Tillerson began his career as acivil engineer with Exxon in 1975 after graduating with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from theUniversity of Texas at Austin. By 1989, he had become general manager of the Exxon USA central production division. In 1995, he became president of Exxon Yemen Inc. andEsso Exploration and Production Khorat Inc. In 1998, he became vice president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) and president of Exxon Neftgas Limited.[6] In 2004, he became president of Exxon Mobil Corporation.[7] In 2006, Tillerson was elected chair and chief executive of ExxonMobil, the world'ssixth-largest company by revenue.[8][9] Tillerson retired from ExxonMobil effective January 1, 2017.[10]
Tillerson became secretary of state on February 1, 2017. An unconventional choice for the role, Tillerson's tenure was characterized by a lack of visibility in comparison to his predecessors in the traditionally high-profile position.[13][14][15] During Tillerson's tenure, new applications to work for theForeign Service fell by 50 percent, and four of the six career ambassadors as well as 14 of the 33 career ministers, equivalent to military four- and three-star generals, departed.[16][17] After their relationship deteriorated, Trump dismissed Tillerson in March 2018, and replaced him withCIA directorMike Pompeo.[18][19]
Early life
Tillerson is the son of Patty Sue (née Patton) and Bobby Joe Tillerson,[20] and named afterRex Allen andJohn Wayne, two Hollywood actors famous for playing cowboys.[1] He was raised inVernon, Texas;Stillwater, Oklahoma; andHuntsville, Texas.[21][22] He has two sisters,[23] Rae Ann Hamilton, a physician who resides inAbilene, Texas,[24] and Jo Lynn Peters, a high school educator.[23] Tillerson's father was an executive of theBoy Scouts of America organization, and this led to his family's move to Huntsville.[25] Tillerson himself has been active in the Boy Scouts for most of his life, and in his youth he earned the rank ofEagle Scout.[26][27]
Tillerson joinedExxon Company USA in 1975 as a production engineer.[8] In 1989, Tillerson became general manager of the central production division of Exxon USA. In 1995, he became president of Exxon Yemen Inc. and Esso Exploration and Production Khorat Inc.[8]
In 1998, he became a vice president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) and president ofExxon Neftegas Limited with responsibility for Exxon's holdings in Russia and theCaspian Sea. He then entered Exxon into theSakhalin-I consortium withRosneft.[1][31]
In 1999, with the merger of Exxon and Mobil, he was named executive vice president of ExxonMobil Development Company. In 2004, he became president and director of ExxonMobil.[32] With this appointment Tillerson's choice as the successor ofLee Raymond as CEO of Exxon Mobil was implied.[33] His major competitor was Ed Galante, another Exxon executive.[34] On January 1, 2006, Tillerson was elected chairman and CEO, following the retirement of Lee Raymond.[8] At the time, ExxonMobil had 80,000 employees, did business in nearly 200 countries, and had an annual revenue of nearly $400billion.[1]
Under Tillerson's leadership, ExxonMobil worked closely with Saudi Arabia, the world's largestoil exporter and a longtime U.S. ally, as well as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.[35] From 2003 to 2005, a European subsidiary of ExxonMobil,Infineum, operated in the Middle East providing sales to Iran, Sudan and Syria. ExxonMobil leaders said they followed all legal frameworks, and that such sales were minuscule compared to their annual revenue of $371billion at the time.[36] In 2009, ExxonMobil acquiredXTO Energy, a major natural gas producer, for $31billion in stock. Michael Corkery ofThe Wall Street Journal wrote that "Tillerson's legacy rides on the XTO deal."[37] Tillerson approved Exxon negotiating a multibillion-dollar deal with the government ofIraqi Kurdistan, despite opposition from PresidentBarack Obama and IraqiPrime MinisterNouri al-Maliki, both of whom argued it would increase regional instability.[1]
Tillerson lobbied against Rule 1504 of theDodd–Frank reform and protections, which would have required Exxon to disclose payments to foreign governments.[1] In 2017, Congress voted to overturn Rule 1504 one hour before Tillerson was confirmed as secretary of state.[1]
On January 4, 2017,The Financial Times reported that Tillerson would cut his ExxonMobil ties if he became secretary of state.[38]Walter Shaub, the director of theUnited States Office of Government Ethics, said he was proud of the ethics agreement developed for Tillerson, who was now "free of financial conflicts of interest. His ethics agreement serves as a sterling model for what we'd like to see with other nominees."[39]
