New York, September 24, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with NBC's Craig Melvin on September 23, outlined the administration's foreign policy priorities amid UN General Assembly discussions.
On the Israel-Hamas conflict, Rubio stressed that true peace requires Hamas's elimination, immediate hostage release, and international aid to rebuild Gaza, dismissing U.S. isolation concerns over Palestinian state recognition as irrelevant to resolving the issue.
Regarding Ukraine, he noted escalated Russian attacks post-Alaska summit, potential new U.S. sanctions if diplomacy fails, and urged Europe to curb Russian energy purchases. Rubio defended President Trump's efforts to end the inherited war, emphasizing U.S. mediation role.
Rubio also addressed a emerging TikTok deal framework to mitigate Chinese data theft and algorithm manipulation risks, involving key U.S. officials. He rejected worries about U.S. political violence harming global reputation, highlighting America's influential role in resolving international conflicts like those in Thailand-Cambodia and India-Pakistan.