what he heard was astonishing. people were saying the kremlin intervened to block trump s choice for secretary of state. he was notably hawkish on russia calling it the single greatest threat to the u.s. steel s memo said the kremlin through unspecified channels had asked trump to appoint someone who would be prepared to lift ukraine related sanctions and who would cooperate on security issues of interest to russia. if what the source heard was true that a foreign power was exercising pivotal influence over policy and an incoming president. the quote on december 18th, 2016, the secretary of state job, it was a surprise to most and a happy one. tillerson s business ties were long-standing in 2011 he brokered a historic partnership between exxonmobil and the state-owned russian giant. after the election, congress
over policy and an incoming president. the quote on december 18th, 2016, the secretary of state job, it was a surprise to most and a happy one in moscow because tillerson s business ties were longstanding and in 2011 he brokered an historic partnership between exxonmobil and the state-owned russian giant. after the election, congress imposed additional sanctions on russia and retaliation for the election interference but trump and tillerson have resisted enacting those additional sanctions. it s interesting, this bombshell from jane mayer today is treated like a mitt romney story but more than that it is a story who the secretary of state ended up being. i mean, if this memo was correct, and russia did get veto authority to say no to mitt romney getting that job, presumably that means they did