WASHINGTON—Arguing America must reassert its interests, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, tried on Wednesday to allay concerns that a Trump administration will pull back from the world or ignore threats from rivals. He said Russia poses a “danger” to the nation.
Tillerson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he would help usher in a new era of U.S. leadership on the global stage as America’s top diplomat.
Tilllerson said recent Russian actions “disregarded American interests” and alarmed U.S. allies, even if cooperation between Washington and Moscow remained desirable on a range of issues.
He also took aim at the outgoing Obama administration for failing to live up to “good intentions,” withdrawing from critical areas and sending mixed signals to both friends and adversaries.
