Marco Rubio Reveals His Big Plans for the U.S. State Department
Like the Trump presidency, Rubio placed mass migration and border security at the top of his priorities list.
Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s newly-confirmed secretary of state, has assumed office with gusto, dispersing a memo to department employees that set a tone and agenda that is ostensibly consistent with Trump’s own. Rubio’s ascent to becoming the Trump administration’s top diplomat is amusing given that when Trump first ran for president, Rubio was a chief rival. The rivalry at times turned bitter, personal, and crude—with Rubio making headlines for suggesting that Trump’s small hands indicated he was small elsewhere, and Trump branding Rubio as “Little Marco.” The relationship has long since warmed, however, and now the two appear to be moving in lockstep. Here are the main takeaways from Rubio’s letter to his new employees.
Immigration Focused
Like the Trump presidency, Rubio placed mass migration and border security at the top of his priorities list. “First,” Rubio began, “we must curb mass migration and secure our borders. The State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration. Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America’s borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants.”
Rubio is suggesting here that he will work in tandem with Trump to stem the flow of migration to the United States. Trump, of course, was elected twice by making immigration a hallmark issue of his campaign. So, Rubio’s explicit focus on securing U.S. borders makes sense. And while securing the border has come to be framed in a relatively conservative, or even draconian, light, the statement taken at face value—that the State Department needs to prioritize securing the border—is intuitive and commonsense.
Rubio Takes on DEI
Consistent with Trump’s orders to gut DEI infrastructure throughout the federal government, Rubio will do the same at State. “We must reward performance and merit,” Rubio wrote, “including within the State Department ranks. President Trump issued an executive order eliminating “DEIA” requirements, programs, and offices throughout the government. This order will be faithfully executed and observed in both letter and spirit.”
Ending Censorship
Rubio vowed to “stop censorship and suppression of information” adding that “we must reprioritize truth.” Rubio further promised to “defend Americans’ rights to free speech, terminating any programs that in any way lead to censoring the American people.” The closest Rubio came to specifics here was the assertion that “while we will combat genuine enemy propaganda, we will do so only with the fundamental truth that America is a great and just country.”
Rubio is correct that censorship and information suppression are important issues in U.S. politics. But the U.S. government has a long history of propaganda-making, censorship, and information suppression. What exactly Rubio will do, to steer the State Department in a new direction, is unclear. And the idea that Rubio, or any facet of the Trump government, will serve as an arbiter of unadulterated truth is perhaps wishful thinking.
Less Politics, More Pragmatism
Rubio also promised, vaguely, to “return to the basics of diplomacy by eliminating our focus on political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad,” which “will allow us to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy.” One can assume Rubio is referring to the promotion of left-wing cultural values, like modern racial and gender ideology, abroad.
Lastly, Rubio promised to “do away with climate policies that weaken America”—which is another way of saying what Trump said during his inaugural speech: “drill, baby, drill.” While energy independence makes sense from a geopolitical and economic perspective, environmental and resource concerns do have existential implications that the Trump administration should bear in mind.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Crush Rush / Shutterstock.com