Trump taps Marco Rubio for US Secretary of State post

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Florida Sen/ Marco Rubio to be his Secretary of State on Wednesday.

"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 in a statement. "I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!"

If confirmed by the Senate, he would assume the role amid multiple global crises and conflicts, from the Russian war against Ukraine to Israel's war on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Rubio, 53, first elected to the Senate in 2010, is known for his hardline stance on Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and China.

Recently, however, he has aligned more closely with Trump’s foreign policy, expressing support for the president-elect’s calls for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which he said has reached a “stalemate" and "needs to be brought to a conclusion.

Rubio, a staunch supporter of Israel, has consistently adopted hardline positions. Earlier this year, he accused President Joe Biden of appealing to “antisemites” in the Democratic Party by criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged the administration to revoke visas for foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, labeling them as "terrorist sympathizers."

Last November, when confronted by a group activists in Congress, Rubio opposed calls for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, describing the Palestinian group as “vicious animals” and saying: “I want (Israel) to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on.”

Rubio also led efforts to ban TikTok, arguing that it spreads “pro-Hamas, anti-Israel propaganda” and poses an “existential threat to our nation.”

Following an Iranian missile attack on Israel in October, he encouraged a strong Israeli response.

"I urge the reimposition of a maximum pressure campaign against Iran and fully support Israel’s right to respond disproportionately to stop this threat," he said.