A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s senior Senator appears to have a smooth path toward Foggy Bottom.
That’s the major takeaway from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of State position.
Rubio positioned himself as someone willing to commit to an overdue reconsideration of how America’s strategic adversaries and competitors are seen, and garnered bipartisan praise even before he began to speak.
In his intro, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott lauded the “exceptional nominee” whose family moved from Cuba as an “incredible asset” for the Trump administration who is “clear-eyed” about threats and willing to hold communist regimes and others accountable.
“Marco will always put America’s best interests first,” Scott said.
Most committee members agreed.
Ranking member Jeanne Shaheen wanted Rubio’s hearing to happen as quickly as possible so American embassies can be “fully staffed,” and the New Hampshire Democrat noted the “good working relationship” she’s had across the aisle with the Senator in her remarks.
Near the four-hour mark of the meeting, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said he was happy Rubio was the nominee, noting their work together over the years and that Rubio was “extremely well prepared.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said that Rubio likewise would be confirmed as soon as next Monday.
It wasn’t all kumbaya from the more radical elements of the general public though. In the opening minutes, demonstrators made their presence known.
As Rubio contrasted the “global order” forged at the end of World War II with today’s eroded dynamic that threatens America and leverages “adversaries and rivals” and “jihadists,” a protester decried “forever war ever since.” Soon enough, that would be followed by a second, Spanish-speaking demonstrator.
“I get bilingual protestors,” Rubio quipped.
Turning to matters of substance, Shaheen pressed Rubio on protecting NATO.
“The NATO alliance is a very important alliance,” Rubio said, but wondered if America should have a “primary defense role” in the alliance.
“We have to have alliances. But we have to have alliances with strong, capable partners,” Rubio said, noting that American largesse has funded European “safety net” social programs as our taxpayers have shouldered their burdens.
Rubio also clarified a Ukraine position, saying as does Trump “has to end and it should be the official policy of the United States that we want to see it end,” and that a negotiated solution is inevitable.
“There have to be concessions made,” he said, by both Russia and Ukraine.
Rubio said the Chinese Communist Party presents a unique danger to the United States as “the most potent and dangerous near peer adversary this nation has ever confronted.”
“They have elements that the Soviet Union never possessed. They are a technological adversary and competitor and industrial competitor, an economic competitor, geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now. in every realm. It’s an extraordinary challenge. It’s one that I believe will define the 21st century,” he said in response to a question from Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska.
“If we don’t change course, we will live in a world where much of what matters on a daily basis, from our security to our health, will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not,” Rubio added.
Rubio also addressed the Middle East, saying he is “hopeful” that hostages taken from Israel more than a year ago are returned, with a “six-week transitional period of international cooperation” helping to bring peace.
“There are opportunities in the Middle East that weren’t there 90 days ago,” Rubio said.
These “factors that we can build on” could secure Israel’s security and other regional aims, he added.
“You cannot coexist with armed elements at your border who seek your destruction and evisceration as a state,” he argued
Palestinian governance is another variable, he noted.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware wondered how Rubio would deal with “special envoys,” such as Ric Grenell. Rubio said he’d worked with most of them before and expected to work with them constructively in the new administration.
Rubio also addressed Iran.
“I don’t know of any (other) nation on earth in which there is a bigger difference between the people and those who govern them than what exists in Iran,” he said.
Rubio also touched on Mexico, noting U.S. and Mexican economic interests are “deeply intertwined,” He added that “violence at the border” has to be addressed from cartels, which are “vertically integrated” and pose threats to Mexican sovereignty.
Cuba, which is “collapsing,” also has a choice per Rubio: to “open up to the world” or to “triple down” and “be the owners and controllers of a fourth-world country.”
He noted also that any deal between the outgoing administration and the communist holdout isn’t binding on the Trump White House.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, meanwhile, discussed business ties between the Trump organization and “governments in the Middle East.”
“Do you see how this fundamentally compromises your diplomatic efforts, do you have an issue, will you raise an issue with the President about his growing financial connection with the governments that you’re going to be negotiating with?”
Rubio noted that Jared Kushner is a “private citizen” and spoke on the importance of Saudi Arabia taking a role in “post-conflict stabilization” in the Israel-Gaza conflict. He added that what family members of Trump’s do in business have no impact in international diplomacy, dismissing the conflict of interest query from the Connecticut Democrat.
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This piece will be updated as the hearing continues.
25 comments
MH/Duuuval
January 15, 2025 at 11:49 am
Fair question: If Trump/Rubio are going to go easy on Putin in Ukraine, what should the folks in Taiwan expect?
Ron Ogden
January 15, 2025 at 11:53 am
Negotiations.
Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 12:16 pm
Slo Joe and Kammy roled over for Putin. Joe and his foreign policy was a complete joke. Just look around the world and see the chaos that has taken place under his failed leadership. Monday can’t come soon enough.
