Trump picks Exxon chief Rex Tillerson for secretary of state
President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson, as his choice for US secretary of state.
In a statement, Mr Trump praised Mr Tillerson, 64, as among the "most accomplished business leaders and international dealmakers" in the world.
Mr Tillerson is said to have a good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, alarming both Democrats and some Republicans.
"Rex Tillerson's career is the embodiment of the American dream," Mr Trump said.
"His tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of state."
He has warned of the "catastrophic" impact of unchecked climate change, although his company has been accused of deliberately misleading the public about the role of fossil fuels in global warming.
He has forged multi-billion-dollar deals with Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, spoken out against international sanctions imposed on Moscow and in 2013 was awarded an Order of Friendship by the Kremlin.
As rumours of his nomination gathered pace in recent days, one of Mr Trump's rivals for the Republican nomination, Marco Rubio, said being "'a friend of Vladimir is not an attribute I am hoping for from" the next secretary of state.
Another Republican Senator John McCain expressed concern over Mr Tillerson's links to Mr Putin but promised he would get a "fair hearing" in the Senate.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38301686