Secretary of State Marco Rubio got into a verbal sparring match with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) as Rubio delivered testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee defending President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Van Hollen ripped into Rubio for a mind-blowing seven minutes over his handling of several issues, including freezing humanitarian funds to Sudan and deportations to El Salvador.
“You and I served together in Congress for 15 years,” Van Hollen stated in a viral video clip circulating on social media. “We didn’t always agree, but I believe we shared some common values — a belief in defending democracy and human rights abroad and honoring the Constitution at home. That’s why I voted to confirm you. I believed you would stand up for those principles. You haven’t. You’ve done the opposite.”
The Maryland Democrat added, “You used to speak with conviction about the importance of foreign aid as a tool to advance American values and interests. Then you stood by while Elon Musk took a chainsaw to USAID and other assistance programs.” He then told Rubio, “I have to tell you directly and personally that I regret voting for you as secretary of state.”
According to CBS News, Rubio responded to Van Hollen’s rant by saying that the senator’s regret “confirms I’m doing a good job.” Van Hollen then turned the conversation to the deportation debacle involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was allegedly mistakenly deported by the Trump administration during the beginning stages of its push to enforce immigration law.
“The Supreme Court, in a 9-0 decision, instructed you to facilitate the return to the United States of Abrego Garcia, who the administration admitted was wrongfully deported to El Salvador,” Sen. Van Hollen stated during the hearing. “Your response, you have openly flouted judicial orders. When asked whether you had been in touch with El Salvador to return Abrego Garcia, you boasted, ‘I would never tell you that, and you know who else I would never tell, a judge.'”
Rubio replied, “No judge in the judicial branch can tell me or the president how to conduct foreign policy.” The secretary of state then pulled out the big guns, ridiculing the senator for taking a trip to El Salvador to visit Abrego Garcia. “We deported gang members, gang members, including the one you had a margarita with,” Rubio said. “And that guy is a human trafficker, and that guy is a gang banger.”
Van Hollen, growing red in the face, interjected, “Mr. Chairman, he can’t make unsubstantiated claims like that!” Users on social media had strong opinions on the exchange, with one individual expressing frustration over the constant bickering from both sides, slamming them for forgetting who it is they actually work for: the American people.
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“This damned immature arguing is getting old. The majority of Congress needs to be fired. You seldom work together for your EMPLOYERS. Remember who they are? I am so sick and tired of this BS. Go Rubio. You tell him, Mr. Secretary, you’re the man. He’s a liberal leftist no good too face,” the user wrote. Another replied to the viral video clip, “Marco is THE MAN! Keep up the great work!”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video