Marco Rubio: America's nominee for top diplomat, in his own words
By: Ana Faguy (BBC News, Washington)
Whaddya expect from the BBC? But the Eurocentric trees BBC is reporting on may hide a forest. Marco Rubio as Sec. State may be a foreign affairs pivot to the Americas. Will Trump establish a new 'Monroe doctrine'?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
With the approval of the US Senate, America's next top diplomat is likely to be Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Rubio, who was nominated for the role of secretary of state by President-Elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, has experience serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and speaking out about international conflicts during his Senate tenure.
The Florida senator is considered a foreign policy "hawk" - meaning someone who takes hard-line positions - towards Iran as well as China.
But where exactly does he stand on major global issues? Hear from Rubio, who would be the first Latino secretary of state, in his own words.
Ending the war between Russia and Ukraine will mean 'difficult choices'
Rubio has long urged a swift conclusion to the two-year-plus war between Russia and Ukraine.
"We do want to see that conflict end, and it's going to require some very difficult choices," Rubio said earlier this month.
In the past, Rubio called it "hyperbole to believe that the Ukrainians are going to completely crush the Russian military".
He voted against the $6 billion military aid package for Ukraine earlier this year.
"I think the Ukrainians have been incredibly brave and strong in standing up to Russia," he said earlier this month.
"But at the end of the day, what we are funding here is a stalemate war, and it needs to be brought to a conclusion, or that country is going to be set back 100 years."
Beyond the conflict itself, Rubio said he is worried the conflict distracts from other problems brewing around the world.
"The future of the 21st century is going to largely be defined by what happens in the Indo-Pacific," Rubio said earlier this week. "And I think China would love for us to be bogged down in Europe in a conflict and not focused on what's happening in the Indo-Pacific."
China is a big threat to the US
Rubio has expressed hard line positions in many regions of the world, but nowhere is that more true than in China.
China is "the largest, most advanced adversary America has ever faced," he said in a September Washington Post opinion piece.
When discussing Beijing's "Made in China 2025" plan, which attempts to upgrade its manufacturing sector, Rubio called for the US to create a new industrial policy to stop China from "eclipsing the United States entirely in the decade that follows".
"The bottom line is that U.S. policymakers cannot afford to be complacent about the largest, most advanced adversary America has ever faced," Rubio wrote.
He also strongly defended Taiwan's independence.
"Communist China is not, and will never be, a friend to democratic nations," Rubio wrote on X, formerly Twitter, over the summer. "The international community must continue to stand with Taiwan as they defend their sovereignty and freedom."
A ceasefire in Gaza?
Rubio is against a ceasefire in Gaza. When asked by activists on Capitol Hill if he would support ending fighting there, he firmly said no.
"On the contrary … I want them to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on," Rubio said. "These people are vicious animals who did horrifying crimes."
Israel's intention with its fighting, Rubio said, is "to destroy the terrorist organization so it may never threaten the people of Israel again".
He also recently criticised Canada's decision to accept Palestinian war refugees. He claimed "terrorists and known criminals continue to stream across US land borders, including from Canada."
Iran is a 'terrorist' regime
Rubio calls Iran a "terrorist" regime.
He urged Israel to respond to Iran with force following attacks earlier this year. In a statement, Rubio cited Israel's "right to respond disproportionately to stop this threat".
"Israel should respond to Iran the way the U.S. would respond if some country launched 180 missiles at us," Rubio wrote on social media.
"And they should do in Lebanon what we would be demanding our leaders do if terrorists were launching anti-tank rockets at us from a neighboring country, forcing 60000 Americans to evacuate their homes and farms for almost a year."
Before being tapped for the position of secretary of state, Rubio said a Trump administration would be "very clear and very firm" in dealing with Iran. He also said the Biden administration treated Iran like "Belgian diplomats at the United Nations".
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China really does pose a direct threat to the United States -- in the Americas. Cuba has been edging closer to China as a trading partner which could open the door for a security alliance. The US can't ignore Cuba any longer.
Marco Rubio could be the best choice for a pivot away from NATO/Europe and toward the Americas. Nominating Rubio as Sec. State may suggest that the issue of immigration is being elevated to a national security concern, too.
Rubio called Trump a "con artist," telling the crowd, "He runs on this idea that he is fighting for the little guy. But he has spent his entire career, sticking it to the little guy...If you all have friends who are thinking about voting for Donald Trump, friends do not let friends vote for con artists."
Yep, Trump is a real piece of shit. But Trump is also the 47th President with a mandate inside the Republican Party. And Marco Rubio will be the next Secretary of State.
Trump couldn't give a rat's ass about the republican party. Trump has only 2 mandates.
I think you really underestimate his need to self-aggrandize.
Trump has already checked those boxes - and - he hasn't been inaugurated yet.
And I think you overestimate it. Trump cares about nothing beyond the tip of his nose.
Not quite, but he has delayed all his cases until after the inauguration. Cannon's judgement will be over turned since she went against previous SCOTUS decisions, but again it is being slow tracked.
And he is undoubtedly seeing dollars signs as to how much more money he can make during his 2nd term.
Hang on to those hopes, dreams, and delusions. But they won't sustain Democrats during the midterms.
Which ones do you disagree with? One of the main reasons Trump ran (and ran a 2nd time) for POTUS is to put a stop to all his criminal charges.
On day 1 he will order the DOJ to stop all his investigations, fire any special prosecutor involved in his cases, and most likely attempt a self pardon.
On day 2 he will start calling the governors of each state that has investigations or court cases against him and try to pressure the governor to stop the investigations, block any court proceedings, or pardon him on those state charges.
Day 3 is when he will start issuing pardons to all his friends and insurrectionists.
Day 4 is when he will start his new collection of classified documents to sell to his best friend Putin.
The traitor cares about no one else but himself.
How those who endlessly defend the indefensible think he is for them is delusional.
Actually I am hoping that he does attempt a self pardon for the insurrection charges. That would create another Constitution breaking issue.
You think it's possible to overestimate how much Donald Trump wants to brag about himself? Really?
What insurrection charges?
Even if there were fantasized charges, they would simply go away since you can't prosecute a sitting president.
I'm just waiting for someone to say, again, 'who is the traitor'
lol
The insurrection that he incited...
I'm waiting on someone to answer the question
LOL
What words were used to incite an imaginary insurrection?
[✘]
Trump brags about himself constantly, except what he brags about are lies and he's too lazy to actually do anything.
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Unless he accepts his own pardon for them. SCOTUS says that is the same thing as admitting guilt. If he admits guilt to insurrection charges, he cannot be president.
Yes. That's called self-aggrandizement. Hence my original comment.
So what?
Harris called Biden a racist on national tv and she got to be VP for doing it.
Looks like calling someone a racist pays off better than calling someone a con artist.
The bought and paid for 6 of the supreme court put the traitor above the law for the insurrection that he incited.
trump the traitor