United States Senator Marco Rubio has pledged to advance President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” international coverage throughout a Senate affirmation listening to to turn out to be the nation’s subsequent secretary of state.
Talking earlier than the Senate Overseas Relations Committee on Wednesday, Rubio mentioned that, underneath Trump’s management, the State Division’s “prime precedence … might be america”.
“Below President Trump, the {dollars} of hardworking American taxpayers will at all times be spent properly, and our energy can even be wielded prudently and in the direction of what’s finest for America — and Individuals — earlier than something and the whole lot else,” he mentioned.
“For our nation, putting the pursuits of America and Individuals above all else has by no means been extra related or extra obligatory than it’s proper now.”
The listening to — which was interrupted a number of occasions by protesters — comes as lawmakers in Washington, DC, are questioning a slew of Trump’s cupboard picks simply days forward of the Republican chief’s inauguration subsequent week.
The primary such listening to on Tuesday noticed US legislators grill Trump’s nominee to steer the Pentagon, former Fox Information host Pete Hegseth, over a collection of controversies, together with allegations of sexual assault that he denies.
Rubio is predicted to extra comfortably be confirmed by the complete Senate after his committee listening to, the place he obtained the backing of prime Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
“I imagine you have got the talents and are effectively suited to function US secretary of state,” Shaheen mentioned firstly of Wednesday’s session.
Main the U.S. Division of State is an incredible accountability and I’m honored by the belief President Trump has positioned in me. As Secretary of State, I’ll work every single day to hold out his international coverage agenda. Below the management of President Trump we are going to ship peace…
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 13, 2024
Reporting from Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna mentioned Rubio’s affirmation “might be going to be the best of hearings for Trump’s nominees”.
“Actually, he has all of the expertise that’s wanted,” mentioned Hanna, although he added that questions have come up round Rubio’s “considerably hawkish stance on the subject of worldwide relations”.
“Rubio himself drove this dwelling in his opening assertion, wherein he made very clear his perception in what he describes as an ‘America First’ agenda,” Hanna reported. “As soon as once more, he’s aligning himself very fastidiously with Trump’s fundamental premise. And that’s ‘America First’.”
If confirmed, Rubio — born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban immigrant mother and father — would turn out to be the primary Latino ever to function the nation’s prime diplomat and lead US international coverage.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2011. Within the years since, the 53-year-old has earned a status for bipartisanship on nationwide safety points as a long-time member of each the Senate international relations and intelligence committees.
A staunch supporter of Israel, he additionally has turn out to be identified for his hawkish views on US adversaries together with China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.
On Wednesday, he mentioned Beijing has “repressed and lied and cheated and hacked and stolen [its] means into international superpower standing”.
Rubio additionally has expressed robust backing for Israel’s warfare in Gaza, telling a peace activist in late 2023 that the Palestinian group Hamas was “100% in charge” for the deaths of Palestinians within the enclave.
“I need them to destroy each factor of Hamas they’ll get their fingers on,” Rubio mentioned in that change in December 2023. “These persons are vicious animals who did horrifying crimes, and I hope you guys publish that as a result of that’s my place.”
In April of final yr, Rubio was certainly one of 15 Republican senators to vote towards an enormous army help bundle to assist Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion, though he voted in favour of help to Ukraine in Might 2022.
Trump has been vital of Democratic President Joe Biden’s persevering with army help for Kyiv.
Rubio has mentioned Ukraine wants to hunt a negotiated settlement with Russia slightly than concentrate on regaining all territory Moscow has taken within the final decade.
Rubio’s relationship with Trump has modified through the years, with the pair dealing with off as rivals in the course of the 2016 race for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump finally gained that GOP contest in his profitable marketing campaign for the White Home.
In 2016, Trump infamously mocked Rubio’s bodily stature, branding him “Little Marco”. Rubio responded by labelling his rival “Small Fingers Trump”.
However as Trump’s grip on the Republican Get together solidified, Rubio joined different GOP lawmakers in supporting the businessman-turned-president.
For his half, the US president-elect hailed Rubio as a “Extremely Revered Chief, and a really highly effective Voice for Freedom” when he introduced him as his nominee for secretary of state in November.
“He might be a robust Advocate for our Nation, a real good friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who won’t ever again all the way down to our adversaries,” Trump mentioned on the time.
Whereas Rubio will lead US international coverage if confirmed as secretary of state, his position will probably stay secondary to Trump, who relishes the worldwide stage and continuously makes use of the bully pulpit towards the nation’s allies.
Trump notably had an acrimonious relationship together with his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson: Trump fired Tillerson through a social media publish lower than two years into his time period.
