Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on Secretary of State Nomination of Senator Marco Rubio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 20, 2025
Contact: [email protected], 202-224-4343

Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on Secretary of State Nomination of Senator Marco Rubio

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement shortly after he voted in support of the nomination of Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to be Secretary of State at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee markup. In the statement, Dr. Paul urges the Department of State to prioritize diplomacy over war.

"I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Senator Rubio on his nomination to serve as the 72nd United States Secretary of State. His experience and devotion to our country will be indispensable assets as he assumes the responsibilities of this new role. I intend to support his nomination and wish him all the best.

"I would be remiss, however, if I did not highlight some differences in our policy preferences. It is my sincere hope that a closer examination of the consistent failures of U.S. foreign policy over the past thirty years, committed by both Republican and Democrat administrations, will lead to the adoption of more prudent policies in President Trump's second term.

"In the greater Middle East, strategically disastrous entanglements, including the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and U.S. military interventions in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Niger and elsewhere, cost the lives of thousands of Americans and trillions of taxpayer dollars. Our actions destabilized the region, empowered Iran, and motivated generations of new jihadists. Throughout my time in the Senate, I regularly sponsored bills to repeal outdated authorizations for use of military force and war power resolutions to remove U.S. troops from conflicts that were never authorized by Congress, including Syria and Niger.

"In Europe, the Washington foreign policy establishment consistently pursues policies that needlessly antagonize Russia as an enemy of the West. NATO enlargement following the collapse of the Soviet Union and repeated U.S. promises to invite Georgia and Ukraine into the alliance unnecessarily poisoned U.S.-Russia relations and precipitated the tragic war in Ukraine.

"I fully support President Trump's commitment to end the needless slaughter by pursuing diplomacy over a futile effort to continue a war that Ukraine cannot win given basic battlefield realities.

"Despite Senator Rubio's initial backing of U.S. support for Ukraine, including his sponsorship of the Ukraine Emergency Appropriations Act of 2022 and statements that the United States should support Ukraine for as long as they are willing to fight, I am encouraged by his recent votes against additional Ukraine aid and his comments that the war must be brought to a negotiated end.

"In Asia, I fear that increasingly bellicose rhetoric and actions have resulted in the development of a dangerous security dilemma with China. China's extraordinary rise certainly poses unique challenges; however, America must avoid a self-fulfilling prophecy that leads to direct conflict. The United States and China need not be enemies for the sake of being enemies. After all, the United States and China were allies in the Second World War, and the establishment of relations in 1979 played a crucial role in helping the United States win the Cold War. In the age of nuclear weapons, great power wars cannot be won and therefore must not be fought. Despite our many differences, Washington and Beijing must learn to respect and live with one another. Imposing more tariffs and sanctions are unlikely to alter Beijing's behavior in any manner favorable to the United States. Improved relations should start by highlighting potential areas of cooperation, including a free trade relationship based on mutual benefit, that can lead to peace and prosperity for both our peoples.

"America's misguided foreign policy over the past three decades has led us to a dangerous inflection point. By cultivating adversaries across the globe, Washington has arrayed a group of countries- China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea- to align themselves against the United States, despite not being natural allies. American officials would do well to look at these countries individually and engage with them on a bilateral basis. One must not agree with an adversary's perspective, but our leaders should certainly seek to understand why they think the way they do.

"I believe Senator Rubio and I fundamentally agree that the primary goal of U.S. foreign policy is to ensure the security and prosperity of the American people. President Trump's victory was a clear sign that Americans across the country demand that their elected officials rightfully put their interests first, not those of foreign governments. I trust the opportunities afforded to Senator Rubio to shape the next four years of U.S. foreign policy reflect a commitment to reorient the Department of State to prioritize diplomacy over war, and I stand ready to offer my assistance as he prepares to represent the collective aspirations of the American people on the global stage."

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