Rubio's Year-End Media Appearance
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to hold a formal press conference at the State Department on Friday. This event marks a rare use of the briefing room since regular on-camera sessions were discontinued in August. Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, has become a prominent advocate for President Donald Trump's "America First" policies, influencing areas from visa regulations to foreign aid restructuring.
Diplomatic Meetings in Miami
The press conference coincides with important diplomatic gatherings in Miami. On Friday and Saturday, discussions on Gaza and Russia-Ukraine are planned, following a year of significant shifts in U.S. foreign policy. Special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with officials from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar to advance the Gaza ceasefire initiative, which has seen limited progress since its October announcement. Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, has promoted establishing a "Board of Peace" and an international force to stabilize Gaza after two years of conflict.
On Saturday, Witkoff, Kushner, and possibly Rubio—who will be in Florida for the holidays—are set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin's adviser Kirill Dmitriev in Miami. They will review the latest U.S. proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a plan that has undergone multiple revisions. Trump has alternated between supporting Ukraine and urging concessions to Putin, with Kyiv rejecting territorial compromises in exchange for security guarantees against future Russian aggression.
Venezuela and Taiwan Issues
Regarding Venezuela, Rubio has supported military actions against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, increasing pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. narcoterrorism charges. In a Friday interview with NBC News, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of conflict with Venezuela, though Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasize that operations target "narcoterrorists" smuggling drugs into the U.S. Maduro claims the U.S. aims to oust him from power.
The press conference follows the Trump administration's announcement of an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which has angered Beijing. China has threatened to retake Taiwan by force if necessary. Trump's approach to China has fluctuated, imposing tariffs on imports while offering to reduce commercial pressure in talks with President Xi Jinping. The administration consistently criticizes China's assertive actions toward Taiwan and South China Sea disputes.
Policy Changes Under Rubio
Since leading the State Department, Rubio has implemented Trump's agenda by dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development and reducing the diplomatic corps through reorganization. Critics argue these cuts harm overseas aid, but Rubio points to ongoing disaster relief in places like the Philippines and new global health agreements with former USAID partners.
