Politics

Marco Rubio wants State Department to be ‘centerpiece’ of all foreign relations conversations

Published

1 week ago

January 21, 2025

In his first remarks before his new agency, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told State Department employees the agency must always put America first.

“In our republic, the voters decide the course of our nation, both domestically and abroad, and they have elected Donald J Trump as our President — when it comes to foreign policy on a very clear mission,” Rubio said in a speech to employees.

“And that mission is to ensure that our foreign policy is centered on one thing, and that is the advancement of our national interest, which they have clearly defined through his campaign, as anything that makes us stronger or safer or more prosperous.”

The Senate unanimously confirmed Rubio as the nation’s new Secretary of State on Monday, hours after Trump’s inauguration. Vice President JD Vance ceremoniously swore in the former U.S. Senator as the Cabinet member on Tuesday morning, where Rubio gave a similar summation of Trump’s agenda.

When it came to the State Department employees, he did strike a decisively more nurturing tone, stressing the importance of maintaining a healthy home life even with work that requires travel overseas.

He offered high praise to the professionals working at the State Department, including those working in areas of the world “more tenuous and dangerous” than the institutions of Washington. He also made special note of foreign nationals working as employed staff at embassies around the globe.

“This is an extraordinary honor and a privilege to serve in this role,” Rubio said, “to be here, frankly, to oversee the greatest, the most effective, the most talented, the most experienced diplomatic corps in the history of the world resides in this building.”

Of note, Rubio as a member of the Senate Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committees often had tense interactions with Democratic Secretaries of State, including predecessor Antony Blinken, who expressed worry to The Associated Press about how the agency will continue its work under Trump.

For his part, Rubio said he will come into the job aware he plays a different role as the nation’s top diplomat than he did as Florida’s senior Senator.

“I’ve interacted with many of you, both in my travels abroad and in our daily functions,” Rubio said. “My job now is different, and our job, in some ways, will be different.”

Of note, leaders in the State Department at the event offered welcoming words and praised Rubio’s experience in foreign policy. A speaker made special note of Rubio’s own visit to Colombia in 2019, when Rubio visited the Simon Bolivar Bridge on the border with Venezuela and urged soldiers to allow humanitarian aid to reach people there.

Rubio made that trip with U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican who once served with the now-Secretary of State in the Florida Legislature. Rubio gave the dean of Florida’s congressional delegation a special shoutout in his speech recalling their personal history.

Rubio also noted that U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat who also served in Florida’s Legislature, attended the speech, as did U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican now chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rubio jokingly urged the lawmakers to support coming appropriations requests, but also promised a partnership between the agency and Congress.

Above all, he said he wanted the State Department to be forward-looking and central to decision-making overseas.

“I have watched from the congressional side from time to time, administrations in both parties in which sometimes the Department of State has been sort of relegated to a secondary role,” Rubio said, “because some other agency can move faster or seems to be bolder or more creative. It’s not your fault, but we’re going to change that. We want to be at the centerpiece. We want to be at the core of how we formulate foreign policy, because we’re going to have the best ideas of any agency, and because we’re going to execute it better and faster and more effectively than any other agency in our government.”

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Disney World’s government settles ride evacuation injury lawsuit for $50K

Published

3 minutes ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

Walt Disney World’s government has settled a lawsuit after a boy was injured during a ride evacuation in 2021 at the Magic Kingdom, records show.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District agreed to pay the boy’s grandfather, Richard McNamara, $50,000 and did not admit any liability for the incident, according to the terms of settlement. Both sides agreed to pay their own legal expenses.

CFTOD, formerly known as Reedy Creek Improvement District, released the settlement this week following a Florida Politics records request made late last year.

The boy, originally from Alabama, had gone through a lot in his 12 years before he came to Orlando on vacation in March 2021.

His teenager brother shot and killed their father before shooting the boy, paralyzing him from the waist down, according to media reports.

An organization that helps children in need provided the boy with a trip to Disney World.

It was on that vacation when the boy rode the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a popular roller coaster based on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” when the coaster broke down.

“When the first responders attempted to lift (the boy) to remove him from the ride, they over-extended his leg, snapping his right femur at the knee,” the lawsuit said.

