(Bloomberg) -- President-elect Donald Trump tapped Exxon Mobil Corp. chief Rex Tillerson to be the next U.S. secretary of state, according to statement.
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The move is sure to set off a confirmation fight in the U.S. Senate, where three Republicans and several Democrats have expressed apprehension about Tillerson’s close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Tillerson has accepted Trump’s offer, according to a person familiar with the transition. He will reach Exxon’s mandatory retirement age of 65 in March and, if confirmed, would be the first oil executive to lead the State Department.