New op-ed from Secretary of State Rubio announces foreign policy shift

Newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out his foreign policy agenda in a new Wall Street Journal op-ed Friday, declaring that his department will be focused on developing America’s relationship with its immediate neighbors.

Rubio, the former senator from Florida, stated that U.S. diplomats have “neglected” America’s relationships with western hemisphere nations, while favoring those with countries on the opposite side of the world. The new chief diplomat declared that approach had ended. 

“For many reasons, U.S. foreign policy has long focused on other regions while overlooking our own. As a result, we’ve let problems fester, missed opportunities and neglected partners. That ends now,” he wrote.

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Since President Donald Trump’s November victory, the president has signaled his intent to shake up relationships with major western hemisphere countries. He has mused about making Canada the 51st state, explored the possibility of making Greenland a U.S. territory, and once in office, taken a more aggressive stance towards Latin American countries that are not curbing the flow of illegal immigration.

The president last week threatened tariffs against Colombia after the country initially refused to accept the return of Colombians caught illegally trying to enter the U.S. The State Department also released a statement, announcing travel sanctions on Colombian individuals involved in blocking the return of migrants, and the suspension of visa issuance at the U.S. Embassy in the country.

In the face of these penalties, Colombian President Gustavo Petro relented, even offering the use of his own presidential plane to bring migrants back to the country.

Rubio’s op-ed stressed his department will be focusing on building relationships and settling disputes with these nearby countries, especially as the U.S. seeks to implement stronger border controls.

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“President Trump’s foreign-policy agenda begins close to home. Among his top priorities is securing our borders and reversing the disastrous invasion abetted by the last administration. Diplomacy’s role in this effort is central,” he wrote. “We need to work with countries of origin to halt and deter further migrant flows, and to accept the return of their citizens present in the U.S. illegally.”

The diplomat mentioned how some countries are cooperating “enthusiastically” while others are “less so.” Noting Colombia, he mentioned that Trump’s harsh treatment of that country will extend to others who do not cooperate.

Still, Rubio stressed that Trump’s “vision for the hemisphere remains positive.”

“We see a prosperous region rife with opportunities. We can strengthen trade ties, create partnerships to control migration, and enhance our hemisphere’s security,” he wrote.

He touted his upcoming trip to El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic, stating that these countries “stand to benefit tremendously from greater cooperation with the U.S.,” as they were “neglected by past administrations that prioritized the global over the local and pursued policies that accelerated China’s economic development.”

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Further, Rubio signaled the intention of the U.S. to focus its supply chains on the western hemisphere as opposed to depending on “far-flung” ones that were ravaged by COVID-19. “Relocating our critical supply chains to the Western Hemisphere would clear a path for our neighbors’ economic growth and safeguard Americans’ own economic security,” he said, adding, “Closer relationships with the U.S. lead to more jobs and higher growth in these countries.”

Rubio stressed how mass migration has “destabilized our entire region” and allowed drug cartels to poison American and other Latin American communities. He noted that “Illegitimate regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela are intentionally amplifying the chaos.” 

Despite the problems, he expressed optimism that western hemisphere nations “will be ready partners” with the U.S. to tackle these issues and make themselves more prosperous. “Like President Trump, their leaders are pragmatists who put their citizens first. And because they are pragmatists, they also know that there is much more to be gained from working with the U.S. than not.”

The secretary concluded the op-ed, writing, “We share a common home. The safer, stronger and more prosperous that home becomes, the more all our nations stand to benefit. Together, there are few limits to what we can accomplish.”