Matt Terrill: Marco Rubio's former Chief of Staff on Rubio being appointed Donald Trump's new Secretary of State

Donald Trump is continuing to appoint high-profile Republicans to his team.

The president-elect is making former 2016 rival, Senator Marco Rubio, his Secretary of State.

His former Chief of Staff, Matt Terrill, says he'll lean into negotiations with Trump. 

"On the foreign policy front - Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Iran - those are going to be key themes and key issues that are going to pop up here."

Congressman Matt Gaetz has been nominated Attorney General - and Elon Musk will co-lead an agency on Government efficiencies with Vivek Ramaswamy.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now Donald Trump, he is carrying on with his appointment Blitz.
At the moment he's confirmed, he wants to make the
Florida Senator Marco Rubio the new Secretary of State. Our
own foreign Minister Winston Peters has immediately tweeted his congratulations.
In response. Republican strategist Matt Terrell was Marco Rubio's chief
of staff. Matt, welcome back.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hey, great to be with you. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Now, Matt, tell me, you obviously know Marco Rubio. So
what's his position on Ukraine? Is he going to look
for a settlement there?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, look, first of all, I think he's a great
pick and great choice for Secretary of State. This is
certainly someone's well qualified for the position. And to your question, look, ultimately,
I think it's going be up to President like Trump
in terms of what the position will be of the administration.
You know, when you go into these positions in a cabinet,
in an administration, it's really joining the agenda of the

(00:52):
president United States, or as you say, in this case,
the incoming president United States. So look to that end,
I can tell you this much. President like Trump has
been out there discussing the importance of really negotiation right now,
bringing people to the negotiation table, particularly relates to Ukraine
and Russia. Beyond that, I think we're just have to
wait and see, frankly, once President like Trump takes office

(01:14):
to see how that really all takes shape. But my
good tells me President like Trump is working down in
Florida day in and day out to try to put
the pieces together of what that will look like, particularly
relates to Ukraine and Russia, and how much of that
maps with what Center Rubio said in the past on
the issue. He has brought up that negotiation with respect
to Ukraine in Russia as being really the path, as

(01:35):
many have argued, particularly the Republican side, if you will,
as the path for ending that conflict. So we'll see
how that all unfolds. But as these cabinet selections was
for secretary of State or other positions, you really are
joining the agenda of now President like Trump and soon
to be President Trump.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, also quite strongly in favor of Taiwan. So does
that suggest that we're China to make a move now
quite unlikely, I would say, under a tree on presidency.
But were they to make a move on Taiwan. These
two would very strongly want to defend Taiwan.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, look, I think at the end of the day,
we'ret to ask that question of the administration coming in here,
but I think to answer your question or broadly, not
just about Taiwan, but just in general here, I do
think one of the big themes that was interesting to
note that then candidate Trump during the campaigns where I
was highlighting, really was not wanting to start any new
wars and really trying to ensure that that does not

(02:29):
take place. And frankly, he campaigned on peace. So to
to that end, I think you're likely going to see
President like Trump once he sworn in, and frankly, you know,
the Secretary of State and other key individuals that within
his foreign policy team really lean in a negotiation and
trying to ensure that there are no new conflicts around
the world. So, whether that's related to Taiwan, whether it's

(02:51):
related to you know, the Middle East policy, whether it's
related to Ukraine and Russia Iran, you know, these are
all going to be on the table here in terms
of discussions on foreign policy front. I think you're looking
to see him, being President elect Trump really leaned in negotiation,
and I think you're going to see his cabinet picks
Frankly do the same.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
How do you reckon these two being Marco Rubio and
Donald Trump would likely want to end the war involving Israel.
Would would they be of a mind to force Israel
to just give it up and stop what they're doing,
or would they be more inclined to tell Israel go ahead,
have a crackit Iran and ended that way.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah, I hate to be redundant, but I do think
we're have to wait and see on that one. I
see that because we don't have a whole lot of
details yet on that. You know, during the campaign, Trill,
it was domestic issues that really dominated the race. It
was the economy, inflation, boris kit and so when we
did talk about the foreign policy issues such as you know,
Middle East, pousy or Israel or Ukraine and Russia, he

(03:50):
was president like Trump talking about negotiation, talk about whting
to end these wars, you know, once he gets in office,
Frankly saying he would end them the first day he's
in office. You know, it's it's important that to be
mindful of that of that kind of discussion on the
campaign trail. The real question, but you know, the American
peoplen have now is okay, once he's sworn in, what

(04:10):
is President Trump going to do? And I do think
it's going to be him right now in this transition
period trying to put those pieces together. My gut tells
me he is having discussions with key people on the
foreign policy stage. That's just I don't have that information,
but I'm just telling you that's my assumption that he's
trying to get ahead of this because you know, as
a president, time is your most valuable asset. You have

(04:31):
so much time, and when it comes into entering the
first one hundred days for example, of his administration, domestications
are gonna be key. But on the foreign policy front, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Iran,
those are gonna be key. Key themes and key issues
are going to pop up here. So I don't think
we have enough yet to say what he will do
to answer your question, except for I think he's going

(04:53):
to My gut tells me lean into negotiation and try
to end wars and not start new wars by bringing
leaders in negotiation table. We saw him do that for
example with North Korea in his first term going out
and meeting with the leader of North Korea. So I
think a lot of Americans will point to that and
remember those kind of situations where he's at the negotiation table.
We'll see what they shape here.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Any good stuff. Matt, listen, thanks very much for giving
us as much insight as you were able to. That's
Matt Terrell, who's the Republican strategist former chief of staff
to Marco Rubius. For more from Hither Duplessye, Allen Drive
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