SENATE GUARDRAIL
Not only are Trump’s national security and foreign policy nominees universally sceptical of helping Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion, some of their statements have been outright hostile toward Kyiv.
Gabbard, who will oversee America’s sprawling foreign and domestic intelligence apparatus, has portrayed Putin as a defender of his own nation’s vital national security interests. Ukraine, she has said, is a corrupt kleptocracy.
One potential guardrail that Trump and his nominees still face: The Senate.
While Trump’s Republicans control the Senate and most Republican lawmakers will support his nominees for top jobs, the slate the president-elect put forward will likely give the party’s remaining moderates pause and test just how loyal elected Republicans are to him and his vision.
The choice of Rubio as secretary of state could come as a relief to US partners worried that the Trump administration could pull back from its global network of alliances, including NATO, given Trump’s “America First” emphasis during his campaign to return to the White House.
“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.
In addition to being a China hawk, Rubio, 53, is an outspoken critic of Cuba’s Communist government and a strong backer of Israel.
He has in the past advocated for a more assertive US foreign policy with respect to America’s geopolitical foes, although recently his views have aligned more closely with those of Trump’s approach to foreign policy.
Some analysts questioned whether Rubio would stand up to Trump, noting the president-elect’s inclination to make personal loyalty a central requirement for administration posts.
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said it is essential for any president’s advisers to stand up to him when necessary, given the wide array of foreign policy challenges Trump will face.
“I’m trying to keep an open mind here,” Miller said, noting that Rubio, because of his experience in Congress, has a better grasp of foreign policy than any of Trump’s other appointees.
