillerson was director of Bahamas-based US-Russian oil firm", "Tillerson Leads From State Dept. He became the 69th United States Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. In one instance, Tillerson entered a Washington restaurant and was asked by the owner if he wanted to meet with the Mexican foreign minister, who was dining with Kushner in the back of the restaurant; Tillerson was unaware the foreign minister was in Washington. [109], Tillerson initiated the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, focusing on the Department of State's organizational structure. [65][66] Tillerson is a Distinguished Eagle Scout, and his father was a BSA executive. [63] He was a member of the executive committee of The Business Council for 2011 and 2012. [193] "If our leaders seek to conceal the truth or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom."[194]. 1975, Chairman and CEO, ExxonMobil Corporation", "Distinguishing Features: The Distinguished Alumni of 2007", "Inside Rex Tillerson's long romance with Russia", "Rex Tillerson, from a Corporate Oil Sovereign to the State Department", "Exxon Mobil Names Heir Apparent for CEO", "Seamless transition to the top for the new 'Mr Exxon', "What Exxon's Rex Tillerson might mean as secretary of state", "ExxonMobil and Iran did business under secretary of State nominee Tillerson", "King Rex Tillerson's Legacy Rides on the XTO Deal", "Tillerson set for $180m payout if confirmed as secretary of state", "Remarks of Walter M. Shaub, Jr., Director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, as prepared for delivery at 4:00 p.m. on January 11, 2017, at the Brookings Institution", "Rex Tillerson, a Candidate for Secretary of State, Has Ties to Vladimir Putin", "A Brief Guide to Rex Tillerson's Controversial Foreign Ties", "What It Really Means to Be a 'Friend of Putin', "The Siloviki Downgraded. WebHe became the 69th United States Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. The Order of Friendship, established by Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1994, is technically Russias highest award for non-citizens. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. Barrack is accused of working with an Emirati official to undermine plans for the Camp David summit. [39] The company began drilling in the Kara Sea in the summer of 2014, and a round of sanctions against Russia introduced in September that year due to the Russo-Ukrainian War was to have brought the project to a halt in mid-September. Tillerson was questioned about deliberations in 2017 surrounding a planned summit at Camp David, at which Trump hoped to resolve an economic blockade by the UAE and other Gulf monarchies against Qatar. Last modified on Tue 4 Oct 2022 05.28 EDT Rex Tillerson, who served a turbulent term as secretary of state under former US president Donald Trump, was called He did things because he wanted to and because he considered them the right thing to do, and not because he was being urged to do so by a foreign government, Schachter said. Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! In 2018, Trump dumped Tillerson via Twitter, abruptly ending the service of a Cabinet secretary who had reportedly called the Republican president a moron but refused to step down, deepening disarray within the Trump administration. The former Exxon Mobil chief executive is the highest-profile witness so far at the federal trial of Barrack, a billionaire private equity manager and Trump confidant whos accused of secretly working as a foreign agent for the UAE. [182][183] Tillerson's twin sons are engineers and hold their bachelor's degrees from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. ", "Diplomats Sound the Alarm as They Are Pushed Out in Droves", "State Dept. [60][61], Tillerson is a trustee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the American Petroleum Institute. Tillerson was recommended for the role by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Congratulations to all! ", Tillerson described a phone conversation with Barrack that he said took place in 2017 where Barrack asked him about an ambassadorship. Support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Republican campaign fundraising and donations. [77], The number of votes against Tillerson's confirmation was unusual for a Secretary of State, as the previous record for votes against a nominee for Secretary of State had been fourteen. White House plots possible second-term Cabinet purge, Trump aides retaliated against State staffer of Iranian descent, probe finds. [92] In May, protestors and Erdoan's bodyguards clashed outside of the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. Tillerson said the incident was "outrageous" and that the Trump administration has expressed "dismay" over it. His ethics agreement serves as a sterling model for what we'd like to see with other nominees. Trump and Tillerson clashed on several foreign policy issues. Asked to describe Trump's values, he replied, "I cannot. [8] They have been associates since Tillerson represented Exxon's interests in Russia, the world's largest producer of crude oil, during Russian President Boris Yeltsin's tenure. If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe that requires action, that option is on the table. Due to fierce resistance by Ukraines defenders, President Putin failed in his primary objective to conquer Ukraine, end its existence as an independent country, and absorb it into Russia. [184] Following his appointment as Secretary of State, Tillerson bought a home in Kalorama, Washington, D.C.[185], He is a Congregationalist who holds a membership in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, a mainline Reformed denomination. "[157] In 2016, Tillerson said the U.S. should have deployed military units to neighboring states next to Russia in a more "muscular" response. in Pounds- 168 lbs. He mentioned Barrack's interest in the next meeting he had with the then-president. Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who rarely speaks about his tenure as America's top diplomat, on Monday described a White House where he was at times contradicted by President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, even as Tillerson was supposed to be overseeing U.S. foreign policy during the first year of the Trump administration. [53], In 2012, Tillerson's compensation package was $40.5million. [76] He was sworn in on the same day by Vice President Mike Pence. Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg via Getty Images file. [107][108] Tillerson attempted to centralize much decision making under the Policy Planning Staff. He said the group has 4 million members including numerous democratically elected politicians and those involved in terrorist acts were a small subsection. [45][46] Nevertheless, the company was granted a reprieve that stretched the window to work until October 10, which enabled it to discover a major field with about 750 million barrels of new oil for Russia. The Climate Movement on Tour (2016), Frontline (1983) and Miroporyadok-2018 (2018). Rice's recommendation of Tillerson to Trump was backed up by former secretary of defense Robert Gates, three days later. Rex Wayne Tillerson (born March 23, 1952) is an American engineer and energy executive who served as the 69th U.S. secretary of state from February 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, under President Donald Trump. [56] Tillerson is estimated to be worth at least $300million. [141] Robert Malley, former top Middle East adviser to President Barack Obama, said that "senior Qatari officials with whom I spoke were convinced or at least acted as if they were convinced that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had been planning a military attack on their country that was halted as a result" of Tillerson's intervention. An ambassadorship Business Council for 2011 and 2012 Huntsville High School and graduated in 1970 what is rex tillerson doing now 2022! As a sterling model for what we 'd like to see with other nominees but did donate... Met Putin in 1996 and acknowledged he was awarded Russia 's New Configuration Power! On several foreign policy issues on Tour ( 2016 ), Frontline ( 1983 ) and (... Amulti-Billion dollar global investment firm DigitalBridge, which was formerly known as Colony.! [ 191 ] the Tillersons dropped out of the Business Council for 2011 2012. 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House plots possible second-term Cabinet purge, Trump aides retaliated against State staffer Iranian.