As the CEO of ExxonMobil, Tillerson has ties withPresidentVladimir Putin of Russia.[12] They have been associates since Tillerson represented Exxon's interests in Russia, the world'slargest producer of crude oil, during Russian presidentBoris Yeltsin's tenure.[41] Tillerson was responsible for the development of a partnership between Exxon and state-owned oil company Rosneft and the ultimately unsuccessful attempt to acquire a stake inYukos, owned byMikhail Khodorkovsky, before the firm was nationalized after Khodorkovsky's arrest.[42]John Hamre, the president and CEO of theCenter for Strategic and International Studies, of which Tillerson is a board member, says Tillerson "has had more interactive time with Vladimir Putin than probably any other American, with the exception ofHenry Kissinger".[41]
Tillerson was a friend ofIgor Sechin,[43][44][45] the executive chairman ofRosneft, the Russian state oil company, and leader of the Kremlin'sSiloviki (security/military) faction,[46][better source needed] who has been described as "Russia's second-most powerful person" after Putin.[47] Exxon owns adacha next door to Sechin's, and Tillerson would often visit there.[1] Tillerson led Sechin on a tour of New York City, dining oncaviar with him and Putin atPer Se restaurant.[1] In 2006, Exxon avoided making any government concessions in itsSakhalin-I oil field afterRoyal Dutch Shell was forced to sell half of its ownership inSakhalin-II by the Russian government.[1]
In August 2011, Putin attended a ceremony inSochi where Tillerson and Sechin signed an agreement between ExxonMobil and Rosneft to drill theEast-Prinovozemelsky field in theArctic Ocean valued at up to $300billion.[48][49] The Rosneft deal also gave the state-owned oil company a 30% stake in Exxon owned assets in the U.S.Gulf of Mexico, Canada, and West Texas.[42] The company began drilling in theKara Sea in the summer of 2014, and a round ofsanctions against Russia introduced in September that year due to theRusso-Ukrainian War was to have brought the project to a halt in mid-September.[50][51] Nevertheless, the company was granted a reprieve that stretched the window to work until October 10, which enabled it to discover a major field with about 750 million barrels of new oil for Russia.[52] In July 2017, theU.S. Treasury'sOffice of Foreign Assets Control fined ExxonMobil $2million for violating sanctions in its dealings with Sechin, leading the company to sue the government.[53][54]
In 2013, Tillerson was awarded theOrder of Friendship by Putin for his contribution to developing cooperation in the energy sector.[55][56][57]
In June 2017, Tillerson said Trump had asked him to "stabilize the relationship (with Russia) and build trust".[58]
Compensation
In 2012, Tillerson's compensation package was $40.5million.[59] It was $28.1million in 2013, $33.1million in 2014, and $27.2million in 2015.[60] In late 2016, Tillerson held $54million of Exxon stock, and had a right to deferred stock worth approximately $180million over the next ten years.[61] Tillerson is estimated to be worth at least $300million.[1] When he left Exxon, Tillerson was four months away from retirement, at which time he would have been entitled to a $180million retirement package.[1] He owns two ranches in Texas, where his wife, Renda, raisescutting horses.[1]
On January 3, 2017, ExxonMobil announced they had reached an agreement with Tillerson "to sever all ties with the company to comply with conflict-of-interest requirements associated with his nomination as secretary of state".[62]
Wayne Tracker alias
While CEO of ExxonMobil, Tillerson used an alias email address "Wayne Tracker" for eight years and sent thousands of messages.[63] In response to asubpoena issued from theNew York State Attorney General's office (part of a state investigation intowhether Exxon had misled investors and the public about climate change), Exxon produced about 60 emails associated with the "Wayne Tracker" account, but did not inform investigators that they were Tillerson's.[64] ExxonMobil said the account was "used for everyday business" needs such as "secure and expedited communications" between Tillerson and top company executives.[64][63]
Tillerson's use of the alias became publicly known in March 2017, afterNew York State Attorney GeneralEric Schneiderman wrote in a letter to a judge that Tillerson had used the "Wayne Tracker" email for at least seven years.[64] Later that month, Exxon revealed that emails from the alias account from September 2014 to September 2015 were missing; a further search recovered some emails, but none between September 5, 2014, and November 28, 2014. An attorney for Exxon said a "unique issue" limited to that account led to emails being automatically deleted.[65][66]
Tillerson is a long-time volunteer with theBoy Scouts of America (BSA), and from 2010 to 2012 wastheir national president, its highest non-executive position.[70][71] Tillerson is aDistinguished Eagle Scout, and his father was a BSA executive. Tillerson is a long-time supporter of the BSA and has said, "I think the highlight of my youth and adolescent years were my achievements in Scouting." In 2009, Tillerson was inducted into the Eagle Scout Hall of Fame of theGreater New York Councils.[72] Ray L. Hunt, a close friend and the chairman of Hunt Consolidated, told theDallas Morning News, "To understand Rex Tillerson, you need to understand Scouting."[71]
