Secretary Marco Rubio Remarks at His Swearing-In

U.S. Department of State ^ | Jan 21, 2025

[Right_Wing_Madman]

It does not apply, as I noted above, but then your English comprehension doesn’t seem to be your strong point.

It's right there in black and white, clear as night and day.

ALL foreign assistance programs have been suspended. What is it that you don't get?

[Paul R.]

90 days is irrelevant, btw. The question is whether Trump will use the THREAT of weapons deliveries and sanctions as a negotiating lever. If he wishes to do so more emphatically, all it takes is a revised EO, or a new one.

[poconopundit]

“The message from the new administration is pretty clear to me: Ukraine is not a vital interest for the United States.”

* * * *

A wise observation. And I think Putin and Z are getting the message. Putin probably got an ear full of advice from President Xi or China who Trump with only a couple days ago.

[SoConPubbie]

Trump’s declaration of an “Energy Emergency” is even more curious. Energy prices in the US are moderately high, but not crazy high, except in states like CA where they’ve basically screwed themselves. Unleaded gasoline is running $2.70-$2.80 near me, this morning (a small jump up). Predictions of future oil pricing are all over the map, even within the same articles (example below), but the best guess is no drastic jumps, unless the US pursues policies to force a lot of Iranian and Russian oil and gas and refined products off the global market, while failing to backfill supplies with our own production. Is the “Energy Emergency” a tacit admission that drastic backfilling will be needed?

Why is this a mystery to you?

President Trump has made it very clear, multiple times, that the cost of energy is the main driver of inflation which he is trying to control.

The real mystery is why you find this curious?!?!

[Paul R.]

Note also that the way the EO is worded, all President Trump needs to do is ask (presumably soon-to-be Sec. Hegseth) to “report” to him (Trump) that the Ukies need another shot of weapons, or his (Trump’s) negotiating position will be compromised. There is nothing that says a particular piece of feedback has to take 90 days.

Now, mind you, I have doubts that alone will budge Pooty. The next step would be for Trump to repeat his threat to flood Ukraine with weapons if Russia won’t negotiate in good faith. If that doesn’t work, he could go to Congress for a bill giving him discretionary authority to spend, say, 4x on weapons, IF needed as a negotiating tool, in his determination. A lend-lease deal with the Euros is another possibility. (I actually prefer that route.)

By your interpretation, aid to Israel will also halt for 90 days. Do you really think that will happen?

This is about leverage, and PDJT can’t afford to start off his Administration with what would be a perceived by most as a “loss” in Ukraine. He has to at least break even.

[oldtech]

Regular 87 oct. is a little under $3 here & I’m not sure about diesel. Don’t think it’s much over $3.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

LoL I loved the Spanish part too!

[poconopundit]

Hiring Marco Rubio for Secretary of State is brilliant.

Aside for honoring all the Hispanic people in America, his Spanish fluency allows him to have deep conversations with leaders in the Americas: Mexico, Panama, Columbia, Argentina, Cuba, and more.

Spanish is also the 4th most spoken language in the world (below English, Mandarin Chinese, and Hindi), but ahead of Arabic, French, Bengali, Portuguese, and Russian.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

https://youtu.be/5K11NVOcQnQ

It’s worth watching starting at the 5 minute mark, Rubio starts speaking in Spanish and then cracks a joke with JD Vance at the end. So funny! :)

[Fledermaus]

I’m so happy you’re Presidebt. Can’t believe we’ve gotten this far without your genius.

[poconopundit]

Yes, I saw that! The joke was terrific.