Newly minted Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been saying all the right things. His immediate maneuvers on DEI and deportations have set a promising tone.
However, his department warrants more tempered optimism than most. For one, his 99-0 Senate confirmation indicates U.S. foreign policy might not have major shakeups in store. More importantly,
Rubio’s hawkish track record suggests regime-change adventurism is firmly on the table.
The analysis thus far has focused on Latin America, where Secretary Rubio has deep personal and political ties, as well as Iran and China. The new Trump administration is maneuvering to end the war in Eastern Europe though, while unrest is simmering nearby in Serbia and Slovakia. The latter especially presents a policy-defining scenario, as it is an EU and NATO member and a direct neighbor of Ukraine.