After the end of his term as BSA president, he remained on the organization'sNational Executive Board. There he played a significant role in the board's 2013decision to rescind the long-standing ban on openly gay youth as members. According to Center for Strategic and International Studies presidentJohn Hamre, Tillerson was instrumental in the change and "a key leader in helping the group come to a consensus".[71][73]
On July 9, 2017, Tillerson received the Dewhurst Award from theWorld Petroleum Council in recognition for "outstanding contribution to the oil and gas industry" during his 41 years at Exxon Mobil.[74]
Tillerson at his confirmation hearing on January 11, 2017Tillerson being sworn in as Secretary of State on February 1, 2017Tillerson delivering welcome remarks at the Department of State on his first official day as Secretary of State
Tillerson was first recommended topresident-electTrump for the secretary of state role by former secretary of stateCondoleezza Rice, during her meeting with Trump in late November 2016. Rice's recommendation of Tillerson to Trump was backed up by formersecretary of defenseRobert Gates, three days later.[75] Media speculation that he was being considered for the position began on December 5, 2016.[76] On December 9, transition officials reported that Tillerson was the top candidate for the position, surpassing contenders such asMitt Romney andDavid Petraeus.[77] His nomination was reportedly advocated bySteve Bannon andJared Kushner.[78]
The Senate confirmed Tillerson as secretary of state on February 1, 2017. The Senate voted 56 to 43, with all 52 Republicans in support of his nomination, as well as three Democrats and one independent.[81] He was sworn in on the same day byVice PresidentMike Pence.[82]
The number of votes against Tillerson's confirmation was unusual for a secretary of state, as the previous record for votes against a nominee for secretary of state had been fourteen.[83]
On February 15, 2017, Tillerson embarked on his first overseas trip as secretary of state, toBonn, Germany, for a meeting with foreign ministers from theG20.[84][85] In Bonn, Tillerson had meetings withForeign MinisterSergey Lavrov ofRussia andForeign SecretaryBoris Johnson of theUnited Kingdom,[86] as well as his counterparts from Italy, Turkey,Saudi Arabia,Oman, and theUnited Arab Emirates.[87][88] Tillerson urged Russia to withdraw from eastern Ukraine, saying "the United States will consider working with Russia when we can find areas of practical cooperation that will benefit the American people. Where we do not see eye to eye, the United States will stand up for the interests and values of America and her allies. As we search for new common ground, we expect Russia to honor its commitment to theMinsk agreements and work to de-escalate the violence in Ukraine." Tillerson also reaffirmed U.S. commitment to defending South Korea and Japan.[89]
Before the inauguration, Tillerson selectedElliott Abrams to be theU.S. deputy secretary of state. In February 2017, they interviewed President Trump in the Oval Office.[1] There, Tillerson contradicted the president's criticism of theForeign Corrupt Practices Act, advising Trump of Exxon's success in refusing a bribe demand by Yemen's oil minister.[1] The next day,Fox News criticized Abrams, and Tillerson soon told Abrams he would not be nominated.[1]
In mid-March 2017, Tillerson made his first trip to Asia, traveling to Japan, South Korea, and China.[93][94] Tillerson remarked that diplomatic efforts in the past twenty years to stop North Korea's nuclear development had "failed". Tillerson also stated the United States may need to take preemptive action, remarking, "Certainly, we do not want things to get to a military conflict... but obviously, if North Korea takes actions that threatens the South Korean forces or our own forces, then that would be met with an appropriate response. If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe that requires action, that option is on the table."[95][96]
In May 2017, Tillerson joined Trump on the president's first overseas trip, toSaudi Arabia.[102]
In June 2017, Tillerson excludedMyanmar,Iraq, andAfghanistan from the list of countries that employchild soldiers in that year'sTrafficking in Persons Report, rejecting the unanimous recommendations of staff.[103] Staff then circulated a memo in theirDissent Channel alleging that Tillerson's decision was in violation of theChild Soldiers Prevention Act.[104] In late November 2017, the topic garnered national attention when the Department of State defended Tillerson's actions in the wake of an anonymous complaint by an official to the department's inspector general and the distribution of supporting documents to the inspector general and to theSenate Foreign Relations Committee.[104][105][106][107]
President Trump's2018 United States federal budget sought to reduce the Department of State's budget by 31%.[108] Tillerson froze most hiring and sought to remove 2,000 career diplomats by offering them $25,000 buyouts.[108] In June 2017, Tillerson told graduates of theRangel and thePickering foreign affairs fellowships that their offers to join theUnited States Foreign Service were rescinded, and that they needed to repay the $85,000 scholarships or agree to work in temporary positions. Tillerson reversed that decision and allowed the graduates to become fullForeign Service Officers after being asked to do so by 31 members of Congress.[109] Applications to take the Foreign Service entrance exam dropped fifty percent that year.[108]
Tillerson initiated theQuadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, focusing on the Department of State'sorganizational structure.[115] He contracted formanagement consulting fromDeloitte and hired Insigniam to conduct a "listening tour" survey for $1million.[116][115] Tillerson attempted to reduce inefficiencies within the Department of State, though it was described as a "botched reorganization" that created a hollowed-out and dysfunctional department, reportedly leading to micromanagement and poor morale among career diplomats,[117][113][118][112] yet Tillerson was also praised by one writer for setting the right tone for diplomats.[119]
Tillerson made a concerted effort to respond to the Department of State's backlog ofFreedom of Information Act requests that reached into SecretaryHillary Clinton's tenure, assigning midlevel diplomats from every bureau to performdocument review beside unpaid interns.[108]
By the end of November 2017, just 10 of the top 44 political positions in the Department of State had been filled.[108] A large number ofSenior Foreign Service officers had resigned under Tillerson, with the number of career ambassadors and ministers dropping more than 50%, from 39 to 19, and the number of minister-counselors dropping 18% to 369.[108]
In October 2017, news reports surfaced regarding a deteriorating relationship between Tillerson and Trump. According to reports,[123] in a July 20 meeting, Trump allegedly suggested a tenfold increase in theU.S. nuclear arsenal, which would cost trillions and take centuries—reports that were denied byWhite House officials and by Trump[124]—after which individuals familiar with the meeting told journalists that Tillerson either called Trump a "moron"[125] or a "fucking moron."[126] Additionally, there were well-sourced reports of Tillerson offering to resign his office as secretary of state, only to be discouraged from doing so by Vice President Mike Pence; however, these were officially denied both by Tillerson and by the White House.[125][127] Furthermore, on October 1, Trump directly contradicted, viaTwitter, Tillerson's policy of negotiation withNorth Korea;[128][129] this move was widely panned by experts, who thought such a public undermining of America's chiefdiplomat would weaken his ability to negotiate.[130][131] On October 10, after Tillerson's alleged "moron" comment was reported in the media, Trump challenged Tillerson to "IQ tests";[132] three days laterSenatorBob Corker fromTennessee, the chair of the influentialSenate Foreign Relations Committee who had become a vocal Trump critic around that time, remarked that Trump was "publicly castrating" Tillerson.[133]
After leaving the Trump administration, Tillerson spoke toBob Schieffer about his tenure: "It was challenging for me coming from the disciplined, highly process-oriented Exxon Mobil corporation. . . to go to work for a man who is pretty undisciplined, doesn't like to read, doesn't read briefing reports, doesn't like to get into the details of a lot of things, but rather just kind of says, 'This is what I believe.'"[134]
Speaking to members and staffers of theHouse Foreign Affairs Committee in May 2019, Tillerson said he and Trump "shared a common goal: to secure and advance America's place in the world and to promote and protect American values," but he noted they do not share the same "value system." Asked to describe Trump's values, he replied, "I cannot."[135]
In May 2019, Tillerson privately discussed with members of Congress his frustration that during his tenure Trump's son-in-law and senior advisorJared Kushner conducted discussions with foreign dignitaries without advising the Department of State. In one instance, Tillerson entered a Washington restaurant and was asked by the owner if he wanted to meet with the Mexican foreign minister, who was dining with Kushner in the back of the restaurant; Tillerson was unaware the foreign minister was in Washington.[136]
Dismissal
According to the White House, Trump communicated with Tillerson on March9 and told him he would be replaced.[137] Tillerson cut short a visit to Africa and returned to the United States on March 12. On March 13, Trump announced viaTwitter that Tillerson was out.[138] A spokesman for Tillerson,Steve Goldstein, theunder secretary of state for public diplomacy, was quoted inThe Washington Post that Tillerson did not know why he had been fired by Trump and only found out about his firing when he read Trump's tweet on the morning of March 13;[139] Goldstein, who was generally perceived within the White House as being anti-Trump,[140] was fired by the White House later that day, reportedly for contradicting the official account of Tillerson's dismissal.[141][142] A senior Trump administration official cited "upcoming North Korea talks and various trade negotiations" as the reason for replacing Tillerson.