Marco Rubio’s statement is in keeping with his rhetoric on the campaign trail. | Getty Rubio: I have 'serious concerns' on Tillerson nomination

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has “serious concerns” about the prospect of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, he said in a statement released Tuesday morning in which he expressed doubt about Tillerson’s “moral clarity.”

“While Rex Tillerson is a respected businessman, I have serious concerns about his nomination,” said Rubio, who sits on the committee that will consider Tillerson’s nomination.

“The next secretary of state must be someone who views the world with moral clarity, is free of potential conflicts of interest, has a clear sense of America's interests, and will be a forceful advocate for America's foreign policy goals to the president, within the administration, and on the world stage. I look forward to learning more about his record and his views. I will do my part to ensure he receives a full and fair but also thorough hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”

Rubio’s statement is in keeping with his rhetoric on the campaign trail; he sharply criticized Trump’s foreign policy when they ran against each other for president and, during Rubio’s U.S. Senate campaign, pledged to be a check on his party’s nominee if Trump became president.

Rubio is one of a number of GOP senators alarmed by the prospect of the ExxonMobil CEO taking the reins at the State Department. Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are expected to push back on the nomination. Tillerson’s relationship with the Russian regime of Vladimir Putin is one of the main drivers of concern, though his record on climate change is also likely to be a major point of contention among Democrats.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who was a candidate for the job and chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also stopped short of endorsing Tillerson Tuesday morning, though he did praise Tillerson as “a very impressive individual.”

Marc Caputo contributed to this story.

