QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning to you and congratulations. What was that vote again, Senator?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Good morning. Thank you.
QUESTION: Or Mr. Secretary, what was that vote again?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: I think it was 99-0. We only have 99 senators right now because the Vice President's vacancy hasn't been filled. So it's good. I mean, we covered the point spread. That was what matters.
QUESTION: It's 99-0. I think it speaks to how your colleagues feel about you and your talents. I'm curious though before we ask you about your job. What does this mean to you as the son of Cuban immigrants?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I mean, my entire life and career is Influenced by the fact that my parents came here on May 27th, 1956. They didn't have anything except dreams of a better life, and they were able - the dream of their life was to give their kids the chance to do whatever they wanted. And to me, the road has brought me to this point. It's humbling. But I'm also focused on the important job that we do. I think it says more about America than it does about me. I mean, this is a country that time and again - and even - and it's not just me. As you look throughout the cabinet and the personal stories of so many people that President Trump is going to have part of his team, I think it reminds us that this remains the one place on Earth where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. And —
QUESTION: All right. Well, let's focus on your job, Mr. Secretary.
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: — but we have to do a good job and it's a hard job.
QUESTION: Well, every - it is a hard job and a lot of people are counting on you. Let's start with - I really want to start with those January 6 pardons because many people believe, including the American people, we're not in favor of these blanket pardons. Team Trump had been saying this is going to be taken on a case-by-case basis. That did not appear to be the case. It appears blanket pardons. What message do you think that sends to people around the world about what we stand for?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I think what we stand for is going to be clear in the actions the President's taken. He's outlined it yesterday. He said that our foreign policy is going to be about promoting peace and making America strong, prosperous, and safe. That's what our foreign policy should always be about. Our foreign policy once again needs to focus on the national interests of the United States. We're not seeking to harm any other country, but my singular focus is to ensure that the priority of the United States Department of State is the United States and what's best for our country. And that's what we're going to be focused on.
As part of this transition to this new job, I'm not going to be opining or focused on domestic politics - not because they don't matter, but because our focus has to be singularly on how do we secure America's interests all over the world. In my first meetings today, as soon as I walk in the office we're going to be meeting with the foreign ministers of important allies in Japan and India and Australia, the so-called Quad, the Indo-Pacific, where I think much of the 21st century's history is going to be written.
QUESTION: But Senator, let's stick to this for just a second, only because - I hear you. But in February 2021 even you issued a statement and you said the images of the attacks stirred up anger in you, the nation was embarrassed in the eyes of the world by our own citizens. How do you - how do you personally reconcile those feelings with the pardons that he did yesterday? I understand you have work to do and the job is hard - there are many things - but on this particular issue I'm curious about what you're thinking.
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Yeah. Well, what I'm thinking is that I used to be a United States senator until midnight last night, and now I'm going about to be sworn in as the Secretary of State of the United States. And that's what I'm thinking is I work for Donald J. Trump, the new President of the United States, the 47th President, who has a clear mandate to reorient our foreign policy to one that once again puts America and our interests at the center. And that's what I'm going to focus on 100 percent.
QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, let's talk about a definite foreign policy matter, the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. Last night in the Oval Office, the President said he was not confident that that ceasefire would hold. Now, that might just be a description of reality. We've been saying it's fragile. But is there something in particular he has in mind? Are you confident it will hold? If not, why not?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I'm hoping and praying it will hold. But remember, on October 6th there was a ceasefire in place between Israel and Hamas. October 7th was a violation of that. So when you're dealing with a terrorist organization that has committed atrocities and all kind - motivated by all kinds of evil, I don't think you can go in it very confident that things will hold in the long term. We're always overjoyed to see three hostages freed, reunited with their families, hopefully more on the way. We want it to work out. We think there is the broader hope of peace in that region with all kinds of agreements that are possible today that were even unfathomable just 90 days ago before the events in Lebanon and Syria and the work Israel has done to create stability as well with its acts against Iran. So we're hopeful, but I think we have to be realistic about who we're dealing with here. These are not good people in Hamas.
QUESTION: Secretary Rubio, one of the many things that President Trump said during his campaign run was that he would end the war in Ukraine on day one. That did not happen. How do you reconcile with the fact that he made a lot of promises and now it might be up to you and the team to keep these promises?
SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Yeah, look, the promise the President made, really if you look at it, is it's going to be the priority - it's going to be the official policy of the United States that the war in Ukraine needs to come to an end. It is a stalemate. It's one - look, it's a war and it's a conflict that was started by Russia, but it is now a stalemate, a protracted and bloody conflict. It's been incredibly destructive, I would argue, for both Russia and Ukraine, but Ukraine is paying the biggest price of all to its energy infrastructure, to the people and lives that are lost, to the millions of Ukrainians that have had to leave their countries and are living overseas. The conflict needs to end, and it's the policy of the United States that we want it to end. We want to do everything we can to help it end. We are going to engage in making it end in a way that is sustainable, meaning we don't just want the conflict to end and then restart in two, three, or four years down the road. We want to bring stability. We have a lot of important and pressing issues around the world, and I think everyone should wake up this morning and be very happy that we have elected as our 47th President a man in Donald J. Trump that wants to promote peace in the world and bring an end to these conflicts.
QUESTION: All right, Secretary Marco Rubio, thank you for joining us. We appreciate you.
