GOP senators raise questions over Trump’s secretary of State pick

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the State Department is sparking early division among Senate Republicans.

Trump’s transition team announced early Tuesday that he would nominate Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be the country’s chief diplomat, calling his career an “embodiment of the American dream.”

But Tillerson’s ties to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin are drawing deep skepticism from GOP senators he’ll need to support his confirmation.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said on Tuesday he has “serious concerns” about Trump’s choice, but he will give Tillerson a “fair but also thorough hearing.”

“The next secretary of State must be someone who views the world with moral clarity, is free of potential conflicts of interest, has a clear sense of America’s interests, and will be a forceful advocate for America’s foreign policy goals to the president, within the administration, and on the world stage,” he said.

{mosads}Rubio is one of 10 Republicans on the Foreign Relations Committee, which has to greenlight Tillerson’s nomination before it can get a full Senate vote.

So far, the Florida Republican is the only GOP senator on the committee to publicly voice concerns about Trump’s pick.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the committee, called Tillerson an “impressive individual.”

“Mr. Tillerson is a very impressive individual and has an extraordinary working knowledge of the world. I congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to meeting with him and chairing his confirmation hearing,” he said on Tuesday.

Separately, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who is on the committee, echoed Trump’s language, calling Tillerson a “world-class player.”

The committee also includes Sen. Rand Paul, who blasted former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — who were both under consideration for the State Department post. The Kentucky Republican, who questioned about Tillerson over the weekend, held his fire.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), another committee member who is a chief Trump skeptic, signaled Tuesday that he’s keeping open mind, citing Tillerson’s support from GOP foreign policy heavyweights including Condoleezza Rice and Bob Gates.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), a Russia hawk on the committee, is staying on the fence over Tillerson but said he will get a “fair and through” hearing.

“Congress has the constitutional responsibility of advice and consent and we will rigorously exercise it by exploring a wide range of policy issues during the confirmation process,” he added.

Rubio could be the deciding vote on whether or not Tillerson’s nomination ultimately dies in the Foreign Relations Committee.

The committee currently includes 10 Republicans and 9 Democrats. Though Democrats haven’t pledged opposition to Tillerson, they’re sending early signs that they have concerns over his nomination.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the committee, said Tuesday that he is “deeply troubled” by Tillerson’s opposition to U.S. sanctions.

“Tillerson has demonstrated he knows the corporate world and can put his shareholders’ interests first, but can he be a respected Secretary of State that puts the national security interests of the American people first? It remains to be seen,” he said in a statement.

If Democrats and Rubio voted against Tillerson in the committee, Senate leadership would have to buck the committee to bring his nomination to the floor — an unusual move for a Cabinet-level position.

Tillerson got his biggest endorsement on Tuesday, with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) backing him.

“We need a full review of our national security policy, and I know Rex will face each problem head on with American interests and security as his top priority. I look forward to supporting his nomination,” McConnell said.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, also said Tuesday that he will support Tillerson’s nomination.

Tillerson will need a simple majority to clear the upper chamber, meaning he can only lose up to 3 Republicans if no Democrat votes for him.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who carries sway on foreign policy and military issues, told NPR on Tuesday that he is reserving his judgment on Tillerson, but is concerned about his ties to Putin.

“I have concerns about what kind of business we do with a butcher, a murderer and a thug, which is exactly what Vladimir Putin is,” he said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of McCain, also signaled that he will question Tillerson about his Russia ties.

“Based upon his extensive business dealings with the Putin government and his previous opposition of efforts to impose sanctions on the Russian government, there are many questions which must be answered. I expect the US-Russian relationship to be front and center in his confirmation process,” he said in a statement. 

The nomination comes amid the Senate’s long-running debate over how the United States should handle Russia and its increasingly aggressive posture in Syria and Eastern Europe.

Lawmakers in both parties have suggested they could move legislation next year to crack down on Moscow, setting up a potential break with the Trump administration.

Kellyanne Conway, a close Trump adviser, defended Tillerson on Monday, arguing his knowledge of Russia could be an advantage.

“We look at it as an asset, not a liability in that it’s not that he’s hanging around with Vladimir Putin on the weekend at dinner parties,” she told CBS’s “This Morning.”

Moscow awarded Tillerson the “Order of Friendship” in 2013 after a deal benefitting Exxon’s access to certain Arctic resources and state-controlled oil giant Rosneft. That is considered the country’s highest honor for a non-citizen.

–This report was updated at 12:44 p.m.