Marco Rubio became the first high-ranking Cabinet member to be authorized by the Senate under the new government on Monday when the Senate confirmed him as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state.
Trump was sworn in as president just hours before the confirmation vote. There were no senators who opposed the nomination, and the vote was 99 to 0.
Several Senate Democrats strongly supported Rubio’s candidacy, describing their colleague as eminently prepared for the role. Rubio has been a Republican senator from Florida since 2011.
In recent years, Rubio has undergone a dramatic political transformation, turning from Trump’s opponent to an ally. As a senior figure in Trump’s new administration, he will now have a significant role to play.
Rubio called Trump a con artist during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, while Trump called him Little Marco.
After losing the GOP presidential primary in 2016, Rubio developed ties both inside and outside of his party while honing his foreign policy credentials as the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Ashley Moody, the state attorney general, has been appointed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida to succeed Rubio.
Rubio’s candidacy received enthusiastic support from a large number of Senate Democrats. The leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, characterized Rubio as qualified to be Secretary of State during his confirmation hearing.
In response to senators’ questioning, Rubio defended NATO and a bipartisan law he co-sponsored that prohibits the US from leaving the alliance without the Senate’s consent or a congressional act.
Rubio talked about the significance of the US adopting a tough posture toward China at his confirmation hearing, calling the Chinese Communist Party a powerful and dangerous foe.
“It’s an extraordinary challenge and one that I believe will define the 21st century,” Rubio told the gathering, adding that they are a technical adversary and competitor, as well as an industrial competitor, economic competitor, geopolitical competitor, and scientific competitor currently.
We’ve let them get away with things, and to be honest, the Chinese took advantage of the chances, just like any other nation would, and now we’re dealing with the consequences,” Mr. Trump stated.
Much of what we must do to challenge China may be done domestically. He said, “It’s not just overseas; it’s here at home.” We must ensure that the United States is not dependent on any one country for any of our vital supply chains, and we must develop our domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Rubio responded to inquiries concerning Russia’s conflict against Ukraine by saying that it is implausible to think that Ukraine will be able to drive Russian forces back to their pre-invasion level in 2022. Ending the war should be the official stance of the United States.
Rubio went on to say that he and Trump both believe that the conflict must end and attacked the Biden administration for not having a clear end goal in mind.
“I think it should be the official policy of the United States that we want to see this war end,” Marco Rubio told reporters, adding that “what (Russian President) Vladimir Putin has done is unacceptable, there’s no doubt about it.”
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.