Marco Rubio Sworn In as Secretary of State, First Cabinet Official from the Trump Administration

January 21, 2025 TruthUSA

The previous senator from Florida indicated during his confirmation hearing that the Chinese Communist Party represents a ‘dangerous’ and ‘potent’ adversary.

On Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance presided over the swearing-in ceremony for Marco Rubio, who is now the 72nd Secretary of State and the first member of President Donald Trump’s official Cabinet.

On Monday, the Senate confirmed Rubio with a unanimous vote of 99-0 for the position that was formerly held by Antony Blinken, who remained in office throughout President Joe Biden’s term.

Rubio has represented Florida in the U.S. Senate since 2011, stepping down on Monday as Trump was inaugurated. He served as the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020 and 2021 and was the chairman of the Joint China Commission from 2017 to 2019.

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has appointed Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace the Senate seat vacated by Rubio.

Throughout the nomination process, Rubio faced minimal opposition from Senate Democrats, many of whom acknowledged his qualifications to lead the State Department. During his questioning, Rubio emphasized the need for the United States to adopt a firm stance against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), describing it as a “dangerous” and “potent” adversary.

“They are a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, a geopolitical competitor, and now a scientific competitor in every realm. It’s an extraordinary challenge and one that will define the 21st century,” Rubio stated last week in the Senate chamber.

“We’ve allowed them to exploit opportunities, and frankly the Chinese acted as any nation would under those circumstances, taking full advantage. Now, we must address the consequences,” he stated, emphasizing that the United States needs to contend with the CCP both domestically and through foreign policy.

He continued, “We must enhance our domestic industrial capabilities and ensure that the U.S. is not dependent on any single nation for our vital supply chains.”

On the topic of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Rubio expressed skepticism about the possibility of Kyiv driving Russian troops out of its eastern regions and asserted that the war should come to an end.

“What Vladimir Putin has done is unequivocally unacceptable, but this war must conclude, and I believe the official policy of the United States should advocate for its resolution,” Rubio remarked concerning the Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine.

When queried about Trump’s comments regarding reclaiming the Panama Canal, Rubio informed senators that he has not yet explored the legal implications but suspects that there could be an argument indicating that the conditions for transferring the canal have been breached.

However, he added, “Panama is a significant partner in many matters, and I hope we can find a resolution to this issue.”

Responding to Trump’s statements on U.S. control over Greenland, Rubio commented that Greenland holds strategic significance for the West, highlighting the long-standing mutual defense agreement between the U.S. and Denmark.

He also indicated that the Arctic will “become incredibly critical” in the future, as a strong U.S. military presence will be necessary to safeguard shipping routes, he acknowledged.

Rubio noted that the navigable Arctic Ocean will emerge between Russia and China, necessitating a more substantial U.S. presence on the island, which is currently governed by Denmark.

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