The Latest: Trump swears in Tillerson to lead State Dept.

the Oval Office that it is “time to bring a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs.” The president is praising Tillerson’s background, telling him, “Your whole life has prepared you for this moment.”

The Senate approved Tillerson’s nomination earlier Wednesday on a vote of 56-43, brushing back efforts by Democrats to derail the oil executive’s bid to become the nation’s top diplomat.

Tillerson will need to deal with the fallout from Trump’s executive order on immigration and a temporary travel ban preventing people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

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3:45 p.m.

Previous presidents, both Republicans and Democrats, had a much easier time securing Senate confirmation for their nominees for secretary of state than President Donald Trump.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil, on a largely party-line vote of 56-43. Three Democrats — Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark Warner of Virginia — and independent Angus King of Maine joined Republicans in backing the choice.