Shortly after taking the oath of office, the new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, sent a cable to US diplomatic and consular missions around the world. The newly appointed diplomat delivered a stern message: the U.S. Department of State, which had previously emphasized “ideology over common sense” and “misread the world,” is about to undergo a significant transformation.
The lengthy cable was issued shortly after Rubio assumed his new post at the State Department headquarters in “Foggy Bottom” in Washington, D.C. The political news and polling data aggregation organization based in Chicago, Illinois, “RealClearPolicy,” exclusively obtained the contents of the cable. This heralds a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy, with all diplomatic efforts being realigned to prioritize meeting American needs.
As the new diplomat in charge appointed by President Donald Trump, Secretary Rubio promised to focus on major immigration issues, end the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies within the department, stop the “vetting of the American people,” and pursue “energy dominance.”
Rubio, who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate, is the first cabinet member nominated by President Trump to take office. Prior to his appointment, he served as a senior U.S. Senator from Florida and had over a decade of experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He rose to fame for his hardline stance against the Chinese Communist Party and the neoliberal foreign policy consensus that emerged after the Cold War.
Rubio has long believed that America’s victory in the conflict with the Soviet Union was due to rectifying the misguided practice of political elites prioritizing international interests over national interests at the time. This perspective likely played a role in his appointment to the position.
Before swearing in at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House, Vice President J.D. Vance praised the Secretary, stating that Rubio understands President Trump’s unique priorities in Washington better than almost anyone he has encountered. In a subsequent cable, just as he did during his confirmation hearing, the new Secretary of State clearly outlined the practical implications of the “America First” foreign policy.
In the cable, Rubio wrote, “Every dollar we spend, every project we fund, every policy we implement must be justified by answering three simple questions.” These three questions are: Does it make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous?
To provide affirmative answers to these questions and realign State Department departments in line with President Trump’s mission, Rubio warned diplomatic missions that the State Department will be transformed into “an innovative and flexible department.” The new Secretary stated, “Certain priorities will be replaced, some issues will no longer receive attention, and some practices we will completely cease.”
Many of his former colleagues will welcome this change. Republicans have become increasingly disillusioned with what they perceive as a department that has become overly progressive in all matters. Rubio previously authored a lengthy report condemning the State Department’s previous emphasis on being “woke.” Personnel adjustments at the Foggy Bottom State Department began before the inauguration day. Reportedly, more than 20 State Department officials, including career diplomats and political appointees appointed by former President Joe Biden, have been notified that their services are no longer needed.
The first specific agenda item outlined in the cable is to halt illegal immigration and ensure border security. This was a signature agenda of President Trump, with Rubio referring to addressing this issue as “the most important issue of our time” and informing his global staff that “effective immediately, the department will no longer engage in any facilitation or encouragement of illegal immigration.”
During President Biden’s administration, over two million illegal immigrants entered the U.S. on average annually, marking a historic surge. In alignment with President Trump’s executive orders and to avoid any confusion, Rubio stated in the cable, “The era of mass migration must end.”
Rubio also announced new personnel policies to coincide with President Trump’s termination of the so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) recruitment practices through an executive order. His predecessor, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had emphasized these ideals, requiring department officials to make “advancing” diversity, equity, and inclusion a prerequisite for promotion and implementing an “equity action plan.” The Biden administration often emphasized that equity must be “at the center.”
Under Secretary Rubio’s leadership, “equality” will be a key term. He warned that apart from evaluations and promotion standards based on “performance and merit,” all other evaluation and promotion criteria in State Department departments will be terminated, emphasizing that a strict meritocracy is crucial to ensuring our country’s future.
During his time in the Senate, Rubio believed that the State Department’s emphasis on progressive policies weakened America’s foreign influence. In a report co-authored with Florida Congressman Brian Mast in 2023, the then-Senator emphasized how the U.S. ambassador to France under the Biden government aligned with Blinken’s DEI policies, “in the name of diversity, removing paintings of figures from America’s founding era and replacing them with pictures of trans activists, violent protesters, socialist leaders, and communists.”
Now authorized to oversee all such claims and practices, Rubio warned that any counterproductive activities “must and will cease.” In contrast, the new Secretary of State told diplomatic missions still getting to know him that the new government will return to the “basic elements of diplomacy” that he emphasizes.
“Too much of America’s foreign activity has been focused on promoting politically and culturally divisive endeavors domestically and highly unpopular endeavors abroad,” he wrote. “This has caused unnecessary friction with other countries, hindering our ability to pursue a pragmatic foreign policy and collaborate with other countries to advance our core national interests.”
Another thorny issue emphasized by Rubio is how the State Department will combat misinformation and disinformation. He condemned in the cable the involvement of “our own government institutions and programs” in “censoring, suppressing, and miscommunicating the information they release.”
During the Biden administration, Republicans were highly critical of the Global Engagement Center established by the State Department, with conservatives accusing the center of censoring Americans and blacklisting domestic media organizations. It is worth noting that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, referred to the center as the “most serious offenders in U.S. government censorship and media.”
Rubio stated that State Department departments will remain vigilant, continuing to combat “enemy propaganda,” stressing that within his jurisdiction, “any projects leading to or in any way opening the door for censorship of the American people will be terminated.”
Previously, President Biden termed climate change a survival threat and a top priority, directing the State Department to prioritize this issue. Rubio once again stated that this was a mistake, writing, “Much of America’s foreign policy has already revolved around climate policy adjustments, weakening America’s power.” He added that the State Department “will not neglect the threats facing the natural environment” and will continue to focus on President’s Trump established mission of “energy dominance.”
Rubio now takes over a world that is ablaze with flames even if not on fire. The land war between Ukraine and Russia continues. While the Hamas terrorist organization and Israel have reached a ceasefire, the situation in the Middle East remains tense. Meanwhile, the influence of the CCP in the Indo-Pacific region remains formidable as ever. The new Secretary of State will face all of this, and thus, he has first reshaped the State Department with the image of “America First.”
“Our department will lead the revitalization of past alliances, strengthen connections with other partners and allies, and combat the malicious activities of adversaries. We will refocus American foreign policy on the reality of resurging great power competition today,” Rubio wrote. “We will explore and creatively exploit the many unexpected new opportunities this ever-changing world brings for our country.”
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