Statement From Ken Berlin, President and CEO of the Climate Reality Project, on President-elect Trump’s Appointment of Rex Tillerson to Secretary of State

Today, President-elect Donald Trump nominated ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. Ken Berlin, president and CEO of The Climate Reality Project, released the following statement:

“President-elect Trump’s appointment of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is a sobering reminder of the power that special interests – and in particular the fossil fuel industry – will wield over our government during the next four years.

“There’s not much else to say at this point, other than that this week has been a terrible one for both America’s standing as a global leader on climate and the millions of Americans who hoped the new president would live up to his promise to stand up for regular citizens against the rich and powerful. Giving the fossil fuel industry a megaphone to the world is yet another betrayal of the trust that our democracy places in elected leaders to make decisions for the common good. Plainly and simply, the Trump Administration is sending a strong message that the greedy and self-serving interests of the oil and gas industry takes precedence over the beautiful environment we share, the air our children breathe, and US leadership in combatting climate change.”