Almost one year ago and well before the 2016 election, Rex Tillerson — former ExxonMobil CEO and Donald Trump’s current pick for secretary of state — participated in a speaking event on campus. As luck would have it, I attended the event, blissfully unaware that I was listening to my future secretary of state. Although Tillerson came across as a serious and intelligent business man, in retrospect, much of what he said that evening was worrisome.

Tillerson’s responses to questions about climate change and dealing with foreign leaders like Vladimir Putin were particularly troubling. For example, when a student asked Tillerson how he does business with foreign governments which are hostile to U.S. interests, singling out Putin by name, Tillerson’s response was less than reassuring. 

“I want to make sure that host countries, whether that’s Russia or Yemen or wherever in the Middle East understand that I am not the U.S. government.” Tillerson said. “I am an American company, and I am bound by the laws of the United States and other countries, but I’m not here to represent the United States government’s interests. I’m not here to defend it nor am I here to criticize it. That’s not what I do, I’m a businessman.” 

While this certainly is a good position for the CEO of a multinational corporation, it’s the antithesis of what Tillerson must do as a secretary of state. Even if we were generous enough to overlook his friendship with Putin, Tillerson’s worldview and past experience still make him an odd choice to represent U.S. interests abroad. 

When another student asked Tillerson about climate change, Tillerson’s response came across as deliberately misleading. Although he acknowledged that climate change poses a significant risk, he also played down the scientific consensus on anthropomorphic climate change and expressed skepticism regarding the predictive power of existing climate models. If you think combating climate change should be a top priority for the upcoming Trump administration, there wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about in this answer. 

Although Tillerson is no longer CEO, it’s clear that his past ties to the organization could affect his ability to make objective decisions regarding climate change and Russia. For example, ExxonMobil has billions of dollars on the line in an oil deal with Russia, a deal that can only go ahead if U.S. sanctions are lifted. Even if Tillerson cuts all financial ties to the oil giant, his personal relationships and past experience with the company will likely shape his future behavior as secretary of state. With regards to climate change, ExxonMobil has come under fire for intentionally misleading the public for decades. It’s difficult to imagine that Tillerson would throw his former company under the bus by suddenly changing his tune the second he takes office.

Although I’ve specifically singled out the most troubling aspects of Tillerson’s appointment, I think it’s important to acknowledge that he made a good impression at that speaking event just short of a year ago. Most of his responses were candid and even charming. He gave the impression of being informed on every topic he discussed — after all, he is a UT alumnus. Despite this, I still believe that Tillerson is a poor fit for an office that requires him to place U.S. interests above those of former friends and businesses. Tillerson might have been a great CEO for ExxonMobil, but he’s also the last person we need representing America’s national interests on the global stage.

Jensen is a neuroscience senior from The Woodlands. He is an associate editor. Follow him on Twitter @michaeltangible.