(AFP) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a rare appearance Tuesday alongside President Donald Trump on the midterms campaign trail, visiting an oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude just days before the crucial vote. Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are widely viewed as top contenders to carry the Republican Party into its post-Trump era in the 2028 election.
But while Vance has been crisscrossing the country in recent weeks to rally support ahead of the November 3 polls, it is very unusual for the top US diplomat to engage in such domestic political trips. On Tuesday, Trump called Rubio on stage at his campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, remarking: “He’s so popular.” “We love Marco,” he added, beckoning Rubio to join him at the podium as the crowd chanted Rubio’s name.
A State Department official said Rubio was travelling with Trump in his capacity as National Security Advisor. He is the first person to hold both key foreign policy jobs since Henry Kissinger. “He needs time with the President on all kinds of issues. The president will be on the go, so being on the plane with him gives (Rubio) a chance to talk to him about these items,” the US official added on condition of anonymity. While the official did not elaborate on the nature of these issues, their comments come against the backdrop of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine — as well as elections in Israel and the upcoming vote in the United States.
Rubio, who made a run for president in the 2016 election, has yet to say if he would throw his hat in the ring again in 2028. Trump remains a dominant figure in the Republican party, and the 80-year-old has yet to endorse a successor. Until now, Rubio, the first Hispanic and first fluent Spanish speaker to be the top US diplomat, has steered clear of the campaign trail. He has instead focused on a series of international trips — including visits to Uzbekistan and India last week. He is also set to host a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday and Saturday.
– Venezuelan oil – Trump and Rubio’s showcasing of an oil tanker carrying one million barrels of Venezuelan crude comes as affordability remains a top worry for American households grappling with steeper costs of gasoline and other goods. The oil, Trump said, is set to be processed at Texas refineries.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have warmed after the United States toppled longtime leader Nicolas Maduro in a military operation in January. Maduro’s vice president Delcy Rodriguez took power after his ouster and has been complying with Trump’s demands for Caracas to open its energy industry to American companies. Trump is hoping this showcase of supply from Venezuela will bolster support from voters, vowing that gasoline and diesel costs will soon cool.
Global oil prices have surged since US-Israel strikes targeting Iran in late February triggered Tehran’s retaliation in blocking off a key route of energy transit, the Strait of Hormuz. This has translated into higher costs at the gasoline pump and sparked a surge in transportation fees for businesses, threatening further spillover into consumer prices. Republicans are wary that voter anger over inflation, stoked by Trump’s launch of war on Iran, could trigger a “blue wave” of Democrats winning in the midterms.
The US leader has since been working to rally loyal supporters who often stay home when he is not on the ballot, as Republicans push to retain control of both chambers of Congress. Trump has held near-daily rallies across the country over the past month. His third visit to Texas in the past month reflects Republican concerns, as polls show a close senate race in a state that has stayed solidly Republican for more than 30 years.
– Kent NISHIMURA with Beiyi SEOW in Washington
© 2024 AFP