MH/Duuuval
January 15, 2025 at 12:26 pm
It’s Trump who went into room to negotiate with Putin alone except for Putin’s stenographer. Afterwards, Trump’s body posture indicated he had been beaten down by a shirtless Putin.
Biden has stood by the Uks; his sin has been to give Bibi everything and more. This will be the final verdict of history on Biden despite the economic advances made during his one term.
Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 12:37 pm
When did Putin invade Ukraine? While Trump was in office or Biden? Who is the weak one? We can also talk about the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle and the Middle East.
JD
January 15, 2025 at 1:51 pm
If there was a reason why Putin invaded Ukraine when Biden was president, it’s because he probably figured the guy cleaning up decades of U.S. foreign policy blunders would be too busy to deal with his nonsense. Let’s not forget, though—Putin annexed Crimea while Obama was in office, cozied up to Trump with zero consequences for four years, and then made his big move when Biden started rebuilding alliances. If you think dictators like Putin act on spur-of-the-moment decisions tied to specific presidents rather than years of calculated planning, you might need a refresher on how geopolitics works. As for Afghanistan, maybe we should talk about the 20 years of bipartisan mess before the withdrawal instead of pretending it started in 2021.
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January 15, 2025 at 3:09 pm
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Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 2:27 pm
So Putin makes his land grabs when Demos are running the show? Got it. 🤣
JD
January 15, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Oh, absolutely—because Putin’s master plan is clearly based on U.S. party lines rather than, you know, decades of calculated geopolitical maneuvering. Never mind that DJT spent four years playing the role of a useful Soviet asset, undermining NATO, praising Putin at every turn, and freezing military aid to Ukraine when they needed it most. But sure, let’s keep pretending Putin only acts when Democrats are in office, and not because he sees long-term opportunities in Western division and weakness. Real sharp analysis there. Are you sure you “got it”?
Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 3:28 pm
Oh I get it all right and I’m spent some time in NATO. Trump was rightly calling out member nations for not adhering to the NATO requirement to spend the appropriate amount on defense based on GDP. The nations are now standing up to their responsibilities. There is no NATO without the US.
JD
January 15, 2025 at 4:32 pm
I seem to recall Obama calling out NATO members too in a similar fashion. You have the same accolades and attributions for him?
Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 7:51 pm
Did they step up? Nope. Obama = Joe. Sameo.
JD
January 15, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Ha – you go nothing, so you cope out. How much are you getting paid to be shill? Or is it your are just military level brainwashed? What’s in it for you and multiple personalities on this site?
MH/Duuuval
January 15, 2025 at 7:29 pm
I’ve been everywhere, man
I’ve been everywhere, man
Crossed the desert’s bare, man
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel I’ve had my share, man
I’ve been everywhere
Johnny Cash song
Peachy
January 15, 2025 at 7:50 pm
I love your envy.🤣
MH/Duuuval
January 16, 2025 at 9:58 pm
Johnny Cash asked “What is truth?” when he performed in front of Richard Nixon.
Peachy can no longer discern truth from dissembling, and is an ideal candidate for fascism, according to Hannah Arendt.
MarvinM
January 15, 2025 at 9:45 pm
Yes, most NATO nations are standing up to their responsibilities now – 23 of 32 members nations are at 2% of GDP spent on defense.
“However, this year, a record number of countries have stepped up. Out of the thirty-two NATO allies, twenty-three now meet the 2 percent target, up from just six countries in 2021. ”
That is a quote from atlanticcounsil(dot)org, published July 8th, 2024.
Let’s see, who was president 2021 and was still president on July 8th, 2024? Oh yeah, Joe Biden.
Trump’s admonishments did nothing to get those results.
Peachy
January 16, 2025 at 8:19 am
It was Trump that got these member nations on board after he called them out during his first term.
MH/Duuuval
January 16, 2025 at 10:18 am
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was what got the NATO members lined up and even added two powerhouses to the alliance. When it comes down to it, Trump has made it clear a Soviet incursion will have to be met by Europeans and there will be no US boots on the ground. Message received.
Watch how Trump muscles Ukraine to give up its industrial heartland. Then tell us how omnipotent Trump is. (That’ll larn Zelensky to follow US orders.)
SuzyQ
January 15, 2025 at 11:56 pm
Perhaps you missed your history course or elective. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. In its wake arose the Russian Federation. Pseudo-intellectuals never cease to annoy the better informed.
MH/Duuuval
January 16, 2025 at 10:22 am
And, perhaps you are not following the discussion here, again.
Annah
January 15, 2025 at 2:58 pm
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Cindy
January 15, 2025 at 3:26 pm
Sounds like the unlocking of a can of worms
Wars and American expansion and the price when others try the same.
Silly Wabbit
January 18, 2025 at 1:41 pm
Peachy kwazy.
S. Wabbit
January 18, 2025 at 1:41 pm
Angwy, too!
Comments are closed.