Rubio Defends Aid Cuts, Insists That US Is Not Withdrawing From World

Congressional Hearing Turns Into Shouting Exchange Between Former Colleagues

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WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 20 insisted that the United States is not withdrawing from the world, as he batted away criticism towards cuts to aid and diplomatic budgets from former colleagues in Congress, some of whom regret voting to confirm him because he has not stood up to President Donald Trump.

In his sometimes feisty first testimony as the country's top diplomat, Mr. Rubio was challenged over his role in the administration's crackdown on immigration, Mr. Trump's engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the decision to prioritize the resettlement in the US of white South Africans over refugees from elsewhere.

Mr. Rubio said the intent of the changes he is overseeing is "not to dismantle American foreign policy, and it is not to withdraw us from the world," citing his traveling schedule since taking office.

"I just hit 18 countries in 18 weeks," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "That doesn't sound like much of a withdrawal."

Mr. Trump's administration has blocked mostly non-white refugee admissions from the rest of the world but has begun to resettle Afrikaners, the descendants of mostly Dutch settlers in South Africa, saying they faced discrimination and even genocide. The South African government denies the allegation of genocide.