Trump pick for secretary of state warns China is 'biggest threat' to US

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Senator Marco Rubio painted a bleak picture of the potential consequences of the "unbalanced relationship" between the United States and China. Echoing President-elect Donald Trump's anti-globalization rhetoric, he sought to garner support for his confirmation as Secretary of State.

While touching upon issues plaguing the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Rubio spent the majority of his five-hour Senate confirmation hearing warning that China will remain the "greatest threat" to American prosperity in the 21st century if substantial policy changes are not made swiftly. He testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stating, "If we don't change course, we are going to live in a world where most of the things we rely on in our daily lives, from our security to our health, are going to be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have them."

When questioned about NATO, the 75-year-old security organization that Trump has repeatedly criticized, Rubio affirmed its value, calling it a "very important alliance." However, Rubio also aligned with Trump's view that some European allies should contribute more to their collective defense, adding that the US must decide whether it wants a "primary defense role" or to act as a "backstop" against aggression. The 53-year-old Republican presented his case against China and other US adversaries to his colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee, where he previously served for 14 years.

Rubio received a warm welcome from members of both parties, joking that it felt "surreal" to be on the other side of the dais. But between the pleasantries, Rubio attributed America's vulnerability to China to the shift towards globalization, which he argued is "now being used against us." He stated that the US must begin to place "our core national interests above all else."

For Rubio, a Cuban immigrant born in Miami, this was a striking opening statement. If confirmed, he would become the first Latino to serve as the nation's top diplomat. The confirmation hearing marks a new chapter in the third-term senator's political career, one marked by an evolving relationship with Trump over the past decade. Once rivals who engaged in childish attacks during the 2016 presidential campaign, they became close allies last year during Trump's reelection bid.

If confirmed, Rubio would become a leader in US foreign policy, though his role would certainly be subordinate to Trump, who is fond of the global stage and often uses the bully pulpit to attack US allies. Unlike many of Trump's cabinet picks, Rubio is expected to be easily confirmed, gaining not only Republican support but also that of Democrats who recognize him as a "responsible" choice to represent the US abroad. Many expect him to be among the first of Trump's cabinet nominees to be approved.