Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with NBC News connected Tuesday aft helium became President Trump's archetypal Cabinet prime to beryllium confirmed by the Senate.
Rubio appeared connected TV wherever helium was asked by the big astir the president's enactment to pardon astir 1,600 January 6 rioters connected his archetypal time successful office.
Right retired of the gate, NBC's Craig Melvin pointed retired that Rubio, who was serving successful the Senate astatine the time, called the onslaught connected the U.S. Capitol in 2021 1 of the saddest days successful the country's history.
He past played a clip of Rubio 4 years agone aft the insurrection decrying the violence.
'Vladimir Putin loved everything that happened contiguous due to the fact that what happened is amended than thing helium could ever travel up with to marque america look similar we're falling apart,' Rubio said astatine the time.
Melvin asked Rubio what messaging pardoning January 6 rioters sends to the remainder of the world.
'Well we're going to absorption connected what makes America stronger and much prosperous and safer,' Rubio responded.
'I'm not going to prosecute successful home governmental debates. I can't successful the relation astatine State Department,' helium added.
Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with NBC aft being pressed astir Trump's January 6 pardons alternatively than overseas policy
Rubio argued his relation is to absorption connected overseas argumentation and called it the astir straightforward argumentation successful modern times.
Melvin pushed backmost that helium wanted to speech overseas policy, but questioned if a assemblage is displeased astatine the U.S. Capitol successful the future, 'who's to accidental they don't conscionable bash it again?'
The recently confirmed apical diplomat said helium understands, but helium besides fired back.
'I deliberation it's unfortunate you know, our archetypal engagement arsenic I hold to travel connected this greeting with you, I'm going to beryllium moving connected overseas argumentation issues, and you privation to revisit these issues that are going connected successful home politics... it's not going to happen,' Rubio said.
He past suggested if NBC had questions astir overseas policy, he'd beryllium blessed to speech astir it.
Their backmost and distant came aft Rubio, a onetime Trump professional turned ally, was confirmed arsenic caput of authorities soon aft Trump was sworn into bureau successful a confirmation ballot 99 to 0.
Vice President JD Vance swearing successful Marco Rubio arsenic caput of authorities connected January 21, 2025 aft helium was Trump's archetypal Cabinet prime confirmed by the Senate 99 to 0
Secretary of State Rubio speaking to State Department unit connected Tuesday aft being sworn into office
He was the president's archetypal Cabinet prime to beryllium confirmed successful the Senate arsenic helium was seen arsenic a shoe-in with his erstwhile colleagues from some sides of the aisle.
After their awkward exchange, the interrogation did displacement to overseas argumentation wherever Rubio was asked astir the warfare successful Ukraine and if determination would beryllium an imminent end.
'I deliberation what the president has made precise wide is that the warfare needs to end,' helium said.
He said it's the argumentation of the U.S. to beforehand bid astir the world.
Rubio said the warfare successful Ukraine is 1 Russia started and a analyzable issue.
'It's going to beryllium an authoritative argumentation of the United States that the warfare has to end,' helium said. 'We're going to bash everything imaginable to bring that about.'
But Rubio said 'every broadside is going to person to springiness something.'
Melvin asked if determination were nary effect for Russia invading Ukraine, what connection it would sent to imaginable atrocious actors.
Rubio pushed backmost that Russia has faced consequences including 'crippling sanctions from each implicit the world.'
He besides argued they person mislaid tens-of-thousands of lives, are facing ostentation and did not execute their nonsubjective to instrumentality Ukraine.
The caput of authorities said the existent concern is simply a stalemate with monolithic harm being done to Ukraine.