US President-elect Donald Trump is selecting members of his foreign policy team based on their loyalty to the concept of ‘America First’ and their ability to prioritize national interests over ideological positions, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The newspaper had previously said Trump was considering Florida Senator Marco Rubio for the role of secretary of state and Congressman Michael Waltz for the position of national security adviser.
Both have expressed foreign policy views that could be described as neoconservative in the past. However, in recent years, both Rubio and Waltz have shifted their approach to be more in line with Trump’s ‘America First’ movement, the paper noted, claiming that “Trump may end up with a foreign policy team composed of deep loyalists, but with roots in familiar Republican approaches.”
Earlier this week, the New York Times also reported that Rubio, who is among three people being considered to head the US Department of State, is likely to support Trump’s alleged plan to pressure Ukraine into agreeing to peace with Russia and abandoning its plans to join NATO.
The senator, who was initially a strong supporter of US military aid for Kiev, has recently expressed concern over Washington’s role in the conflict and called for “common sense.”
Last month, he told NBC News that the US was effectively funding a “stalemate war” that needs to be “brought to a conclusion” before Ukraine is “set back a hundred years.”
Waltz, a former Green Beret, has also previously called for increased US support for Kiev in its fight against Russia. However, earlier this year, he voted against a major aid package for Ukraine, arguing that the Biden administration had failed to define the “American objective in Ukraine” or its strategy to achieve it.
The congressman has also shared Trump’s criticism of Washington’s NATO allies and has chastised bloc members for failing to meet their defense military spending commitments.
As noted by the NYT, both Waltz and Rubio could also play an “influential role” in Washington’s future dealings with Beijing, as both legislators are supporters of a more hardline economic approach towards China.
Trump has not yet publicly commented on the potential makeup of his future cabinet.