Top 5 moments from Rubio’s Senate confirmation hearing: ‘I met bilingual opponents’

Sen. Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, sailed through his confirmation hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, all but confirming that he will take on the role of top diplomat in the new Trump administration later this month.

Rubio’s confirmation hearings — a process often filled with verbal diatribes, strong political agendas and misleading answers — were full of excitement, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers praising his work in the Senate and his deep knowledge of complex issues around the world.

Here are the highlights of Rubio’s hearing.

Rubio is set to present his foreign policy credentials to the Senate as he seeks to become America’s top diplomat.

Opponents

While Rubio may have been welcomed by his Senate colleagues, the hearing was not entirely without controversy.

Foreign Minister Tesfafi’s opening speech was interrupted by several protesters linked to the group known as Code Pink, which opposes the Israel-Hamas war and wears pink shirts that say “Stop killing Gaza’s children”.

The two protesters were male and were forced to leave the room before a female protester stood up and shouted in Spanish.

She was quickly escorted out of the room and the trial began immediately.

“I’ve got bilingual opponents,” Rubio told the panel of senators with a smile before continuing his remarks.

In IS

Rubio’s quip about his opponents seemed to set the tone for the hearing.

Although Rubio faces tough questions on detailed geopolitical issues on every continent, lawmakers on both sides have joked with their Senate counterpart.

Sen. Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, introduced Rubio at the top of the hearing and said he would “eventually” become Florida’s top senator starting in 2019 after the two serve together in the upper chamber.

Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, drew attention, saying, “Senator Rubio made a big decision in electing you president (elect).

“You’re a thought leader in foreign policy. But I don’t think most Americans know what a great thought leader you are in the NCAA, the NFL and high school football. I’m not going to head the NCAA right now.”

“Not yet,” Rubio replied, drawing laughter from the room.

In another rare bipartisan cabinet nomination hearing, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, told a touching story of one of her first encounters with Rubio.

In the year Not only is Duckworth relatively new to the upper chamber in 2018, but the soon-to-be new mom has been pushing Congress to change the rules and allow new parents to bring their child to the Senate floor during the vote.

In the year

“And you came running up the back of the Senate chambers to say, ‘I’m with you, I support you,'” she said. “And I want to thank you for that kindness… It was a moment of true bipartisanship.”

Rubio responded and said, “I think I said it right, ‘What’s the big deal? This place is already full of babies,'” he laughs again.

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Serious issues

The five-hour hearing wasn’t all fun and laughter, as Rubio was pressed on major security issues like Ukraine, China, NATO and Arctic security.

Rubio has surprised no one with his tough stance on China and his determination to remain a strong NATO ally.

Although one area where senators may have expected Rubio to come out right is what his continued support for Ukraine will look like and how the incoming Trump administration will handle Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership.

Both Ukraine and Russia have indicated they are ready to negotiate a ceasefire. But Ukraine’s entry into the NATO alliance could prove difficult to secure a lasting peace deal, as both Kiev – which seeks the alliance’s security – and Moscow, which strongly opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership.

“The truth of the matter is that in this conflict, there is no way that Russia will take all of Ukraine. Ukrainians are very brave, and they have fought very hard, and the country is very big,” he said.

But Rubio added, “There is no way Ukraine is going to push these people (Russians) back to where they were on the eve of the invasion.”

Rubio pointed out that Ukraine cannot afford to keep up with the huge number of dead bodies that Russia is throwing into the war.

“It’s important to be realistic for everybody. There have to be concessions,” Rubio said. “This will not be easy. (It) will require serious diplomacy.”

Trump’s cabinet faced questions from senators Pam Bondi, Marco Rubio, and others throughout the day.

China’s problem

Rubio has been asked to address the security concerns surrounding China on all fronts, including its growing presence in Africa and Latin America, repression in the South China Sea, trade threats, human rights abuses, technology and growing ties. Other opposing countries.

But a new issue making headlines of late is China’s involvement in the Panama Canal.

In the year “This is something that has been in my ministry for at least a decade,” he said, referring to a trip to Panama in 2017. “Chinese companies control the port facilities at both ends of the canal – in the east and in the west. And among military officials and security officials, including in Panama, at that time (there were) concerns that could one day be used as a bottleneck. To hinder trade in the event of a conflict.”

“This is a legal issue that he should face,” he added.

The issue of Chinese control over the key waterway resurfaced earlier this month when Trump refused to say whether he would rule out military intervention in the Panama Canal.

Rubio has been pressed on the issue several times, though it’s clear he’s not at a level where he knows the legal parameters of the U.S. intervention in Panama well enough to respond properly.

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Kane Gushes

Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, applauded Rubio for “preparing very well” for his confirmation hearing as the next secretary of state — a sharp contrast to the tension with Hegseth at the hearing a day earlier.

“We’re used to seeing candidates who know a lot about two things and sometimes very little about everything else,” he said. But I think you’ve seen hearings with nominees who agree or disagree with the points you’ve raised, speaking out of a short book.

“He doesn’t have a thumb in his hand to decide how to answer a particular question,” Kane continued. “Since coming to the Senate in January 2013, I have had the pleasure of working with Sen. Rubio on this committee. He has a great sense of the world and his passion for all corners of the world.

Kaine’s sentiment appeared to be fully shared by the committee, and many senators expressed confidence that Rubio would be unanimously confirmed for the top job.