Washington — Sen. Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s choose to guide the State Division as secretary of state, referred to as China “essentially the most potent and harmful near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted” throughout his affirmation listening to Wednesday that largely centered on U.S. relations with the nation. 

“The twenty first Century can be outlined by what occurs between the US and China,” Rubio informed his Senate colleagues, reiterating his long-held perception that the U.S. should push again on China’s affect extra forcefully. 

“They’ve components that the Soviet Union by no means possessed,” Rubio mentioned. “They’re a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an financial competitor, a geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now — in each realm. It’s a rare problem.” 

Rubio is more likely to sail by means of the affirmation course of to turn into the nation’s prime diplomat. He acquired a heat reception from members of the Senate International Relations Committee, of which he’s a member, who praised his intensive overseas coverage expertise.

The affirmation listening to occurred as Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage launch deal, U.S. officers mentioned. Senate International Relations chair Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, introduced on the listening to that he had been suggested {that a} deal had been reached, with Rubio commenting that each one these concerned “deserve credit score for the deal.” 

At occasions all through the listening to, Rubio defended the choices of his former rival, Trump, as he confronted questions concerning the incoming president’s potential conflicts of curiosity overseas and provided a robust protection of NATO regardless of Trump’s previous criticism of the protection alliance. 

“Below President Trump, the highest precedence of the US Division of State can be the US,” Rubio mentioned. 

Like throughout and after the primary World Battle, Rubio declared that the U.S. is as soon as once more “referred to as to create a free world out of the chaos.”

“And this is not going to be straightforward,” Rubio continued. “And it is going to be inconceivable with no robust and a assured America that engages on the earth, placing our core nationwide pursuits, as soon as once more, above all else.” 

Rubio, who has taken hardline positions on China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba, will inherit the place going through numerous international challenges, together with Russia’s warfare in Ukraine, persistent violence within the Center East, China’s aggression towards Taiwan and its tense relationship with the U.S. Trump has additionally urged utilizing army power or coercion to realize management of Greenland and the Panama Canal. He is floated annexing Canada because the 51st state and has threatened commerce wars with U.S. allies.

Rubio on China 

Within the Senate, Rubio has been among the many most outspoken on China, saying the nation is the “risk that may outline this century.” Members of each events have since adopted his positions on China.

In addition to warning concerning the nationwide safety dangers, Rubio has additionally sought to carry China accountable for human rights abuses. In 2020, Beijing responded to Rubio’s criticisms by banning him from the nation. It is unclear what is going to turn into of that ban as soon as he takes workplace and is tasked with finishing up Trump’s overseas coverage objectives. 

Rubio informed senators that a lot of China’s progress has come on the expense of the U.S. and “in lower than 10 years, just about every little thing that issues to us in life will rely on whether or not China will enable us to have it or not.” 

“Certainly, I have been strongly worded in my views of China. Let me simply level out they’ve mentioned imply issues about me, too,” Rubio mentioned Wednesday. “My position now as a secretary of state is to guide the diplomatic wing of the nation and that may contain participating them.” 

Rubio mentioned it was within the curiosity of each international locations to have the ability to talk to keep away from an armed battle. 

“By no means within the historical past of mankind have two powers like the US and China ever confronted off in a world battle, and the end result can be catastrophic, and we must always need to keep away from it, and so ought to they,” he mentioned. 

Rubio on Ukraine and NATO

The Florida Republican referred to as for an finish to the warfare in Ukraine, which has carried on for practically three years since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. 

“This warfare has to finish,” he mentioned, including that there must be a “ceasefire.” 

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the highest Democrat on the committee, requested Rubio about his seeming shift in what was as soon as full-throated assist for Ukraine in its protection towards Russia. Rubio voted towards a overseas assist package deal final April that included help for Ukraine, regardless of his earlier assist for the nation. Through the 2024 marketing campaign, Trump criticized the Biden administration for sending billions to Ukraine in assist. 

“I voted towards that invoice as a result of I mentioned I might not vote for a invoice except it addressed the disaster at our southern border as a part of the general association,” Rubio mentioned. “That was not performed, and so I voted towards it. That mentioned, this is my view of the scenario: As soon as this warfare turned what we now know it’s, and that’s, a warfare of attrition, a stalemate, a protracted battle, the dynamic on that scenario has modified. It has.” 

Rubio says Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism  

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, whose father fled Cuba, requested Rubio whether or not he believes Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism. 

“And not using a query,” Rubio responded. 

A day earlier than Rubio’s affirmation listening to, the Biden administration introduced it’s transferring to take away Cuba from the U.S. checklist of state sponsors of terrorism and ease financial restrictions as a part of a deal for the discharge of political prisoners. 

Rubio, a supporter of robust sanctions on Havana’s Communist regime, mentioned it has been pleasant in the direction of Hamas and Hezbollah, hosts espionage stations for 2 international locations hostile to the U.S., has robust ties to Iran and harbors fugitives from the American justice system. 

“So there’s zero doubt in my thoughts that they meet all of the {qualifications} for being a state sponsor of terrorism,” he mentioned. 

Requested whether or not he would reverse the Biden administration’s dedication, Rubio mentioned that was finally Trump’s name however mentioned “nothing that was agreed to is irreversible or binding on the brand new administration.”

