Trump nominees
Senator Marco Rubio's pick as secretary of state has raised eyebrows. His views do not correspond to an anti-establishment synopsis that Donald Trump had campaigned for. Rubio is quite vocal in advocating a protectionist strategy against China, wants to take on the Russians alike, be soft towards NATO in resurrecting the militaristic alliance and at the same time stand squarely with Israel with no leniency for Arab states. Whereas, Trump had hinted at working with President Xi Jinping, has not opposed Vladimir Putin's war-mongering over Ukraine, wants to cut to size NATO by making them dig deep into their pockets and striking a thaw in the Middle East.
This policy dispute has not only created a confusion but also led to assumptions whether Trump is going back on his cherished policies, or he himself is in an auto-correction of sorts to climb down the ladder after opposing the Pentagon and the military industry from the pulpit. The choice of Senator Rubio from Florida is also a surprise as he had crossed swords with Trump, and was widely seen as a competitor in the presidential race. The vice-presidential pick JD Vance, likewise, is another upset by the president-elect and goes on to establish that Trump has many more surprises up his sleeves, cementing the impression whether his presidency will walk the talk or be a compromised affair with deep state and the Capitol Hill.
It seems there will be more news to ears as Trump lists out his nominees for foreign policy, economy, environment, immigration and national security in the days to come. Rubio, the first Latino to serve as Secretary of State, if confirmed by the Senate, is likely to push on with his aggressive approach towards China, Iran and Venezuela, leading to a new axis of confrontation in oil, trade and security milieu. While Rubio is known for never backing down on adversaries and has called for a Monroe Doctrine of protectionism against China's economic intrusion across the Atlantic, flashing the Taiwan card makes it difficult for Trump to look the other way.