This video an example of why Exxon-Mobil CEO is the absolute worst person on the planet to develop, negotiate and form foreign policy.
Rachel Maddow unearthed a clip of Tillerson joking about United States sanctions on Russia with Russian oligarchs. Now imagine, if you will, that same Rex Tillerson negotiating sanctions with countries which have been best business buddies with him.
You can't, can you?
Neither can I.
MADDOW: Rex Tillerson was invited to St. Petersburg, Russia along with other oil execs from the U.S..
By this summer, we had as a country a very serious beef with them invading Ukraine. seizing parts of other countries. Because of the sanctions our government put on them, the State Department reached out to all the executives that got invited to that expo in Russia and the State Department asked them to please not go, that it would be against the interests of the United States of America, It would be against America's interests, it would be bad for our country if they went.
Guess who went? The guy who Donald Trump has nominated to lead the State Department!
Given that a number of the sanctions on Russia related to oil and natural resource exploration, does the idea of a major American energy company sending its top official undermine the sanctions, you think in any way?
Look, again, we communicated our policy on Russia to the U.S. business community in multiple forms. Ultimately each company's leadership needs to make its own decision. Most companies recognize that attending this forum sends a poor message out there about the acceptability of Russia's actions.
Most of the companies, most of them do, Exxon doesn't. The CEO of Exxon, our Secretary of State-in-waiting, he went to St. Petersburg. He told the State Department, screw you, we're going to make money. It's going to hurt you? Boo hoo hoo.
He sat across from Putin's shadow. At one point they got a big hearty laugh at the expense of the United States.
Mr. Tillerson got a question on how Exxon was squaring their commitment to Russia and the United States sanctions against Russia. He got asked that question. This is how he answered.
The best thing to watch for here, the guys who are hearing this in Russian have to wait for the translation. There's a little bit of a delay. But as they get the translation and they hear what h saying, watch for the thumbs up here. Watch.
TILLERSON: "Well, okay, thank you. As to the sanctions questions I'll use the same approach my friend Mr. Sechin took and that's a question for the government. So if there's a U.S. Government official that would like to respond, I'm happy to toss it to them.
So let me move to technology. I think one of the most underappreciated aspects of the oil and natural gas business --
MADDOW: That's the guy from Rosneft. That's Putin's best friend. He waits for the translation to come through. Oh, the U.S. Government. Good one, my friend!
This is what Trump will send out into the world to negotiate our treaties and other agreements with foreign countries around the world. A man with nothing but contempt for our country. A man who couldn't care less about the people he represents. He's a man with a brand and a bottom line profit motive. Nothing more, nothing less.
He has no business setting foot in the U.S. Department of State. My heart goes out to career diplomats right now.