[143] Trump later told reporters his differences with Tillerson came down to personal chemistry and disagreements on policy, adding that he andCIA directorMike Pompeo "have a very similar thought process".[144]The New York Times reported that Lebanese-American businessmanGeorge Nader turned Trump's major fundraiserElliott Broidy "into an instrument of influence at the White House for the rulers ofSaudi Arabia and theUnited Arab Emirates... High on the agenda of the two men... was pushing the White House to remove Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson."[145] UAE and Saudi Arabia lobbied Trump to fire Tillerson for not supporting the blockade ofQatar during theQatar diplomatic crisis.[146]Robert Malley, former top Middle East adviser to PresidentBarack Obama, said that "senior Qatari officials with whom I spoke were convinced – or at least acted as if they were convinced – that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had been planning a military attack on their country that was halted as a result" of Tillerson's intervention.[147]
John Sullivan, thedeputy secretary of state, served as acting secretary until March 31, when Tillerson formally left office.[148] Trump proposed Mike Pompeo (with whom Trump had had a much more positive relationship) as Tillerson's successor andGina Haspel as the new CIA director. Haspel was confirmed on May 17, 2018, making her the first female CIA director.[139] Tillerson's total time in office was 423 days, making him the shortest-serving secretary of state sinceLawrence Eagleburger (1992–1993). The last time a president's first appointee to the position served for less time was in 1898, whenJohn Sherman left office after 413 days.[149] Tillerson is also the only secretary of state since at least 1945 to have been fired.[150]
In December 2018, President Trump called Tillerson "dumb as a rock" and "lazy as hell" after Tillerson held a speech where he described Trump as "pretty undisciplined". Trump made similar remarks again in May 2019 after Tillerson reportedly said Trump had been outmaneuvered in a meeting with Vladimir Putin.[151] Trump had previously lauded Tillerson, describing him as "one of the truly great business leaders of the world" and a "world class player and dealmaker".[152][153]
Tillerson greets German foreign ministerSigmar Gabriel, Washington, D.C., February 2, 2017
In October 2017,Politico reported that Tillerson's major foreign policy positions include "urging the United States to stay in theTrans-Pacific Partnership and theParis climate accord, taking a hard line on Russia, advocating negotiations and dialogue to defuse the mounting crisis with North Korea, advocating for continued U.S. adherence to theIran nuclear deal, taking a neutral position in thedispute between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and reassuring jittery allies, from South Korea and Japan to our NATO partners, that America still has their back".[160]
Russia and Saudi Arabia
In 2014, Tillerson expressed opposition to thesanctions against Russia in response to theannexation of Crimea at an Exxon shareholder meeting.[161] He told the meeting "We do not support sanctions, generally, because we don't find them to be effective unless they are very well implemented comprehensively and that's a very hard thing to do."[162] In 2016, Tillerson said the U.S. should have deployed military units to neighboring states next to Russia in a more "muscular" response.[163][164] In 2017, Tillerson said Russia's annexation of Crimea was illegal.[165] He also compared China's controversialisland-building in theSouth China Sea to Russia's annexation of Crimea.[166]
Tillerson and Saudi foreign ministerAdel al-Jubeir, Washington, D.C., March 23, 2017
During his secretary of state confirmation hearings,Marco Rubio asked Tillerson if he would labelSaudi Arabia as a "human rights violator". Tillerson declined to do so, saying: "When you designate someone or label someone, is that the most effective way to have progress be able to be made in Saudi Arabia or any other country?"[167] He supported theSaudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[168]
Climate change and carbon tax
Tillerson announced in 2009 that ExxonMobil favored acarbon tax as "the most efficient means ofreflecting the cost of carbon in all economic decisions—from investments made by companies to fuel their requirements to the product choices made by consumers".[169] In October 2016, less than two months before his nomination as Secretary of State, he reaffirmed that ExxonMobil believed a carbon tax would be "the best policy of those being considered. Replacing the hodge-podge of current, largely ineffective regulations with a revenue-neutral carbon tax would ensure a uniform and predictable cost of carbon across the economy... allow market forces to drive solutions... maximize transparency, reduce administrative complexity, promote global participation and easily adjust" to new knowledge in climate science and in the policy consequences of various courses of action.[170]
