U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, will testify prior to the U.S. Senate Overseas Family members Committee as a part of his affirmation procedure on Jan. 15, 2025.
Rubio’s nomination is outstanding for a number of causes, together with the truth that Rubio has been a harsh critic of Trump.
However the dating between Trump and Rubio has advanced in recent times, such a lot in order that Rubio was once a finalist to function Trump’s operating mate in 2024. Rubio would even be the primary Latino to serve on this necessary position.
The secretary of state is among the maximum necessary U.S. executive Cupboard positions, and the secretary of state is fourth in line for the presidency.
In my paintings as a student of world affairs, I’ve noticed how secretaries of state have had lasting affect on U.S. international coverage and the way the remainder of the arena perceives the U.S.
Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, speaks to newshounds in Washington, D.C., in December 2024.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photographs
Secretaries of state who left their mark
Thomas Jefferson, who served as the primary U.S. secretary of state from 1790 thru 1793, laid the groundwork for U.S. international relations. He helped determine the U.S. as a sovereign nation and advocated for neutrality all over Ecu conflicts. This allowed the nascent country to expand its pursuits with out international entanglements.
Jefferson additionally advocated for international relations over warfare and concept that negotiations must be used to unravel struggle. Jefferson wrote in a 1799 letter, “I am for free commerce with all nations, political connection with none, & little or no diplomatic establishment: and I am not for linking ourselves, by new treaties with the quarrels of Europe, entering that field of slaughter to preserve their balance.”
Centuries later, Global Conflict II increased every other secretary of state, George C. Marshall, who served from January 1947 thru January 1949.
Marshall designed the tactic – aptly referred to as the Marshall Plan – that rebuilt and stabilized Europe after Global Conflict II, blunting communism’s unfold and solidifying an alliance between a Western bloc of nations. Because of his paintings, Marshall gained the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall gifts Cub Scouts with a ‘Junior Marshall Plan’ in February 1948.
Bettmann/Contributor
The incoming secretary of state in 2025 will face vital demanding situations, together with a couple of wars the world over, in addition to the prospective risk of a nuclear disagreement with Iran or different international locations.
This difficult process calls for important intelligence, wisdom and grit.
The position of the secretary of state
Above all, the secretary of state is the rustic’s most sensible diplomat. The secretary oversees and implements the entire president’s international insurance policies during the State Division, which incorporates a number of businesses, together with the Overseas Provider.
The secretary of state could also be the president’s most sensible adviser on international coverage. The secretary offers the president updates and tips about how a international coverage resolution may well be tackled.
The secretary additionally steadily speaks with other heads of state, ambassadors and international ministers to maintain world demanding situations and crises, and to barter world treaties or ceasefire offers.
An afternoon within the lifestyles
On a day by day foundation, the secretary oversees a big forms, with over 69,000 staff, together with ambassadors, international carrier officials and different staff stationed in additional than 270 embassies, consulates and missions international.
The secretary’s day-to-day agenda would possibly come with morning conferences and updates from senior officers, intelligence businesses or regional mavens on ongoing crises. In Washington, D.C., the secretary may also host or attend conferences with ambassadors and international dignitaries or with leaders from Congress.
The secretary additionally evaluations budgets, body of workers selections and the various experiences that U.S. embassies and different places of work in a foreign country produce in regards to the political eventualities in different international locations and areas.
The secretary of state is charged with resolving world conflicts and serving to take care of peace. This comes to widespread go back and forth out of the country to satisfy with more than a few international opposite numbers.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as an example, traveled in February and March 2024 to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the West Financial institution, Israel, Albania, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Jamaica, Austria, South Korea and the Philippines.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks from a aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport close to Tel Aviv, Israel, on April 30, 2024.
Evelyn Hockstein/POOL/AFP by means of Getty Photographs
Funds tracking, too
Now not the entire secretary’s paintings is glamorous or thrilling.
For the reason that secretary of state oversees the State Division, this particular person will have to sparsely track budgets to assist make sure that the right kind amount of cash from the dep.’s huge finances – these days at US$58.8 billion for July 2024 thru June 2025 – reaches the more than a few U.S. diplomatic and international help missions.
The secretary must also perceive and ensure the U.S. lives as much as its tasks underneath other world agreements, reminiscent of palms keep watch over treaties and industry offers. The secretary is keen on negotiating agreements that pop out of world organizations, such because the United Countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Group.
Every other the most important however much less high-profile position for the secretary of state is protective U.S. voters out of the country. The State Division is helping U.S. voters dwelling or touring out of the country with problems starting from renewing passports and visas to serving to them evacuate because of a scientific emergency.
The State Division additionally is helping U.S. voters who enjoy a herbal crisis, political unrest or a kidnapping out of the country.
In the end, the secretary will have to navigate and steadiness world expectancies of the way the usshould reply to escalating conflicts in different international locations. On the identical time, the secretary has to steadiness home U.S. political concerns.
Why enjoy issues
The secretary of state takes the lead on responding to crises, from humanitarian failures to international cyberattacks, which is able to escalate briefly. It is very important to have somebody on this put up who has disaster control enjoy, a transparent working out of worldwide politics and historical past, and robust decision-making abilities.
An adept secretary can construct bipartisan beef up and successfully keep in touch the significance of international coverage selections to the general public. Loss of political acumen can result in gridlock or undermine projects the U.S. needs to adopt.
If a secretary of state is green or has deficient judgment, it will additionally exacerbate crises or result in long-term harm for the U.S.’s nationwide safety and its relationships with different international locations.
This tale is a part of a chain of profiles of Cupboard and high-level management positions.
Author : USA365
Publish date : 2025-01-13 22:46:01
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