US Senator Marco Rubio, nominated by US President-elect Donald Trump for the post of US Secretary of State, answered a series of questions about the country's future foreign policy during a special hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The hearings were dedicated to the approval of his candidacy, which should take place in a plenary session of the entire chamber after January 20, the day of Trump's inauguration, BTA writes.
In particular, the politician assured that under the new administration the US will strive to resolve international disagreements through diplomatic methods, avoiding the use of military force. "I'm sure that restoring deterrence and demonstrating force is important because it prevents wars and gives us an advantage in diplomacy," Rubio said. He stressed that peaceful methods are a priority in the work of the State Department, the Axios portal reported.
The imposition of sanctions by the United States on other countries can be a useful measure, the potential future secretary of state believes. "A long time ago, the United States decided that it needed to be less involved in armed conflicts in the world. And in this case, the only tool left is sanctions," Rubio noted. At the same time, he agreed that such pressure does not always lead to a change in the policy of the sanctioned countries.
Rubio believes that sanctions "have the potential to deprive countries of funds." This is important in cases where funds are invested in actions that threaten US interests - he pointed to Iran as an example. At the same time, the introduction of various restrictions can serve as a form of pressure in negotiations to resolve crises.
As the “Washington Post” reminds, Donald Trump will not be able to lift the sanctions himself after taking office, and in order to do this, he will be forced to seek approval from Congress. The interlocutors of the publication noted that some congressmen are insisting on tightening the restrictions, which was also mentioned by the national security adviser of the future US president, Mike Walz.
The senator also pointed to the economic threats to the US from China. According to him, “if we stay on the same path we are on now, then in less than 10 years almost everything that matters to us in life will depend on whether China allows us to have it or not”. In order to change this, the candidate believes that it is necessary, first of all, to change the economy of the US itself. He explained that in recent years China has dominated the supply of critical raw materials globally.
Rubio added that the new US administration is seeking a major shift in the attitude towards North Korea. The goal is to develop a policy that "reduces the risk of accidental war" between North and South Korea without "pressures either side to develop its own nuclear weapons program". He recalled the development of relations between Moscow and Pyongyang, which must be taken into account,
Rubio said that both Russia and Ukraine will have to make concessions to end the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported. "It will be a difficult job", Rubio said. He added that he hopes a ceasefire in the conflict can be achieved, but for this to happen, both sides must have their own leverage.
At the same time, he called for “bold diplomacy“ from Washington to end Russia's war in Ukraine, reported Agence France-Presse. “This war must end and our desire for its end must be official US policy“, he said at his Senate hearing. The current Republican senator from Florida confirmed that Kiev's main problem is not “that it runs out of money, but above all, that it runs out of Ukrainians“.
Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism, Rubio insists. He has no doubt about it and warned that “all the decisions taken in recent days by the current administration can be reversed in the future“. It was previously reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden plans to remove Cuba from the list of states that support terrorism, the Miami Herald newspaper noted.
“Prudence in foreign policy does not mean abandoning our values,“ Rubio said in his opening remarks. “Common sense dictates that while we remain the richest and most powerful nation on earth, our wealth has never been unlimited. Putting our core national interests above all else is not isolationism, it is common sense. Common sense recognizes that a foreign policy focused on our national interests is not some antiquated relic,“ he said. Rubio also believes that the post-war world order is outdated and is now being used as a weapon against the United States.
Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to push the president-elect's "America First" concept, the Associated Press believes, summarizing Rubio's hearing before the Senate committee.
As the "Guardian" notes, Rubio, a prominent "hawk" on China and Cuba, seeks to defend a tough US foreign policy, while at the same time adapting his views to those of Trump - with the policies of the President-elect "America First". Trump has called for less U.S. involvement overseas in Ukraine and NATO, a move that stands in sharp contrast to the Biden administration and many Republican congressmen and senators, the publication notes.
“Hawkish” candidate Marco Rubio, who is running for State Department chief, appears set to be backed by both the Republican and Democratic parties, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency notes.
Rubio’s hearing was notable for its depth of political discussion — a stark contrast to the contentious sex-and-alcohol exchange that characterized Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Trump’s Defense Secretary pick, Pete Hegsett — and offered a glimpse into Donald Trump’s international priorities, the “Washington Post” notes. A striking aspect of Rubio's hearing was how civilized, polite and downright friendly it was.
“I think he'll do a good job of trying to smooth over some of Trump's most irresponsible policies,“ said Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy. “But ultimately Rubio will be executing Trump's vision and probably implementing a policy of capitulation in Ukraine,” the senator noted.
Covering the hearings from Capitol Hill on Wednesday, “Al Jazeera” correspondent Mike Hanna noted that Rubio's confirmation “will probably be the easiest hearing for Trump's nominees”. At the same time, the reporter noted that certain questions will arise about Rubio's "somewhat hawkish position on international relations". If confirmed, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, would also become the first Latino to be the first U.S. diplomat.
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, noted that Rubio already has her support. Other Democratic senators followed her example. Cory Booker noted that Trump made a "great decision" in choosing Rubio as secretary of state. Tammy Duckworth praised his character and integrity. Tim Kaine called him "extremely well-prepared".
Rubio clashed with Trump when both ran for president in 2016. But after Trump won the nomination, which included a landslide victory over Rubio in the primary in his native Florida, the two forged an alliance. Rubio has emerged as an influential voice on foreign policy, especially when it comes to Latin American countries, the Arkansas Advocate noted.
Rubio’s real challenge now comes in calibrating his foreign policy vision with Trump’s, said Samuel Benson, a political analyst for the Utah-based Deseret News. At a basic level, Rubio’s perception of the U.S. role abroad and its responsibilities at home aligns with Trump’s “America First” ideology. Meanwhile, Rubio, "one of the true neoconservatives in the Senate, a foreign policy hawk," the observer believes, would rather follow Bush Jr.'s policies and not be "MAGA" enough. He does not harbor the same fascination with dictators that Trump seems to possess. He plans to stand by America's allies. And when it comes to the active foreign conflict that America has most directly helped with - the defense of Ukraine against Russia - Rubio seems to be directly laying the blame at Putin's feet.
Rubio is considered Trump's most established choice for the cabinet, notes the newspaper “USA Today”. According to the publication, Rubio's mission now is to implement the president's vision and agenda. “Trump has already had four years as commander in chief. So I think he will look to Marco for foreign policy advice, especially in Latin America, but he relies on him purely as a representative,” commented to the publication former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien.