Trump taps Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard, setting showdown on US role

US PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated traditional hawk Marco Rubio as secretary of state and contrarian non-interventionist Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence chief, setting a showdown on his administration's direction.

Trump went ahead with the nomination of Rubio, which had been reported for days, despite pushback from some supporters including those close to Gabbard, who before the election had described the senator as part of the "neocon warmongering establishment."

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants to Miami and vociferous opponent of Latin American communists, China and Iran, would be the first Hispanic as the top US diplomat, generally considered the most prestigious cabinet post.

Trump, who clashed bitterly with Rubio for the presidential nomination in 2016, said in a statement nominating him: "Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom."

"He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries," Trump said.

Rubio said in a statement that he will work with Trump "every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda."

"Under the leadership of President Trump, we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else," Rubio said in a statement.

Rubio, 53, once seen as a moderate Republican who backed a more humane immigration system, has made clear he will stay in line with Trump, who has vowed unprecedented mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Rubio backed strong pressure on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine but has recently sided with Trump in calling the war a "stalemate" and backing a settlement.

His nomination came after Trump agreed following pressure from his supporters not to bring back Mike Pompeo, secretary of state in his first term, or Nikki Haley, who was US ambassador to the United Nations, due to their hawkish stances.

Outsider Gabbard

Gabbard, a former Democrat who campaigned across the country with Trump, has long taken positions outside the Washington establishment, which she has accused of starting wars for its own benefit.

Gabbard publicly doubted the intelligence community which she is now named to head after it concluded that Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad carried out a chemical attack that killed dozens.

Gabbard went to Syria to meet Assad, saying she was seeking peace. She also publicly criticised Trump in his first term for ordering a strike in Baghdad that killed top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani, saying Trump carried out an "illegal and unconstitutional act of war."

Gabbard, 43, who was deployed as a soldier to Iraq, ran as a Democrat for the presidential nomination in 2020 and held liberal positions on issues such as climate change and marijuana regulations.

Hillary Clinton at the time called her a "Russian asset." Gabbard voiced outrage, with Clinton's office later explaining that the former candidate meant that Moscow was boosting Gabbard to siphon votes from more traditional Democrats.

Trump said in a statement nominating her: "I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength."

Hinduism

Tulsi's father, born in American Samoa, continues to serve in the Hawaii State Senate. Her mother, born on the US mainland, embraced Hinduism and raised her children in the tradition.

Gabbard is a lifelong vegetarian and swore her oath to enter Congress on the Bhagavad Gita.

Gabbard got married in a Hindu ceremony to a Hawaii-based cinematographer, Abraham Williams, who met her while shooting her campaign advertisements and proposed to her while surfing in the sunset.

Her outspoken embrace of India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has alienated her from some of her left-wing supporters.

Trump, who frequently fired aides in his first term, has also had picked outside the mainstream for attorney general and defense secretary, tapping veteran and Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon.

Mike Waltz, a Florida congressman considered a traditional hawk, was named national security advisor, meaning he will be tasked with finding harmony among the different visions and personalities.

The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden has been remarkably free of clashes, with top national security advisers known for their personal chemistry. (AFP)