The fact that Donald Trump may appoint Florida Senator Marco Rubio to the position of US Secretary of State was reported by sources familiar with the process of forming his foreign policy team. This decision confirms his desire to quickly establish the work of key positions in the field of foreign policy and security of the country.
The New York Times reports this.
While Trump could change his choice at the last minute, sources say Senator Rubio, whom Trump also considered his running mate, is the favorite to take over as top diplomat.
Marco Rubio, elected to the Senate in 2010, is known for his tough stance on foreign policy issues.
He ran for president in 2016 as an advocate of a hardline foreign policy.
He criticized Trump for promising to be “neutral” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, in recent years he has moderated his views and moved closer to Trump’s populist agenda. In an interview earlier this year, Rubio said his foreign policy has changed because “the world looks different than it did five, ten, fifteen years ago.”
Rubio also surprised many of his former supporters and donors when he voted against an emergency funding proposal for Israel in April 2024. He said the aid package must take into account US border security measures and opposed to link aid to Israel with support for Ukraine and Taiwan, a position that is consistent with the views of Trump voters.
He also expressed support for Israel in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying the organization bears full responsibility for Palestinian casualties.
In April he visited Israel as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and, in November 2023, co-hosted a bipartisan screening of a film for members of Congress documenting the crimes committed by Hamas on October 7.
Rubio also said he hopes Israel will completely destroy all elements of Hamas.
Rubio is a long-time supporter of Orthodox Jews and religious organizations. But in 2022, he also outraged Orthodox leaders by introducing legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across the country. (The bill would make it more difficult to attend morning prayers and get to work on time.) The bill passed unanimously in the Senate but stalled in the House.
Rubio also defended Trump after he repeatedly accused American Jews of disloyalty to Israel and suggested they hated their religion by voting for Democrats. “Being a representative of your religion and supporting Israel can be two different things,” Rubio said on CBS News’ Face the Nation in March.
Rubio accused President Joe Biden of trying to attract “anti-Semites” to the Democratic Party by criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza.
He also said he supports Trump’s plan to deport foreign students involved in fomenting pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.
In April, he called for the prosecution of supporters of the boycott of Israel movement in an attempt to counter rising anti-Semitism.
If Rubio becomes secretary of state, a critical question will be to what extent he is willing to reduce US involvement in some parts of the world while prioritizing relations with China, which could be consistent with the doctrine of ” Trump’s “America First.”
Marco Rubio continues to serve in important positions in the Senate, including the Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees, and is likely to be successfully confirmed to the position.
Recall that Cursor reported that the new American president Donald Trump has strengthened his political position compared to his first term, when it was difficult for him to gain the trust of Congress. This could lead to significant changes on the world stage.
