Marco Rubio Emphasizes 'America First' Policy at Senate Hearing

Marco Rubio, the Republican senator from Florida and Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of State, has committed to implementing the president-elect's 'America First' policy. He will emphasize during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday, January 16, that the upcoming administration will pursue a new approach prioritizing American interests. According to the Associated Press, which has seen a copy of Rubio's opening statement, Trump's proposed Secretary of State will attempt to convince the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that prioritizing national interests does not equate to isolationism, but rather highlights that a foreign policy centered on U.S. national interests is not outdated. Additionally, see: Who is Senator Marco Rubio, the nominee for U.S. Secretary of State? Senator Marco Rubio, born in Miami, Florida, to a Cuban immigrant family, will become the first Latino to serve as a senior U.S. diplomat if confirmed. His confirmation hearing marks a new chapter in the political career of the 53-year-old politician, whose relationship with Donald Trump has evolved over the past decade. The two were rivals in the 2016 presidential campaign, criticizing each other heavily, but became close allies during Trump's second campaign last year. Rubio first entered Washington politics in 2010 as part of the Tea Party movement, a loosely organized network of Republicans and independents, and at one point supported facilitating citizenship for illegal immigrants. However, like other Republicans, Rubio's views on immigration have shifted towards Trump's stance, which committed to aggressively pursuing the deportation of illegal immigrants immediately after winning the presidential election. Rubio is expected to be easily confirmed by lawmakers, receiving support not only from Republicans but also from Democrats who view him as a 'responsible' choice to represent the U.S. in foreign policy. Rubio's background in foreign policy stems from years of service on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. He has issued strong warnings in his speeches regarding the increasing military and economic threats to the United States, particularly from China. Senator Rubio was elected to Congress three years after Barack Obama began his presidency and quickly clarified his positions regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. He believes the Iranian regime's claim that its nuclear activities are not military in nature is a lie. When the Obama administration announced that the JCPOA was finalized, Rubio was one of the senators who attempted to pass a law to prevent the U.S. government from formalizing it without Senate approval. Human rights violations by the Islamic Republic, in Rubio's view, have not been hidden, and he has regularly posted on social media in support of the Iranian people. President Joe Biden's decision to implement a series of measures to reduce sanctions against Cuba, including the removal of the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, is likely to upset Rubio, who has long supported strict sanctions against Cuba. In recent years, U.S. Secretaries of State have had less success in political ambitions, including John Kerry, who lost to George Bush in the 2004 presidential election, and Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016. The presence of Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, at the Senate hearing, Trump's nominee for Treasury and his policy towards the Islamic Republic, Rubio's selection for Secretary of State; Trump's hardline policy towards China, the appointment of Keith Klag as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia in the Trump administration, the emphasis of Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense on deterrence and preventing war, the third round of nuclear negotiations between the Islamic Republic and Europe a week before Trump's return, Trump's National Security Advisor, the architect of strict measures against America's enemies.