An internal note sent by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to all diplomats, was leaked on X.com (formerly twitter). It lays out in granular detail, what the new administration’s priorities are, what he expects from his diplomatic personnel and the way forward.
In blunt language, Rubio writes “Since the end of the Cold War, leaders of both political parties began assuming an ever-expanding definition of the national interest, prioritising the wrong things …”
The new team wants to get things back on track with a laser focus on curbing mass migration by securing America’s borders “especially in the Western Hemisphere … stopping illegal and destabilizing migration and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is out with the focus on ensuring “strict meritocracy” in the State Department. Also out are pushing political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad. Presumably, Rubio is referring to issues like gender and human rights, religious freedoms and so on.
“This creates unnecessary friction with other nations and obstructs our ability to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy and work cooperatively with other nations to advance our core national interests,” went Rubio’s note.
He said the State Department had for too long engaged in censorship, suppression and misinformation “from an excess of zeal or misguided attempt to control discourse. All that ends today … America is a great good and just country whose people are generous, and whose leaders now prioritize our core interests while respecting the rights and interests of other nations.”
There will be focus on “energy dominance” with climate change being given the pushover. Of course, Rubio adds that “We will not ignore threats to our natural environment”, but the message is clear: climate change policies have weakened America.
The State Department will take the lead in “revitalizing alliances, strengthening ties with other partners and allies and countering the malign activities of our adversaries. We will refocus American foreign policy on the realities of today’s re-emerging great power rivalry and will explore and creatively exploit the many new and unexpected opportunities that this changing world affords our nation.”
Signing off, Rubio warned that the coming years will be challenging, sometimes difficult, but always rewarding, underscoring that there is no agency he “would rather lead than this one.”