The family sued in 2022 for a claim of more than $100,000.

The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed last year after the two sides reached a settlement.

McNamara’s attorney, the boy’s attorney and CFTOD either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

At the time, Disney did not disclose the boy’s injury on the state theme park injury report released every quarter by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Theme parks face little regulation when it comes to disclosing juries to the public. Theme parks are only required to disclose injuries if people are hurt on a ride and require at least 24-hours of hospitalization.

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Scott Franklin to head House Environment Subcommittee

Published

3 hours ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

Another Florida lawmaker will have a gavel for one of the U.S. House science subcommittees

U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, will chair the House Environment Subcommittee.

House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chair Brian Babin, a Texas Republican, picked the Florida lawmaker for his expertise in the fields and the role the subcommittee would play on policy affecting the Sunshine State.

“I’m excited about our SST Committee assignments for this Congress,” Babin said. “The valuable expertise and diverse backgrounds that each member brings will be instrumental in strengthening U.S. leadership and competitiveness in science, space, and technology. We have a full agenda ahead that will prioritize advancing critical scientific research, fostering technological innovation, leading the world in space exploration, addressing regulatory burdens across industries, and more. Through our shared efforts, I am confident we can achieve our objectives and drive meaningful progress in our scientific endeavors. Let’s get to work!”

Franklin said he was enthusiastic about the assignment.

“I’m eager to tackle environmental research related to weather forecasting and ensuring disaster readiness,” Franklin said. “I thank Chairman Babin for this opportunity and look forward to advancing America First policy priorities to remain at the forefront of innovation and boost job growth.”

Babin praised Franklin’s conservative record on business issues.

“I’m confident Congressman Franklin will provide strong leadership for our Environment Subcommittee this Congress,” Babin said. “He has been a steadfast advocate against burdensome government regulations that stifle innovation and fail to address states’ needs. His perspective will be critical as we consider key weather legislation in the months ahead. I look forward to working with him to advance commonsense environmental policies and legislation.”

The same day, Babin assigned Rep. Mike Haridopolos, an Indian Harbor Beach Republican, to head the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommitee.

“Since the earliest days of our space program, Florida’s Space Coast has been the launchpad for America’s journey to the stars,” Haridopolos said. “From the Apollo missions that first carried Americans to the Moon to today’s groundbreaking private sector launches, our skies have always been at the forefront of space exploration. Space is central to our district’s identity and economy, providing countless high-paying jobs and opportunities.”

He praised Haridopolos’ knowledge of the Space Program.

“Over the past several years, the SST Committee has diligently worked to support and advance our nation’s space endeavors,” Babin said. “As the representative of Florida’s Space Coast, the Congressman brings valuable expertise and leadership that will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to keep America at the forefront of exploration and development. I am excited to work alongside him to propel our space agenda forward.”

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Disney plans to convert Star Wars hotel into Imagineers’ offices

Published

4 hours ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

It’s going to be an office far, far, away.

Disney World is converting the shuttered Star Wars hotel into office space for the famous Imagineers who will be designing new lands and projects at the theme parks.

The hotel’s update was reported by The Wrap and confirmed by other media outlets.

Disney closed the hotel September 2023 less than two years after it opened. The company had said it took a $300 million tax write off for shutting down the hotel after it reportedly had low occupancy.

At the hotel near Hollywood Studios, guests who were willing to pay nearly $5,000 for a two-night stay could pretend to be in their own Star Wars story at the hotel. Lightsabers included.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms,” Disney said in a statement when it announced it was closing.

Why did it fail?

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson explained the list of reasons in a four-hour video called “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” which captured 11 million views. The cost, the marketing, and not fully embracing the cosplay concept all likely hurt the hotel, she said.

The Wrap reported Disney had been considering using the empty hotel for a dinner theater-type experience but Disney ultimately settled on keeping the space closed to the public.

The Imagineers’ new office space comes as Disney World is starting a major expansion across several of its Orlando theme parks. Disney plans to build a Villains land and add “Cars” attractions at the Magic Kingdom as well as “Encanto” and Indiana Jones to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and “A Monsters, Inc.” land at Hollywood Studios. Disney is closing several longtime attractions in the process.