President-elect Donald Trump announced ExxonMobil's Rex Tillerson as his choice for secretary of state on Tuesday, praising the business leader as a successful international deal-maker who has led a global operation.

Tillerson's experience in diplomacy stems from making deals with foreign countries for the world's largest energy company, although questions have been raised about the oil executive's relations with Russia.

"He will be a forceful and clear-eyed advocate for America's vital national interests, and help reverse years of misguided foreign policies and actions that have weakened America's security and standing in the world," Trump said in a statement.

Tillerson said he shared Trump's "vision for restoring the credibility of the United States' foreign relations and advancing our country's national security."