Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened his year-end press briefing on December 19, 2025, by reaffirming that U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration is grounded in a single guiding principle: advancing America’s national interests.

“The core principle behind our foreign policy needs to be our national interests,” Rubio said. “We are in favor of foreign policies that will make America safer, or stronger, or more prosperous — hopefully all three, but at least one of those.”

Rubio’s remarks underscored the administration’s broader “America First” doctrine, emphasizing that diplomatic engagement, security commitments, and international agreements must deliver tangible benefits to the United States. He framed the approach as a corrective to what he described as years of foreign policy decisions that prioritized global ambitions over domestic outcomes.

During the briefing, Rubio outlined an ongoing reorganization within the State Department designed to better align resources with strategic priorities. The restructuring focuses on allocating personnel and funding based on geographic importance and issue-specific challenges, including great-power competition, counterterrorism, energy security, and economic diplomacy.

Despite the emphasis on national interest, Rubio stressed that the United States remains actively engaged on the world stage. He pointed to the administration’s role as a mediator and stabilizing force in ongoing conflicts, including efforts related to Ukraine and the Middle East, and highlighted the Abraham Accords as a model for pragmatic diplomacy that advances both regional stability and U.S. strategic goals.

Rubio concluded by signaling that U.S. foreign policy will continue to favor realism over ideology, with success measured not by international approval but by concrete improvements to American security, strength, and prosperity.