One President At A Time: Blinken Holds The Line As Rubio’s Diplomatic Era Nears

As the U.S. teeters on the edge of a possible foreign policy shift following Donald Trump’s election victory, the question posed to the State Department by The Pavlovic Today—What foreign policy changes do you expect—and hope to avoid—once Rubio becomes Secretary of State?—captures both Washington’s unease and the world’s curiosity. One wonders, is there anything Blinken believes Rubio should “stay the course” on?

The extent of the foreign policy shift could be significant, emerging amidst conflicts that no serious nation can afford to ignore, with the war in Ukraine dragging on and the Middle East embroiled in turmoil. Now, as Senator Marco Rubio prepares to replace Secretary Blinken, we are left to wonder whether his approach will maintain some continuity or signal the arrival of “America First” 2.0.

In response to The Pavlovic Today, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized the current administration’s commitment to continuity, stating, “There is one president at a time, and there’s one secretary of state at a time.” His message was clear: official policies will remain in place until Rubio formally assumes office.

“The kinds of foreign policy and national security objectives the incoming administration may or may not pursue, you can certainly ask them about after 12 p.m. on Jan. 20, assuming they continue to hold daily press briefings,” said Patel. “Until then, President Biden is president, Secretary Blinken is secretary. Matt and I are here doing the daily press briefings, and we’re happy to discuss the initiatives we’re continuing to pursue over these final days in the administration, which we’ve covered at length,” Patel added.

It is worth noting that during the previous Trump administration, the State Department abandoned regular press briefings entirely, leaving diplomatic correspondents in what some described as a “nightmare” situation to cover the beat. The hope now is that Rubio will maintain the practice of regular briefings, ensuring a steady flow of communication and transparency.

Yet Patel’s steady insistence on business-as-usual does little to quell the question ticking at the heart of diplomatic circles worldwide. Rubio’s ascent raises questions over key issues such as U.S.-China relations, the crisis in Ukraine, and the future of American alliances. While Rubio’s formal transition awaits an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the outgoing and incoming administrations, procedural delays underscore the complexity of transferring the reins of U.S. foreign policy. Until this MOU is inked, Blinken cannot meet with Rubio to guide him through the ropes of global diplomacy.

Patel assured, however, that “appropriate engagement between Secretary Blinken, Senator Rubio, and their respective teams” would commence as soon as MOU paperwork is finalized.

As the official transition approaches, the world is waiting to see if Rubio will build on Blinken’s legacy or chart a new course. But The Pavlovic Today’s question remains: What foreign policy changes do we expect—and hope to avoid—as Rubio steps into the role of Secretary of State? We’ll be watching closely.

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