Donald Trump has chosen ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of State in the incoming administration, the president-elect's transition team announced Tuesday.
"Rex Tillerson's career is the embodiment of the American dream," Trump said in a statement. "Through hard work, dedication, and smart deal making, Rex rose through the ranks to become CEO of ExxonMobil, one of the world's largest and most respected companies."
"His tenacity, broad experience, and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of State," Trump continued. "He will promote regional stability and focus on the core national security interests of the United States."
The president-elect also took to social media to tout his pick for the nation's chief diplomat.
I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, to be Secretary of State.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2016
Tillerson said that he was "honored by President-elect Trump's nomination and share[s] his vision for restoring the credibility of the United States' foreign relations and advancing our country's national security."
He added that the U.S. has to focus on "strengthening our alliances, pursuing shared national interests, and enhancing the strength, security, and sovereignty" of the country.
Trump's decision to nominate Tillerson to head the State Department will likely be met with congressional scrutiny because of the oil mogul's reported close ties to Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tillerson was given the Russian Order of Friendship in 2013 for his deals with Rosneft, a Russian state-owned oil company. The chairman of Rosneft, Igor Sechin, is viewed as a loyalist to Putin.
At a time of tense bilateral ties between the U.S. and Russia amid differences over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and charges within the American intelligence community that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election through cyber attacks, lawmakers from both political parties may choose to challenge Tillerson during his nomination process.
Tillerson has no formal government experience but has spent over 40 years working for ExxonMobil, moving his way up to eventually being chief executive.