Senator Marco Rubio supports Trump’s foreign policy in his confirmation hearing, addressing key global issues.
During the hearing, Rubio called out China as a major threat and said we need to wrap up the war in Ukraine. He echoed Trump’s worries about China’s influence over the Panama Canal, saying it’s been a problem for a while now.
Rubio mentioned that China could use the canal as a “choke point” since they control ports on both ends. He also had some strong words about Cuba, disagreeing with Biden’s recent decision to take Cuba off the terrorism list. After that move, Cuba announced it would release over 500 prisoners.
He didn’t commit to reinstating Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, saying that’s up to Trump. But he did say that nothing is set in stone.
It’s worth noting that Rubio and Trump had a rocky start back in 2016 when they were both running for president. But after Trump won, they teamed up, and Rubio became a key voice on foreign policy, especially regarding Latin America.
Now, Rubio’s confirmation could happen as soon as next week, and even some Democrats seem to be on board with him. During the hearing, news broke about a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which he supported.
He defended Israel and said Hamas was using civilians as shields during the conflict. Rubio also stood by NATO, even though Trump has been critical of it. He believes European countries should pitch in more for their own defense.
Interestingly, the hearing had a few interruptions from protesters, which Rubio took in stride, joking about the bilingual protesters.
With Rubio likely leaving the Senate soon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will get to pick someone to fill his seat until the next election in 2026. DeSantis has been chatting with some U.S. Representatives about it but seems to be leaning towards appointing Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
