Trump's mainstream picks for top foreign policy posts could reassure allies — and worry China
China watchers know Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz as “the Florida faction” in foreign policy — two Florida lawmakers who share especially tough positions on China
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is famously unconventional, but he made conventional picks for his two top foreign policy positions. That could be reassuring to American allies, while China and Iran have reasons to be wary.
Trump on Wednesday announced his choice of Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state. Two days earlier, he picked Rep. Mike Waltz for national security adviser.
Both men share Trump's hard-line stance on China and Iran. They have shown themselves willing to adapt their foreign-policy positions to echo aspects of Trump’s more isolationist “America First” approach — a requirement for anyone serving under a president who demands absolute loyalty.
But both are fairly mainstream conservatives with foreign policy experience who have previously differed with Trump on Russia, NATO and other issues.
