Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously by the Senate to be the subsequent secretary of state, making him the primary of President Trump’s Cupboard picks to obtain congressional approval.
Rubio, a senator since 2011, was confirmed throughout a flooring vote by the total Senate Monday night time, a number of hours after Trump took his oath of workplace earlier within the day. The complete Senate flooring vote occurred following a separate vote by the Senate International Relations Committee, which additionally voted unanimously in favor of Rubio’s nomination Monday.
Rubio enters his position as secretary of state with a powerful foreign policy background as a longtime member of the Senate’s International Relations and Intelligence Committees. He’s additionally a first-generation Cuban American.
DESANTIS ANNOUNCES CHOICE FOR SENATE APPOINTMENT AFTER RUBIO’S EXPECTED RESIGNATION
Marco Rubio at President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on Monday, forward of his affirmation vote by the Senate’s International Relations Committee and later by the total Senate.
His street to affirmation has been much less controversial than lots of Trump’s different Cupboard picks. At Rubio’s first affirmation listening to final week in entrance of the International Relations Committee, the committee’s top-ranking Democrat, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, mentioned she thought Rubio possessed “the abilities” and is “well-qualified” to function the subsequent secretary of state. She echoed this sentiment Monday night as nicely earlier than the total Senate vote.
“I’ve had an excellent working relationship with Sen. Rubio for a few years, and I used to be very impressed throughout his listening to by his grasp of coverage,” Shaheen mentioned Monday night. “Whereas we might not all the time agree, I imagine he has the abilities, information and {qualifications} to be secretary of state.”
Rubio expressed throughout his preliminary affirmation listening to final week that underneath Trump the State Division’s “high precedence” can be to place America first.
“This is not going to be straightforward,” Rubio mentioned. “And it is going to be not possible with no sturdy and a assured America that engages on the planet, placing our core nationwide pursuits, as soon as once more, above all else.”
Rubio will face some main challenges heading into his new position, notably the continued Russian invasion of Ukraine and the warfare between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas terrorists wave to Gazans throughout Sunday’s launch of three Israeli hostages. (TPS-IL)
Rubio described the preventing between Ukraine and Russia as a “stalemate” that “has to finish” throughout his affirmation listening to final week, including that underneath Trump’s proposed peace deal each international locations must make “concessions.” In the meantime, regardless of Trump’s previous criticisms of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Rubio referred to as the alliance “essential” and insisted that Trump was additionally a NATO supporter.
On Gaza, Rubio supported Israel’s actions to defend itself in opposition to Hamas however stopped in need of indicating come what may if he thought Israel’s annexation of elements of the West Financial institution was one thing he supported.
“The thought could be that there not be battle and the folks may dwell side-by-side with each other with out being in battle and with the flexibility to pursue prosperity,” Rubio mentioned. “Sadly and sadly the circumstances for that to exist haven’t been in place for a considerable time frame.”
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) walks on the stage throughout Day 2 of the Republican Nationwide Conference (RNC), on the Fiserv Discussion board in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
Rubio additionally repeatedly singled out China throughout his remarks in entrance of the Senate International Relations Committee final week. “We welcomed the Chinese language Communist Social gathering into this international order. And so they took benefit of all its advantages. However they ignored all its obligations and tasks,” Rubio posited at his listening to. “As a substitute, they’ve lied, cheated, hacked and stolen their solution to international superpower standing, at our expense.”
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Whereas Rubio didn’t face important opposition to his affirmation, some Trump-aligned Republicans have expressed disdain over Rubio’s willingness to certify the outcomes of the 2020 election that Trump alleged was “stolen” from him. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has been an outspoken supporter of much less U.S. intervention, additionally questioned Rubio’s hawkish stance on American intervention amid his affirmation to be secretary of state.
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