Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, is looking to lead the State Department under the incoming Trump administration and is preparing to face an often difficult confirmation hearing process in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. He is preparing himself for the seat.
Mr. Rubio is not expected to make it easy before a panel of his colleagues who will be pressed on him on everything from the Ukraine war to the Middle East conflict to the trade war with China that President Trump has threatened to escalate significantly. No, but he is expected to have a smoother passage than other nominees Trump has for his Cabinet.
In excerpts of Rubio's remarks obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of his Senate speech, he spoke about the security threats that have emerged since the end of the Cold War, that democracies have succeeded around the world, and that international free trade has It emphasizes the belief that it is possible. The road of the future.
“While the United States continues to prioritize “world order'' over its core national interests, other countries continue to do so by recognizing what is in their own best interests. continued to act,” the statement said. “And instead of being integrated into the post-Cold War world order, they have manipulated it to suit their own interests at the expense of ours.”
“The post-war world order is not only outdated, it is now a weapon used against us,” he added.
Illinois Senate Democrat Dick Durbin has already thrown his support behind the Republican, saying on Monday, “Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy, and as a result, the Senate… We have worked closely together to advance policy.” Human rights laws around the world. ”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) (left) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D). (Durbin.Senate.gov)
Senate Democratic Whip endorses Rubio: 'Many similar views on foreign policy'
“Senator Rubio fully understands the role of the United States on an international scale, has served honorably on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and I believe he is qualified to lead the State Department. I'm going to vote in favor of his nomination when it goes to the Senate,” Durbin said after a meeting in which they discussed security issues including the Russian threat in the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance. said in a statement.
President Trump announced in November that he would nominate Rubio to lead foreign affairs, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said it was not only a “great honor” but also a “tremendous responsibility.”
“The job of the Secretary of State is to carry out the foreign policy set by the elected president of the United States, and I would like to have that opportunity if my current colleagues here in the United States Senate would allow me to do so.” '' he told reporters on the hill.
But Mr. Rubio's determination to implement the executive branch's wishes could be the toughest hurdle not only during Senate questioning but also in taking office if confirmed by the Senate.
President Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he expects unwavering loyalty from his Cabinet members, White House advisers and even military leaders, and reports this week suggest that the next administration may are. Planning a clearinghouse The Associated Press reported that he joined the National Security Council to ensure that the president only surrounded himself with people who supported his policies.
Former President Trump listens to a speech by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) at a rally in Miami on November 6, 2022. (Joe Radle/Getty Images)
Rubio and Trump agree on issues such as U.S. support for Israel, maintaining a tough stance on China and opposing authoritarian regimes in Latin America, all of which could draw significant opposition from Senate Democrats. There are some problems that are possible, but less likely. It has proven difficult for the three-term senator to navigate.
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Mr. Rubio and Mr. Trump have a history of exchanging heated words, particularly during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The two men have mended their long-standing rivalry in large part because Mr. Rubio has become more closely aligned with Mr. Trump's support, a move aimed at placating Mr. Trump and addressing issues important to him. That means he's no novice when it comes to walking the political tightrope between pursuits.
This balancing act became clear during the campaign when Mr. Rubio was asked about controversial comments made by the Trump campaign about U.S. aid to Ukraine and how to end the now three-year-old war.
“I'm not on Russia's side, but the unfortunate reality is that the way to end the Ukraine war is a negotiated settlement,” Rubio said in a September interview on NBC's “Meet the Press.”
Rubio dodged a question about whether he supported statements by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance that suggested Ukraine would agree to cede land to Russia and establish a demilitarized zone along its current front lines. Ta.
Photo of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) (left) and Vice President-elect Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). Photographed at the National Diet Building on November 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Instead, he said, “I would be happy with an agreement that ends these hostilities and is advantageous for Ukraine, where Ukraine has its own sovereignty and does not become a satellite or puppet state.'' he said. ”
Rubio also said he would encourage any NATO member state that has not met its defense spending commitments, including Russia, to “do whatever they want,” adding that the president-elect's position on NATO is It supported Mr. Trump in response to growing concerns about the issue.
“Donald Trump is not a member of the Council on Foreign Relations,” Rubio told CNN's Jake Tapper in February. “He doesn't speak like a traditional politician. And we've already been through this. You'd think people would have figured it out by now.”
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However, in 2019, Mr. Rubio also helped reintroduce bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval. This was something President Trump threatened during his first term in office, and was a top concern for Trump's former National Security Council advisor John as well. Bolton during the recent presidential campaign.
Mr. Rubio's ostensibly unwavering loyalty to the president-elect could be tested by questions about the president-elect's expansionist rhetoric, including using the U.S. military to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Fox News Digital was unable to reach Rubio's office for comment on U.S. intervention in Greenland. As long as Greenland is Danish territory, it is technically under NATO protection, as is the Panama Canal, which was returned to the United States. It was given to Panama in 1999, but President Trump accused China of taking it over.
