Donald Trump, Aleppo, Madonna: Your Monday Briefing

Photo

Rex W. Tillerson, left, Exxon Mobil’s chief executive, with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in 2012. Mr. Tillerson, who is expected to be named secretary of state, has a relationship with Russia that could be both a strength and his Achilles’ heel. Credit Pool photo by Mikhail Klimentyev

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Good morning.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Transition’s next steps.

Rex W. Tillerson, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, is widely expected to be President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nominee for secretary of state. An announcement could come this week.

Among Mr. Tillerson’s strengths are his close business ties with Russia. But that relationship could also make his Senate confirmation tougher, after U.S. intelligence agencies said Moscow had deployed hackers to influence the presidential election.

We compiled a list of Mr. Trump’s cabinet picks and the contenders for the remaining posts.

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