Rubio: Killing Soleimani Was a Sign of America's Power During Trump's Presidency

Marco Rubio, Republican senator from Florida and Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of State, emphasized in a hearing on Wednesday, January 16, that President Trump's power during his first term was 'deterrent.' In the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, he stated, 'America's power [during Trump's first term] was a deterrent factor for our enemies and gave us a strong lever in diplomacy. A new war did not occur, ISIS was defeated, Soleimani was killed, the historic Abraham Accords were born, and as a result, Americans became safer.' Senator Rubio also distinguished between the people and the government of Iran, saying: 'Let me be clear, when I talk about Iran, I mean the mullahs; not the Iranian people who have a rich and ancient culture.' He stressed that the Iranian government is at its weakest state, forced to withdraw from Syria, their economy is shattered, and they face daily power outages, adding: 'We must understand that any concession we give to the Islamic Republic will be used to expand their nuclear program and create tensions in the Middle East.' Trump's nominee for Secretary of State also stated: 'Under no circumstances should we allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue destabilizing the region and pursuing its nuclear program,' and added: 'By next October, the three powers of Germany, Britain, and France must decide whether to activate the trigger mechanism or not.' Senator Marco Rubio: 'We must not allow Iran to become nuclear under any circumstances.' He indicated that the Islamic Republic has not adhered to its agreements based on evidence, stating: 'We must not allow Iran to be nuclear and we must not let the Islamic Republic have military power to threaten neighbors and pursue its long-term goals.' Trump's nominee for Secretary of State also emphasized in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting: 'Any concession we give to the Iranian regime will help continue their support for proxy groups and their transformation into a hegemonic power in the region.' Senator Rubio added: 'There are two types of mindsets in the Iranian regime; one is that the situation is bad and time must be bought, and the other is that they must rely on nuclear power and enrich uranium from 60% to 90% to gain immunity from foreign actions.' He further emphasized that no government other than the Islamic Republic has spent years attempting to assassinate the president and foreign minister of another country. Senator Rubio also noted that the Islamic Republic attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, the elected president, and his officials, adding: 'This is what we are facing, but we must always distinguish between the Iranian people and the leaders of this country.' Before Senator Marco Rubio's remarks, Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the fourteenth government of the Islamic Republic, claimed in an interview with NBC News that the Iranian government has 'never' plotted to assassinate the elected president of the United States. Jim Risch, senior Republican senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, opened the committee's hearing by referencing the challenges facing America and the threats posed by the Islamic Republic, China, North Korea, and Russia. Senator Risch added that China is the biggest risk to America and that by purchasing Iranian oil, it helps prolong the life of the 'murderous regime' of the Islamic Republic in continuing its support for its proxies. He stated that Donald Trump, the elected president of the United States, and Mr. Rubio will support Israel and return to the 'maximum pressure' policy against Tehran. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, also mentioned the elimination of the 'resistance axis,' the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime as a close ally of the Islamic Republic, assistance to Syria, and isolating the Islamic Republic of Iran in her opening remarks. Senator Rubio emphasized that the next U.S. administration will pursue a new approach by prioritizing the interests of the country. Mr. Rubio stated that under Trump's presidency, America will be prioritized, and every dollar spent must answer multiple questions about whether it meets the security and interests of America. He added that America's wealth and power are not unlimited, and common sense dictates that foreign policy should be shaped based on American values, emphasizing that this is a standard criterion in the world. Senator Marco Rubio: 'Some governments, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, detain or imprison individuals to exchange them with their citizens held elsewhere.' The nominee for U.S. Secretary of State also responded to a question about Mark Fogel, an American teacher imprisoned in Russia and sentenced to 14 years in prison, stating that hostage-taking poses a real danger to Americans and has now become a 'global market' where some governments, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, detain or imprison individuals to exchange them with their citizens held elsewhere. A look at some of Marco Rubio's positions: 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 opens a new chapter in the political career of this 53-year-old politician, whose relationship with Donald Trump has changed over the past decade. The two, who were rivals in the 2016 presidential election campaign and criticized each other harshly, became close allies during Trump's second election campaign last year. Marco Rubio first entered Washington politics in 2010 as part of the 'Tea Party' movement, an informal network of Republicans and independents, and at one time supported facilitating citizenship for illegal immigrants. However, like other Republicans, Rubio's views on immigration have shifted towards Trump's position, who pledged to aggressively pursue the deportation of illegal immigrants immediately after winning the presidential election. Marco 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' individual to represent America in foreign policy. Rubio's background in foreign policy dates back to years of service on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. He has issued strong warnings regarding the increasing military and economic threats against the United States, especially from China. Senator Rubio was elected to represent Congress three years after Barack Obama's presidency began and quickly clarified his positions regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. He believes that the Islamic Republic's claim that its nuclear activities have no military application is a lie. Marco Rubio was one of the senators who attempted to pass a law to force the U.S. government to not formalize the Iran nuclear deal without Senate approval when the Obama administration announced that the deal was finalized. Human rights violations by the Islamic Republic are not only not hidden from Senator Rubio but he regularly posts on social media in support of the Iranian people.