Donald Trump belittled him as “Little Marco” and “choke artist”, only to nominate him as his US secretary of state. The incoming president even described Marco Rubio as “a strong advocate for our nation, a true friend to our allies and a fearless warrior who will never back down to our adversaries”.
Rubio’s appointment as arguably the most powerful diplomat in the world will likely reshape American foreign policy towards allies and rivals alike—and dealing with China’s continued economic, diplomatic and military rise is set to be one of his top priorities.
