Atlanta, Oct 31 — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that a change in control of Congress would not alter President Donald Trump’s foreign policy directives, while acknowledging lawmakers’ authority over funding and oversight.
Speaking at the conclusion of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, Rubio rejected the premise that the outcome of the congressional elections was already settled.
“Well, first of all, we haven't had an election yet. So we don't know what Congress will look like.”
A reporter had asked whether his job would become more difficult in January if he had to deal with a Democratic Congress. Rubio said divided government was a familiar feature of the American political system and would not change the president’s responsibilities.
“It won't influence or change the President's directives in terms of what he was elected to do.”
Rubio argued that the executive branch largely directs foreign policy. Congress, he said, has an important but different role, particularly in providing money and scrutinising administration decisions.
“Now, Congress has a role to play, primarily in the funding and the appropriations and in the oversight function.”
Drawing on his Senate career, Rubio said he had experienced those divisions of responsibility from both sides. He had served in the majority and minority, and under both Republican and Democratic presidents.
That experience, he said, had taught him the limits of congressional influence over the conduct of foreign affairs, even when lawmakers disagreed with an administration.
“And, to my great frustration when I was a member of the Senate, I realised that while there are things we can do, ultimately the foreign policy decisions are made by the executive branch.”
Rubio said legislative oversight and funding decisions were normal parts of the system, including when different parties controlled the White House and Congress.
Administrations had operated under such arrangements before, he said, citing former President Barack Obama’s experience with a Republican congressional majority.
“And Congress plays a role. There's no doubt about it. But the central role belongs to the executive branch is something I learned when I was in the legislative branch, and it's something I know now.”
He closed the exchange without predicting the election result, saying the administration would see how events developed.
On Iran, he declined to announce further military action and said decisions rested with the president. He also said Trump would decide whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should attend the G20 summit in Florida.
Rubio described the Atlanta meeting’s economic emphasis as another presidential directive. He said Trump wanted the forum to concentrate on energy, technology, supply chains and other issues central to its economic purpose.