By Nike Ching
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at the State Department on Tuesday to warm applause, marking his first visit since being sworn in as the United States’ top diplomat.
Addressing hundreds gathered at the department's formal entrance, Rubio emphasized his commitment to a foreign policy centered on U.S. national interests.
“Anything that makes us stronger, or safer or more prosperous” will be our mission, Rubio said, adding that the U.S. will strive to avoid conflicts, while never compromising national security or sacrificing core values.
Rubio acknowledged that changes are inevitable but assured the crowd that “there will be changes, but the changes are not meant to be destructive. They're not meant to be punitive.”
The new secretary of state expressed gratitude to the American foreign service workforce and his desire to do something special in his new role.
“I want to thank you – all those who are serving overseas and abroad, some in places that are strong and stable, and others that are more tenuous and dangerous. ... I want to also thank the locally employed staff, the nationals of those countries who work with us,” Rubio said.
Following his debut at the State Department, Rubio was scheduled to meet with foreign ministers from the Indo-Pacific Quad on Tuesday afternoon, including Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi.
The foreign ministers of Japan, Australia and India were in Washington to attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Rubio was unanimously confirmed as secretary of state on Monday, becoming the first member of Trump's Cabinet in his second administration.
During his confirmation hearing last Wednesday, Rubio outlined key foreign policy challenges, including threats from the Chinese Communist Party, along with mass migration, fentanyl and violent criminals in the Western Hemisphere.
He also warned of dictators in Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang spreading instability, while aligning with and funding radical terror groups.