U.S. Senate confirms Tillerson as secretary of state

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson as President Donald Trump's secretary of state on Wednesday, Feb. 1, filling a key spot on the Republican's national security team despite concerns about the former Exxon Mobil Corp chief executive officer's ties to Russia.

In the vote, 56 senators backed Tillerson, and 43 voted no. The tally was largely along party lines, with every Republican favoring Tillerson, along with four members of the Democratic caucus, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin and Mark Warner as well as Angus King, an independent.

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