Trump may form a "hawkish cabinet": Rubio as Secretary of State, with key positions held by hardliners

According to media reports citing informed sources, it is expected that US President-elect Donald Trump, who will return to the White House in January, will nominate long-time hawkish Senator Marco Rubio for the extremely important position of Secretary of State. This American politician, born in Florida, is expected to become the first Latino to hold the highest-ranking diplomatic position in the US government once Trump is inaugurated as president in January next year. Rubio can be said to be the most hawkish candidate for Secretary of State on Trump's list. Over the past few years, he has consistently advocated for extremely aggressive foreign policies towards America's geopolitical enemies, including China, Iran, and Cuba, making him one of the most hawkish members among the overall hawkish stance of US senators. However, in recent years, he has softened some of his policy positions to align more closely with Trump's views. The newly elected president has frequently criticized past US presidents for leading the country into expensive and futile wars, and has advocated for a more restrained foreign policy. According to media reports, anonymous sources have revealed that although Trump is known to change his mind at the last minute, as of Monday, he appears to have finalized his nomination for Secretary of State. Representatives of Trump and Rubio did not immediately respond to media requests for comment. The new American government that Trump is about to lead will undoubtedly face a more turbulent and dangerous world than when Trump took office in 2017, with wars continuing in Ukraine and the Middle East, and Asian countries developing closer ties with America's enemies, Russia and Iran. The resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will be a key issue on Rubio's political agenda. In a recent interview, the 53-year-old Rubio stated that Ukraine needs to seek negotiations with Russia to resolve the conflict, rather than focusing on reclaiming all the territory Russia has occupied over the past decade. He was also one of 15 Republican senators who voted against providing up to $950 billion in military aid to Ukraine in April. While Rubio is not the most isolationist choice, his possible selection still highlights the significant shift in long-standing foreign policy views within the Republican government under Trump's leadership. Trump's Republican allies, as well as recent US administrations, have previously advocated for military intervention and a hawkish foreign policy stance, but now most advocate for restraint. In Europe especially, many Republicans complain that US allies are not paying their fair share in defense. In September, Rubio stated in an interview, "I'm not on the side of Russia, but unfortunately, the Russia-Ukraine war will end through negotiations." Trump's choice of Rubio could have domestic and international significance. In the presidential election on November 5th, he defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, in part due to the support of a large number of Latino voters who overwhelmingly supported the Democratic party in previous election cycles, but have become an increasingly diverse population group in political terms, with more and more Latino voters supporting the Republican party. By choosing Rubio for a key policy role, Trump may help consolidate the gains made with Latino voters and demonstrate that they have a place in the highest levels of his government. Rubio's ally, Mauricio Claver-Carone, former president of the Inter-American Development Bank and former assistant for Latin American Affairs on Trump's National Security Council, stated that if confirmed, Rubio may place greater importance on diplomatic relations with Latin America than any previous Secretary of State. Claver-Carone said, "This is the most important time for Latin American ethnicity in American history. There is no other way to put it." "Anti-China Hawk" Rubio Rubio was one of the final three candidates for Trump's Vice Presidential pick, but the elected president ultimately chose Ohio Senator JD Vance, a far-right figure known for his isolationist foreign policy stance. Some of Trump's supporters were initially skeptical of his decision to select Rubio, as Rubio has held a consistently hawkish foreign policy stance that contradicts Trump's until recently. For example, during Trump's tenure from 2017-2021, Rubio co-sponsored key legislation that would make it more difficult for Trump to lead the US out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Over the years, Trump has been extremely critical of NATO member countries that have not met agreed-upon military spending targets, and warned during his campaign that he would not only refuse to defend countries that he deemed to be "behind" on funds, but also encourage Russia to "do as it pleases." Rubio is the most hawkish figure in the Senate when it comes to China policy and has been dubbed the "anti-China hawk" by some domestic media outlets. Additionally, he has been sanctioned by Beijing for his stance on Hong Kong. Rubio's grandfather fled Cuba in 1962, and he is also a staunch opponent of normalizing relations with the Cuban government, a stance also held by Trump. As chairman of the House Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee, he has been a frequent and vocal critic of the Nicols Maduro government in Venezuela. Other core members of the Trump administration are also in the process of being confirmed. According to sources cited by multiple media outlets, President-elect Trump has begun selecting the best candidates to implement his "America First" policies on border, trade, and economy. Some potential candidates may take the strongest stance ever against China, such as Senator Marco Rubio, who is expected to be nominated for Secretary of State and has been sanctioned by China, as well as Congressman Mike Waltz, who is expected to be named National Security Adviser. However, for Trump, a potential risk is that many of these individuals are currently serving in the House of Representatives, which could weaken the initial formation of his new government.A weak majority in the House of Representatives exists.Other than Rubio, who is the most likely to be nominated by Trump, here are some other candidates who are most likely to be selected for Trump's core team: - Mike Waltz, who is likely to serve as National Security Adviser. Waltz is a former US Army Green Beret who served in Afghanistan. As the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Readiness Subcommittee, he has criticized the Pentagon on issues ranging from teaching "critical race theory" in military institutions to the high cost of metal bearing bags in the Air Force. Waltz has written that he believes China poses a greater threat to the US than any other country. - Kristi Noem, who is likely to be appointed Secretary of Homeland Security. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was a potential vice-presidential pick for Trump, but became a controversial figure after admitting in her book that she shot and killed her 14-month-old dog. As a 52-year-old American woman, her core task in the anticipated new government role will likely be to help implement Trump's largest ever immigration enforcement policy, including his promise to significantly increase deportations of illegal immigrants. - Alice Steffenick, who is likely to be appointed Ambassador to the United Nations. Trump has described Steffenick as "a very strong, tough, and smart American first advocate" and she is known as one of the most loyal followers of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) ideology. Steffenick is also one of the House Republicans who persistently voted against Biden's victory over Trump in the 2020 election. - Tom Homan, who is likely to be appointed Border Czar. Trump may appoint him to be responsible for deporting all illegal immigrants to their home countries. During Trump's first term, Homan was a public face of the administration's "zero tolerance" policy on illegal immigrants. The "family separation" incident he led during the first term broke with the tradition of maintaining family unity during detention and deportation processes, resulting in thousands of undocumented immigrant children being separated from their families and sparking widespread criticism. Trump once wrote on social media, "I am pleased to announce that the tough guy on border control, Homan, will join the Trump administration to take charge of our country's border, including but not limited to the southern border, the northern border, and all maritime and aviation security." - Miller, who is likely to become Deputy Chief of Staff in the White House, is also a long-standing hardliner on immigration issues. He has stated that the Trump administration will seek to increase the number of deportations tenfold and expressed the desire to start large-scale deportations as soon as possible in interviews. - It is almost certain that Susie Willis will serve as Chief of Staff at the White House. This extremely low-key Republican political strategist brought stability, order, and fiscal discipline to a tumultuous campaign. In contrast, Trump's campaigns in 2016 and 2020 seemed more turbulent. She has been appointed by Trump to become the first female Chief of Staff in the US, and she is likely to assist Trump in developing all policies and strategies for the first 100 days of his tenure.