President-elect Donald Trump is expected to choose U.S. Senator Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State, according to Reuters. Rubio emerged as the most hardline contender on Trump’s shortlist, known for advocating a tough foreign policy stance on geopolitical adversaries, including China, Iran, and Cuba.
Rubio, 53, has recently emphasized the need for Ukraine to seek a negotiated resolution with Russia rather than focusing solely on regaining all the territory seized by Russia over the past decade. He was also among the 15 Republican senators who voted against a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine approved in April, stating in an interview with NBC in September, “I’m not on Russia’s side, but unfortunately, the reality is that the way the war in Ukraine will end is through a negotiated settlement.”
Rubio’s selection carries both domestic and international significance. Trump secured victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election partly by garnering significant Latino support, a demographic that had overwhelmingly backed Democrats in previous election cycles.
Trump has criticized previous U.S. presidents for entangling America in costly and unnecessary wars and has called for a more restrained foreign policy approach. Representatives for both Trump and Rubio have yet to comment on the reports.
The incoming administration will face a more volatile and dangerous world compared to when Trump first took office in 2017. The ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, combined with China’s closer ties to U.S. adversaries like Russia and Iran, pose significant challenges. Addressing the Ukraine crisis will be at the top of Rubio’s agenda.
