Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, gaveled in the confirmation hearing for Marco Rubio to be secretary of state at 10:05 a.m. Risch nodded to his long history working alongside Rubio on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he now chairs and the Intelligence Committee, calling Rubio a “great friend,” and saying Trump made an “excellent choice.”
“Over that period of time, I have come to respect his clear-eyed understanding of U.S. foreign policy interests and his deeply rooted conservative values,” Risch said. “We need a principled, action-oriented chief diplomat like Marco.”
Risch, pointing out that America faces pressing foreign policy concerns with China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, then slammed the outgoing Biden administration for its handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 and other foreign conflicts, saying the administration has “frequently made ill-informed decisions that have empowered these adversaries.”
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“Failure to deter Russian aggression, constant concessions to China and undermining support for Israel- our allies question U.S. resolve and our adversaries believe they have a free hand. These days are over,” Risch said, underscoring his support for Rubio.
Risch then pivoted his attention to China, saying it “remains the most significant long-term risk to the United States. China is no longer satisfied to undermine the United States on its own. Now, it helps Russia, Iran, and North Korea.”
Rubio, Risch said, been a strong advocate of tougher policies to counter China’s aggression.
Speaking about the Ukraine-Russia war, Risch said “we need to help Ukraine end this war quickly and permanently,” saying he is confident Trump alongside Rubio can “ help ensure it is done in a way that guarantees security and stability for Ukraine, the U.S., and our allies, and prevents Russia from launching another war.”
Risch also mentioned scrutinizing U.S. foreign assistance, reforming the State Department, and making the country competitive in the nuclear arms race.
“Sen. Rubio, this is a long laundry list of crises. You’ve earned yourself one of the hardest jobs out there, but after serving with you for so many years, I am confident you are the one we need to take on the threats we face,” Risch concluded.
