Marco Rubio confirmed as US Secretary of State
New Delhi, Jan 21: The U.S. Senate has confirmed Marco Rubio as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump, marking the first high-level Cabinet official to be approved for the new administration. The confirmation, which took place on Monday just hours after Trump's inauguration, passed with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 99 to 0.
Rubio's appointment brings a new chapter in U.S. foreign policy, with expectations high for his leadership in addressing the country’s most pressing international challenges more so the continuing conflicts in Russia - Ukraine and West Asia.
Rubio, who has represented Florida in the Senate as a Republican since 2011, garnered strong support from both sides of the aisle. Several Senate Democrats praised Rubio's qualifications for the role, with New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, describing him as "well-qualified to serve as secretary of state," as reported by CNN.
Rubio was once a critic of Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary—going so far as to call Trump a "con artist"—Rubio has since evolved into a key ally of the president. Trump, who famously referred to Rubio as "Little Marco" during their heated primary battle, has embraced him as a vital member of his administration.
During his confirmation hearing, Rubio affirmed his strong support for NATO and emphasized the importance of U.S. commitments to the alliance. He highlighted a bipartisan law he co-sponsored, which stipulates that the U.S. cannot withdraw from NATO without Senate approval or congressional action.
On China, Rubio expressed a firm stance, labelling the Chinese Communist Party as a "potent and dangerous" adversary. He highlighted the multifaceted challenge China poses, describing it as a competitor in technological, economic, geopolitical, and industrial spheres. Rubio stressed that the U.S. must strengthen its domestic industrial base to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Speaking on Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, Rubio voiced scepticism about Ukraine’s ability to reclaim all its lost territories. He argued that the official U.S. stance should prioritise ending the conflict. "What Vladimir Putin has done is unacceptable, but this war has to end, and I think it should be the official policy of the United States that we want to see it end," Rubio stated as reported by CNN.