Sen. Barrasso: Foreign Relations Did Good Job Vetting Tillerson

It was good for members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to grill Secretary of State-nominee Rex Tillerson concerning Russia on Wednesday, as any nominee should be "thoroughly vetted," Sen. John Barrasso said Thursday.

"I think that a nominee for secretary of state ought to be very thoroughly vetted," the Wyoming Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" program. "I thought he [Tillerson] did an exceptionally good job yesterday in terms of getting to the point of what we need to do, restore the credibility of the United States around the world and after 9 1/2 hours of testimony Rex Tillerson is the person to do it."

Tillerson was reluctant to agree that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, and Barrasso said he himself does not know about the "definitions in the international courts."

"What we all know is Vladimir Putin is a bad actor, a thug, a bully," said Barrasso. "He is just trying to get credibility that he doesn't have. He is looking for respect and relevance. He doesn't deserve it and he won't get it from me or the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and certainly not from the new administration."

It is the job of the secretary of state to advise the president and deal with international leaders, while using American leverage to be sure the nation's strength is projected, said Barrasso, and he believes Tillerson will not only be confirmed, but will reassert America's leadership role.

"If you want to use deterrents in world activities, you need the capacity," said Barrasso. "We have that capacity in the United States. What you have to have is a commitment to use it and we will have that commitment under President-elect Donald Trump. We did not have it under Barack Obama and you need to communicate your commitment to use the capacity that you have and I think Rex Tillerson is the right secretary of state. I think this is a very important and actually an inspired nomination."

• Tillerson to Call Russia 'a Danger' in Confirmation Hearing
• The Atlantic: What CNN Report on Tillerson Does, Doesn't Say