“Every Trump appointment is like, ‘Donald Trump has appointed the Grinch as Director of the Department of Christmas.’”
After President-elect Donald Trump began announcing his nominations for his Cabinet earlier this month, this tweet—and many others—began circulating the internet, illustrating the so-concerning-it’s-almost-comical nature of his choices. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for example—a man who denounced the coronavirus vaccine as the “deadliest vaccine ever made” and who recently found a dead parasitic worm in his brain—has been chosen to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Matt Gaetz, currently under investigation for sexual misconduct (including for having sex with a minor), had to remove himself from the running for Attorney General due to popular backlash and a lack of support even among Republicans. Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk have been chosen to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—the acronym of which happens to align with the meme-inspired name of Musk’s current cryptocurrency fixation (Dogecoin). It is safe to say that the tweets about the absurdity of Trump’s ideal Cabinet do have their basis in reality.
However, Trump’s picks for certain positions, such as the Secretary of State, are somewhat less headline-making than other positions and have important implications for the development of American foreign policy. Marco Rubio, the senior Senator from Florida and former Republican presidential candidate, has proven to be one of the more well-regarded Cabinet picks this year, and if he is confirmed to the position by the Senate, he will be tasked with determining the foreign policy stances of the U.S. in an increasingly volatile international landscape. With the backing of an all-red government, the executive branch is poised to reshape the positioning of the United States in regard to crucial issues like the Russia–Ukraine War and the Israel–Hamas War.
In 2015, the Council on Foreign Relations published an interview with Rubio on his foreign relations standpoints, stating that his vision for international policy rested on “‘three pillars’: preserving U.S. strength, protecting the U.S. economy, and maintaining clarity on U.S. values.” Now, in 2024, Rubio has tangible practical experience with foreign policy analysis and creation. He is a current senior member on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is vice chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, has worked on multiple security reports regarding immigration and national security threats, and is overall well-respected for his competency and commitments to bipartisanship in matters of national security. For these reasons, Rubio already has support from Congressional Democrats: representative Adam Schiff (D–Calif.) commented that “Marco Rubio is enormously well-qualified for the job for which he’s been nominated.”
Rubio’s specific stances on individual foreign policy issues vary. He is likely to support Trump’s plan to impose high tariffs on Chinese goods, which would align with Rubio’s calls for a “whole-of-society effort to rebuild our country, overcome the China challenge, and keep the torch of freedom lit for generations to come.” In regards to the Middle East, Rubio has taken a pro-Israel position, stating in 2023 that “Israel has no choice but to eliminate Hamas. And America’s job is to resupply Israel with the military materials they need to finish the job.” He does not support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This support of Israel goes hand-in-hand with Rubio’s staunch opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran: “The primary source of violence, conflict, suffering and instability in the Middle East is the criminal ‘Islamic Republic’ regime which has also oppressed the people of Iran for almost 25 years.”
Rubio is unique as a foreign policy analyst due to his focus on Latin America, with NPR writing that “odds are if he’s confirmed as secretary of state, Latin America will become more of a priority.” The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio is poised to become the first Latino Secretary of State. If confirmed, it is likely that he will push for a regime change in countries like Mexico and Cuba (the former having elected a leftist president and the latter suffering from corruption and economic instability). However, his exact desired policy actions may be similar to ones already in the works by Democrats: analysts have argued that Rubio’s Latin American foreign policy will likely look very similar to policy under the Biden administration, which has taken steps towards trade embargos and economic sanctions as a strategy to isolate corrupt Central American governments from the rest of the world.
Marco Rubio’s most unclear foreign policy standpoint is ultimately the issue of Russia and Ukraine. While not making very declarative statements on the issue, Rubio has indicated his support for Ukraine, noting that he is “not on Russia’s side.” However, he maintains that the war must end with a negotiated settlement, and was one of the senators who voted against a $95 billion aid package in April that was meant to support Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel (his reasoning being that the U.S. was not doing enough to solve its own domestic issues). Despite the concern of some observers that the Trump administration will directly pander to the Kremlin and effectively serve Ukraine to Putin for the taking, there is not sufficient evidence to point to this being the case. Rubio, though his conservatism can certainly be seen in his actions like voting against the Ukrainian aid bill, is still committed to promoting American values and protecting American allies. Unless facing pressure from Trump to take actions that would be directly counter to Ukraine either winning the war or having a settlement with “more leverage on the Ukrainian side than on the Russian side,” Rubio has not indicated that he will feed into the desires of the Kremlin beyond negotiating an end to the war. What this negotiation exactly entails remains to be seen.
Rubio is not, of course, the only official who will impact foreign policy. Representative Elise Stefanik, noted for her harsh criticism of Ivy League leaders over their handling of pro-Palestine student protestors, has been chosen by Trump to be the United States’ Ambassador to the United Nations. If confirmed, Stefanik’s pro–Israel stances will likely lead to the U.S. vetoing any proposed ceasefire to the Israel–Hamas War. In any case, the foreign relations of the United States throughout the next four years are ripe for change; the exact of which that will be made will come down to which of Trump’s Cabinet picks ultimately get confirmed and how much direct influence Trump has over foreign policymaking.
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