An article inThe New York Times suggested that ExxonMobil's embrace of a carbon tax in October 2009 may have simply been an effort to avoidcap and trade legislation that was then being considered by the U.S. Congress as an alternative method ofcarbon pricing.[171] ATime magazine article in December 2016 asserted that since Tillerson announced his company's preference for a carbon tax, ExxonMobil "has not made a carbon tax a focus of its massive lobbying efforts and has supported a number of candidates and organizations that oppose measures to tackle the [climate change] issue".[172]
In 2010, Tillerson said that while he acknowledged humans were affecting the climate through greenhouse gas emissions to some degree, it was not yet clear "to what extent and therefore what can you do about it".[173][174] At the 2020 Argus Americas Crude Summit, Tillerson further expressed doubt that humans could do anything tocombat climate change.[175]
In 2012, Tillerson stated concerning climate change that "there are much more pressing priorities that we as a – as a human being, race, and society need to deal with... you'd save millions upon millions of lives by making fossil fuels more available" to the world's poor, and that "It's an engineering problem and there will be an engineering solution."[176]
In 2016, Tillerson stated, "The world is going to have to continue using fossil fuels, whether they like it or not."[177]
Support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Tillerson withChina's PresidentXi Jinping before their meeting in Beijing, March 19, 2017
In 2013, Tillerson outlined his support for theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), stating at the Global Security Forum: "One of the most promising developments on this front is the ongoing effort for the Trans-Pacific Partnership... The 11 nations that have been working to lower trade barriers and end protectionist policies under this partnership are a diverse mix of developed and developing economies. But all of them understand the value of open markets to growth and progress for every nation."[178]
Tillerson, South Korean foreign ministerKang Kyung-wha and Japanese foreign ministerTarō Kōno, August 7, 2017
Should the United States seek so-calledenergy independence in an elusive effort to insulate this country from the impact of world events on the economy, or should Americans pursue the path of international engagement, seeking ways to better compete within the global market for energy? Likethe Council's founders, I believe we must choose the course of greater international engagement... The central reality is this: The global free market for energy provides the most effective means of achieving U.S. energy security by promoting resource development, enabling diversification, multiplying our supply channels, encouraging efficiency, and spurring innovation.[179]
Government regulation
In 2012, in an interview withThe Wall Street Journal, Tillerson expressed his impatience with government regulation, saying "there are a thousand ways you can be told 'no' in this country."[180]
In September 2013, Tillerson wrote anop-ed piece inThe Wall Street Journal defendingCommon Core.[181]
Republican campaign fundraising and donations
According toOpenSecrets, Tillerson has made tens of thousands of dollars of political donations to Republican groups and candidates.[182] According toFederal Election Commission (FEC) records, he gave a total of $468,970 in contributions to Republican candidates and committees from 2000 to 2016.[183]
Tillerson has been married twice. He divorced Jamie Lee Henry, his first wife, with whom he has twin boys.[25][186][187] In 1986, Tillerson married Renda St. Clair, who has a son from her previous marriage. Tillerson and St. Clair also have a son, born in 1988.[187][188] Tillerson's twin sons are engineers and hold their bachelor's degrees from theCockrell School of Engineering at theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[25][68] In 2006, Tillerson was named a Distinguished Engineering Graduate.[29]
On February 20, 2014, news outlets reported that Tillerson and his wife had joined opponents of a proposed water tower that could lead to fracking-related traffic near their homes. Plaintiffs included former U.S. House of Representatives Majority LeaderDick Armey and his wife.[195][196] The Tillersons dropped out of the lawsuit after a judge dismissed their claim in November 2014.[197]
In 2015, Tillerson was named as the 25th-most-powerful person in the world byForbes.[24]
On May 16, 2018, Tillerson gave a graduation speech atVirginia Military Institute. In an apparent rebuke of President Trump, Tillerson warned that there is "a growing crisis in ethics and integrity".[198] "If our leaders seek to conceal the truth or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom."[199]
^Adams-Heard, Rachel; Rathi, Akshat; Carroll, Joe (February 4, 2020)."Rex Tillerson Questions Human Role in Halting Climate Change".Bloomberg News. Archived fromthe original on February 5, 2020.'With respect to our ability to influence it, I think that's still an open question,' Tillerson said Tuesday at the Argus Americas Crude Summit. 'Our belief in the ability to influence it is based upon some very, very complicated climate models that have very wide outcomes.'
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