to ever be friends. i think as others have noted, our value systems are starkly different. that we do not hold the same values. all right, and so, we know rex tillerson and a lot of his business dealings with russia, but at the same time, he says during confirmation hearings tr, russia doesn t want to continue to be an adversary and he says russia and the u.s. not necessarily considered friends, do and then you hear from donald trump. whether it be in the wall street journal today, who says you ve got to have a good relationship with russia and leverage that, so, these mixeded messages, these contrasting views, of a nominee versus the president-elect soon to be president. is healthy? never quite seen anything like this. the degree of daylight that exists between the president-elect and at least three or four of the nominees. look, fred, you could read this one of two ways, this is unorganized chaos. the right and left hand are not coordinated or alternatively,
on a few key he issues. one the tpp, the trade deal that trump attacked on the campaign trail. tillerson said he wasn t opposed to it. he was a little bit more open to climate changes than trump has been. you know, tillerson actually really came out strong on russia in his opening statement and tried to divide a line from the tillerson that was out there with close ties with vladimir putin. take a listen. i think the important conversation that we have to have with them is does russia want to now and forever be an adversary of the united states. do you want this to get worse or does russia desire a different relationship? we re not likely to ever be friends. i think our value systems have starkly different. reporter: but tillerson ran into a bit of trouble with senator rubio whether or not vladimir putin was responsible
does russia desire a different relationship? our value systems are starkly different. reporter: tillerson received tough questions from the republican side of the aisle. especially marco rubio. whether or not vladimir putin had been responsible for war crimes in the campaign against syrian and other issues with saudi arabia and the philippines. are you prepared to be the one republican vote no? i m prepared to do what s right. i m not analyzing it from a partisan standpoint. the president deserves last taught in t last tu latitude in the nominations. this becomes more scrutiny. reporter: given the narrow majority in the senate, this
circumvent sanctions against iran. he moved way from trump on the tpp deal that trump attacked repeatedly in the campaign. tillerson said he wasn t opposed to it. he embraced climate change more than trump has in the past. actually struck at the beginning a harsh tone on russia. i think the important conversation that we have to have with them is does russia want to now and forever be an adversary of the united states? do you want this to get worse or does russia desire a different relationship? we re not likely to ever be friends as others have noted our value systems are starkly different. reporter: now after that, he actually got into it with marco rubio if russian president vladimir putin committed war crimes and the bombings in aleppo and syria.
relationship? we are not likely to ever be friends. our value systems are starkly different. reporter: john, as you mentioned, he ran into trouble with senator rubio, a republican, who questioned tillerson whether he thought vladimir putin committed war crimes in syria. he questioned him about saudi arabia and china and the philippines. he did not appear happy with that answer. listen. are you prepared to be the one republican to vote no? i m prepared to do what s right. i m not analyzing it from the partisan standpoint. the president deserves wide l latitude in the nominations. some positions as it gets higher and higher, the discretion is more limited and scrutiny should be higher. reporter: given the narrow republican majority, the defects would be a blow to the chances to become secretary of state. ben carson will be questioned