Marco Rubio confronts NBC 'Today' host over Trump's January 6th pardon decisions.
Nearly all Jan. 6 defendants were pardoned by Trump on the day of his inauguration.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a heated conversation with NBC's "Today" show host about President Trump's recent pardons.
NBC promptly aired a 2021 video of Rubio criticizing the January 6th assault on the Capitol.
"At the time, Vladimir Putin stated that he loved everything that occurred because it was better than anything he could have imagined to make us appear as if we were falling apart," he said.
What message do the pardons send to the rest of the world, as asked by NBC host Craig Melvin after the video ended?
Rubio stated that he would not participate in domestic political debates with the media due to his position as the head of the State Department.
He stated that he would prioritize international affairs over domestic politics while working at the Department of State, as he aimed to make the United States a safer, stronger, and more prosperous nation through global engagements.
Rubio was questioned by Melvin about the pardons, specifically if the decision by Trump would motivate the released defendants to plan another attack.
"Rubio stated that it was unfortunate that their first engagement as he agreed to come on this morning with him would be about revisiting domestic politics issues while he was going to work on foreign policy. He added that it wouldn't happen, but if the person had questions about foreign policy and engaging in the world, he would be happy to discuss them."
When questioned about the pardons on "CBS Mornings" and "Good Morning America," Rubio emphasized his "unique" emphasis on foreign policy.
Nearly all Jan. 6 defendants were pardoned by Trump on Monday night, fulfilling his promise to sign an executive order on the matter during his inaugural parade.
Trump signed off on releasing over 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The order directs the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act promptly upon receiving the pardons.
Planet Chronicle' Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
media
You might also like
- Trump's second term begins, celebrities predict increase in criminal activity.
- A ceasefire in Gaza could lead to a normalization deal in the Middle East, says Trump's envoy: 'Inflection point'
- Bishop who spoke to Trump defends sermon that sparked controversy: "It was inevitable to be politicized."
- Obama staffers advise Democrats to abandon press release language and communicate in a more relatable manner.
- Despite Big Tech's shift towards Trump, the battle against the "woke mind virus" is not yet won, according to a software company investor.