Trump’s Trivial Choice
President-elect Donald Trump has announced his appointment for Secretary of State, and, as most expected, he chose Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil. This choice is drawing criticism from both sides of the aisle, on the grounds of Mr. Tillerson’s close ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin as well as his background in negotiating on behalf of his oil empire. In light of a recent investigation into Russian involvement in the presidential election, a possible cabinet member with close ties to a dangerous nation would be risky. Trump’s pick is under the scrutiny of Arizona Senator John McCain and others. Senator McCain called Putin a “thug and murderer” in a recent interview, making his opinion on the Russian leader explicitly clear. In addition, Tillerson’s selection increases the lack of political experience exhibited by those in Trump’s cabinet, especially in the crucial area of foreign policy. Compounded with the president-elect’s war-hungry picks for major military positions, the newest addition to his cabinet looks set to provide a turbulent future.
Rex Tillerson joined ExxonMobil in 1975, working his way up to the top in the following decades. He has never held a public sector or federal job. Though his travels to places like Yemen and Russia negotiating oil deals required a certain understanding of the political environments of the world, Tillerson has spent his life dealing for an oil company, not a world-superpower with different needs and nuanced relationships. Furthermore, we know little about his stances on most issues, and no one is able predict what he might do or say as head of the State Department. Even his stance on climate change is shaky at best. ExxonMobil backed the Paris Climate Agreement but was sued for covering up their research on climate change, accused of misleading the public. His share ownership in ExxonMobil also raises questions about a conflict of interest, specifically regarding political versus personal gain. When Russia annexed Crimea, strict sanctions stalled a deal between Russia and Tillerson’s company. If he puts his own interests first, he will project the image that the United States will not stand up to Russian attacks on regions outside its control, perhaps even attacks on NATO allies.
Donald Trump seems to be struggling to adjust his mode of leadership from that of a company to that of a country. The president-elect is a real estate mogul, prominent cabinet members are fellow billionaires, and the forerunner for the face of American foreign relations is an oil tycoon. He surrounds himself with “outsiders” as part of a pledge to shake up the traditional government, without thought to their effectiveness as vital decision makers representing one of the most powerful nations in the world. Instead of looking for some shred of experience, he believes their business expertise will translate into political success. The best we can hope for is that they find their newest position not too unalike from their previous one.
The Senate will hold a hearing to determine their support for Rex Tillerson. He will likely be asked to clarify his views on a number of different issues, and may even be required to relinquish some of his assets to assume the role of Secretary of State. Moving forward, his ties to foreign governments may prove helpful, if for no other reason than prior familiarity with the leaders and their practices. If he continues to back the Paris Climate Agreement, his views may serve to counteract the unfounded denial of Donald Trump. Nevertheless, those same strengths could easily flip the other way and leave America vulnerable to crisis and predatory foreign leaders that will prey on the lack of experience defining the president-elect’s current cabinet.