At 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in what is expected to be a rather low-drama confirmation hearing.
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Unlike the fireworks that were seen at Pete Hegseth’s Tuesday appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee as he made his case for being confirmed as secretary of defense, Rubio is unlikely to face any serious headwinds from his Senate colleagues. He has been in the Senate since 2011, so he knows how to play the game, and there hasn’t been much pre-hearing nonsense talk from the Democrats.
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Rubio is no newcomer when it comes to foreign affairs, having served on both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.
During his time in the Senate, Rubio has become an expert in international affairs as vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee and as a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee. As the son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio understands that freedom must be defended vigilantly and that the evils of socialism and communism are real. With Rubio as our next secretary of State, Trump has a seasoned leader who can speak about American exceptionalism and the U.S. Constitution with eloquence and conviction anywhere in the world.
And despite having had some run-ins with Trump during the 2016 presidential primary, the two made peace a long time ago and Rubio was one of the president-elect’s first nominations after winning a second term in office.
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“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.
Unlike some of Trump’s other picks, like Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, who immediately faced backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, Rubio’s nomination was well-received. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), naturally, was quick to offer his support.
Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own.
That being said, my colleague @SenMarcoRubio is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation. pic.twitter.com/OUIDx5KK4J
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) November 12, 2024
Rubio also garnered the support of Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), who declared:
“Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world, the continued threat of China, and the recent sham election in Venezuela,” Durbin said in the statement.
“I believe Senator Rubio has a thorough understanding of the United States’ role on an international scale, has served with honor on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is a good choice to lead the State Department. I plan to vote yes on his nomination when it comes before the Senate,” the Democrat lawmaker noted.
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At his hearing Wednesday, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, is expected to strike a hard line on China. Here’s a preview:
In his prepared remarks, obtained by U.S. News, Rubio drills down on American rivals and enemies but also excoriates unnamed globalists who, he charges, steered the U.S. away from pursuing its own interests in favor of building an international order subverted by powers like China.
Those powers “took advantage of all its benefits,” the senator says. “But they ignored all its obligations and responsibilities. Instead, they have lied, cheated, hacked, and stolen their way to global superpower status, at our expense.”
Despite few headwinds from Democrats, some of the stars from Pete Hegseth’s hearing, including Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), will be featured again at Rubio’s hearing. Hopefully, they’ll keep things lively.
Once confirmed as secretary of state, Rubio will resign his Senate seat, and all eyes will be on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as he names a replacement.
RedState will be covering all of the action at Marco Rubio’s hearing, so be sure to check back for the latest.
