‘I would love nothing more than compromise. But I would say to you that compromise that’s not a solution is a waste of time.’ – Marco Rubio, US State Secretary
I was in secondary school in the early 70s when I first heard of Dr Henry Kissinger and the office of the United States Secretary of State for the first time.
Kissinger was perhaps the most well-known US Secretary of State in modern history, serving under President Richard Nixon from 1973 to 1977 and continuing under President Gerald Ford.
It was at this time that we learned of the “Ping Pong” diplomacy and Kissinger played a pivotal role in Nixon’s historic trip to China, leading to a thaw in US-China relations and ultimately diplomatic recognition.
At the same time, Malaysia also took an interest in China with our then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak’s visit to Peking (now Beijing) and that historic meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong at the Great Hall of the People.
Those events are history lessons for our students today. For me, and those of my batch more than half a century ago, we were living the history of the US and Malaysia’s new-found diplomatic ties with Communist China.
There were many US Secretaries of State since Kissinger but those I can recall offhand were George Shultz, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton.
Honest, I couldn’t recall the names of President Joe Biden’s Secretary of State or President Donald Trump’s top guns at the US State Department during his first presidency. Perhaps, this was how irrelevant and insignificant their roles must have been.
But Marco Rubio is a name I will not easily forget and one I think deserves to be in the position he is in today. Donald Trump’s choice as Secretary of State is almost the perfect candidate, a former senator from Florida who is well respected and trusted even, by both his fellow Republicans and the opposition Democrats as well.
I first paid attention to Marco Rubio when he joined the presidential race in 2016 and was up against Donald Trump, his boss now.
I had watched the presidential debates in the primary and Rubio tried to go toe-to-toe with Trump in the insults department, and the whole “small hands” comment was one of the more memorable moments.
It was unusual for Rubio, who usually presents himself as more polished and policy-focused. But when Trump was bulldozing through the field with nicknames and personal attacks, Rubio briefly tried to fight fire with fire.
Although Rubio tried to play the tough guy, it didn’t work out too well for him as Trump steamrolled the GOP primary, and Rubio ended up dropping out after losing his home state of Florida.
I did not follow Rubio much after 2016. He fell off my radar during the Covid pandemic as did the 2020 presidential elections. But once he came back as a strong backer of Trump in 2024, I took note of him again.
Rubio was also a Vice-President hopeful on the Trump ticket but JD Vance got the nod. However, as soon as Trump won on Nov 5, Rubio was immediately the frontrunner to be Secretary of State.
No one was surprised when Trump named him as his choice for the State Department job. Instead, many were full of praise for Rubio as he easily won over the Democrats too in the nomination process.
It makes sense why Rubio has impressed me. I have watched him on TV many times and he is one of the more polished and knowledgeable Republican figures when it comes to policy, especially on foreign affairs.
He rarely seems caught off guard in interviews, which is why he remains a key player in the Trump Administration. And more importantly, Rubio is fiercely loyal to Trump as he defended the president’s agenda from detractors at every given opportunity.
As a Catholic, I was pleasantly surprised by Rubio’s public display of faith on Ash Wednesday (March 5) when he appeared on TV with the “Ash Cross” on his forehead.
That was a strong statement. In a political world where some downplay their religious beliefs, Rubio openly embracing his Catholicism shows he’s not afraid to stand by his convictions. That kind of authenticity can resonate with a lot of people, me certainly.
Many believe Rubio would excel in his job as Secretary of State because of his strong foreign policy experience. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio has been deeply involved in shaping US foreign policy, particularly regarding China, Russia and Latin America.
Rubio is articulate and polished, making him a strong representative of US diplomacy. His ability to convey American interests on the global stage is seen as a major asset.
While a staunch conservative, Rubio has worked across the aisle on issues like sanctions against rogue states and aid to Ukraine. This could help him navigate diplomatic challenges.
Rubio’s vision aligns with a strong, America-first diplomacy while maintaining alliances, making him a natural fit for the role.
I have no doubt that the relatively young Rubio, at 53, will have the energy, stamina and experience to carry out his onerous tasks as the chief diplomat of the most powerful nation on earth.
Americans and the rest of the world would want him to succeed in helping to fulfil the US President’s goal to be the global “peacemaker”.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.
