Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham announced Sunday they will vote for President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, likely paving the way for his confirmation.
The two, along with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, had up to now withheld their support.
“Listen, this wasn’t an easy call. But I also believe that when there’s doubt, the President, the incoming President, gets the benefit of the doubt, and that’s the way I’ve treated every president that I’ve had the obligation to vote for or against as a member of the United States Senate,” McCain said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Graham tweeted shortly after: “I will vote to confirm Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State.”
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Graham said the same.
“After careful consideration, and much discussion with Mr. Tillerson, we have decided to support his nomination to be secretary of state. Though we still have concerns about his past dealings with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin, we believe that Mr. Tillerson can be an effective advocate for US interests,” McCain and Graham said in a joint statement released Sunday.
Their decision likely means Democrats won’t have the votes to stop Tillerson’s nomination. Senate Democrats, who number 48, would likely have needed all three — McCain, Graham and Rubio — to block Tillerson’s confirmation.