John McCain ‘concerned’ about Donald Trump’s Sec of State choice: ‘I don’t know his relationship’ to Putin

Noted war hawk Sen. John McCain expressed concerns about President-elect Donald Trump reportedly tapping Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state.

Attending the annual Army-Navy college football game Saturday, McCain spoke with Fox News and called into question Tillerson’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I don’t know what Mr. Tillerson’s relationship with Vladimir Putin was,” McCain said, “but I’ll tell you it is a matter of concern to me.”

In 2011, Exxon negotiated an energy partnership with Russia that could be worth as much as $500 billion, according to Putin. A year later, Moscow awarded Tillerson the Russian Order of Friendship, one of the highest honors a foreigner can receive in the country, according to The Hill.

The Arizona Republican and sitting chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee intimated that Trump’s nominee may have a difficult time surviving the confirmation process because of his ties to Putin.

“I’d have to examine it,” McCain said. “You want to give the president of the United States the benefit of the doubt because the people have spoken. But Vladimir Putin is a thug, bully and a murderer, and anybody else who describes him as anything else is lying.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took to Twitter to praise Tillerson, suggesting the Tennessee Republican is likely to recommend Trump’s choice out his committee:

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Tom Tillison

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles