Washington DC –
On Tuesday evening, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the goals of the First American movement, emphasizing its focus on national interests and empowering everyday citizens.
As special guests at the fifth anniversary celebration of American Compass—a think tank that challenges conventional conservative views—both Vance and Rubio discussed how leadership could invigorate policies that have been overlooked for years. During a conversation with Oren Cass, the founder of American Compass, Rubio highlighted the link between geopolitical matters and domestic economic health. Vance shared his perspective on how American leaders have broken social contracts with many citizens.
“I want to see ordinary folks who work hard and play by the rules,” Vance said. “That was achievable in my upbringing, but we’ve started to see signs of things unraveling. It must change. I believe that’s largely why Donald Trump became president. He was the first politician to say, ‘This isn’t right. These trade deals aren’t benefiting the average people who support our economy.’
Vance stressed that the U.S. government should aim to serve the interests of the millions who make the nation thrive. He pointed out that many elites in Washington, who often get blamed for negative outcomes, lack the practical wisdom of everyday Americans.
“They’re not driven by high ideology. They don’t engage with conservative intellectual publications. I gain a lot from that, but I’m also willing to challenge the boundaries, as our fellow Americans are far from foolish compared to those in Washington,” he added.
During his speech, Vance resonated with the audience by articulating a forward-moving, constructive vision for the First American movement in the upcoming years. Many consider him a likely successor to the movement post-Trump in 2028.
Rubio is seen as a political figure with the potential to drive the movement forward in a post-Trump era. He engaged the crowd by discussing the close relationship between U.S. foreign policy and the domestic capacity to provide for citizens’ needs. Like Vance, Rubio believes that political and business leaders have strayed from essential truths and priorities, resulting in mistakes that have weakened the country’s post-Cold War strategies.
He pointed to China’s control over the global supply chain of rare earth minerals as an example of how trust in the free market can lead to geopolitical disadvantages, where trade partners prioritize profits over broader issues.
“This poses a significant challenge to a strictly free enterprise approach,” Rubio explained. “You can’t compete with nations that prioritize goals other than profit. They make decisions that affect us; for instance, accepting lower standards for 80% of ingredients merely because they’re sourced from abroad.”
“A nation can never be secure without ensuring its people are fed and that its economy is capable of producing essential goods for self-defense,” Rubio asserted.
