Rubio Defends “America First” Foreign Policy in Exclusive Interview

Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave an exclusive interview to Breitbart News in which he defended President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign-policy approach. Rubio argued that U.S. foreign policy must prioritize what is “good for America” and that this priority is compatible with the interests of many allies. He challenged critics to propose a viable alternative that would place the United States second, third, or last in the international hierarchy.

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President Trump’s recent address to the United Nations General Assembly emphasized using American power to advance U.S. interests. Rubio framed the president’s remarks as “common sense” and said the administration intends to apply the same logic across all diplomatic engagements.

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Rubio repeatedly stressed that prioritizing American interests does not mean abandoning allies or international cooperation. He said the United States will “work on it with diplomacy” when its goals diverge from those of partner nations. According to Rubio, abandoning the approach would reduce the United States to a “middle power” rather than a global superpower.

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• “I know that people in the media, not this media but other media, like to criticize the term ‘America First’ as some sort of evil thing,” — State Marco Rubio

Breitbart

• “So I think the president’s basically saying common sense, which is our foreign policy and what we do around the world, is going to be driven by what’s good for America,” — State Marco Rubio

Breitbart

• “It’s what it is, and I think what the president is saying is that we as a country — with the largest economy in the world, the most powerful military in the world, the most influential culture in the world — we are going to use all the elements of American power to further the interest of the United States, which we believe also furthers the interest of our allies and the broader world,” — State Marco Rubio

Breitbart

Rubio’s articulation of “America First” suggests a shift in how the United States will interact with multilateral institutions. He indicated that the U.S. will place its national interests “before the UN” and “before the global commons,” while still engaging in diplomatic management of disagreements. —to the benefits of allies, Rubio presents the policy as mutually advantageous rather than isolationist.

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• July 22 2026 (occurred) – Rubio appears in a group photo with ASEAN foreign ministers during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila.

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• July 31 2026 (occurred) – Rubio attends a Cabinet meeting with President Trump at Camp David.

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• August 7 2026 (occurred) – Rubio listens as President Trump speaks at a State Department roundtable on the American mining industry.

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