Panama Canal and Greenland 

The Panama Canal and Greenland, which have each acquired latest consideration from Trump, have been additionally matters of curiosity throughout the listening to. 

“President Trump is just not inventing this,” Rubio mentioned of questions on whether or not the canal stays impartial. “That is one thing that is existed now for at the least a decade.” 

Throughout a visit to Panama in 2017, Rubio mentioned Chinese language corporations’ management of port services on both finish of the canal was “the central subject” mentioned. 

“This can be a professional subject that must be confronted,” he mentioned. 

On Greenland, Rubio mentioned the Denmark-owned territory has been “strategically necessary” to the U.S. for many years. 

Trump’s potential overseas conflicts of curiosity 

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut grilled Rubio on the potential overseas conflicts of curiosity that will come up between the US’ nationwide pursuits and the Trump Group’s overseas enterprise dealings. 

Murphy mentioned Trump and his household have turn into “extra deeply depending on income from governments within the Center East,” pointing to particular enterprise offers.

“The Trump Group goes to be signing new enterprise offers within the Center East with non-public corporations which have connections to overseas governments on the very second that you will be conducting delicate diplomacy in these international locations. That is simply extraordinary,” Murphy mentioned. “By no means earlier than within the historical past of this nation has a president been, I imply actually, receiving money from overseas governments and from overseas corporations which might be backed by overseas governments in the midst of their time period. When you or I had performed this as senators, we’d be in violent violation of Senate ethics guidelines. That is not permitted on the International Relations Committee.” 

Murphy requested Rubio if he views taking advantage of Center East offers as a possible battle of curiosity, and whether or not he’ll convey that up with Trump. Rubio mentioned he is not a participant of or very conversant in Trump’s abroad enterprise offers, saying Trump’s members of the family who’re non-public residents are operating these corporations. 

“All I can inform you is that what I’ve mentioned from the very starting from the opening assertion, and that’s our overseas coverage goes to be pushed, because the president’s made abundantly clear, by whether or not some motion is within the good of the US and our nationwide safety,” Rubio mentioned. 

Pressed additional, Rubio particularly mentioned Trump’s members of the family have a proper to conduct enterprise offers overseas, and he does not consider Trump will enable private enterprise offers to adversely have an effect on U.S. pursuits. 

“The president does not handle that firm,” Rubio responded. “His members of the family do, and so they have a proper to be within the enterprise. I imply, that is the enterprise that they are in. They’re in the true property enterprise, they have been for a really very long time, each domestically and overseas. They’ve properties in a number of international locations. So, on the finish of the day, his household is entitled to proceed to function their enterprise.”

“The basic query is just not whether or not his household is concerned in enterprise. The basic query is whether or not that’s in any means impacting the conduct of our overseas coverage in a means that is counter to our nationwide curiosity. And the president’s made it abundantly clear that each determination he makes and each determination we’re to make on the State Division must be pushed by whether or not or not it serves the core nationwide pursuits of the US,” he mentioned. 

Who’s Marco Rubio?

Rubio, 53, was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants who arrived within the U.S. in Could 1956. His father was a banquet bartender and his mom labored as a resort maid. In accordance with his Senate web site, Rubio “was drawn to public service largely due to his grandfather, who noticed his homeland destroyed by communism.” 

Rubio’s lengthy political profession started when he served as metropolis commissioner in West Miami after he earned levels from the College of Florida and the College of Miami Legislation Faculty. He was elected to the Florida Home of Representatives in 2000, the place he served till 2008, together with two years as speaker. 

The Florida Republican was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and gained his third six-year time period in 2022. He has served on each the Senate International Relations Committee and as vice chair on the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

Rubio was amongst a crowded area of GOP candidates operating for president in 2016. He ended his marketing campaign after shedding the first to Trump in his dwelling state of Florida. The 2 verbally sparred throughout the marketing campaign, with Rubio calling Trump “a con artist” who was hijacking the Republican Occasion and “essentially the most vulgar particular person” to ever run for president. Trump sought to decrease his rival by nicknaming him “Little Marco.” 

Nonetheless, Rubio endorsed Trump for president after dropping out of the race and the 2 fashioned a practical relationship within the years since. Trump eyed Rubio as a attainable operating mate within the 2024 race, however settled on Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as an alternative. 

Does Marco Rubio have the votes to be confirmed? 

Rubio is all however sure to be confirmed, even with some Democratic assist. Quite a lot of Senate Democrats have praised Trump’s selection and have pledged to assist his nomination on the ground, giving him many greater than the 50 votes he wants for affirmation, barring one thing unexpected. 

At Wednesday’s listening to, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was among the many Democrats to go with Rubio, saying he was “extraordinarily well-prepared.” 

“He isn’t speaking out of a briefing guide. He isn’t having to thumb by means of a binder to resolve learn how to reply a specific query,” Kaine mentioned. 

Others spoke about their private relationships with Rubio. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois recalled how Rubio helped push for Senate guidelines to be amended in order that she might convey her new child daughter together with her on the ground to votes. 

“What is the huge deal? This place is already filled with infants,” Rubio remembered saying. 

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who met with Rubio on Monday, referred to as the Florida Republican “a good selection” and mentioned he “has an intensive understanding of the US’ position on a global scale.” 

“I plan to vote sure on his nomination when it comes earlier than the Senate,” Durbin, a prime Senate Democrat, mentioned in an announcement.