New York, September 24, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a Fox and Friends interview on September 23, previewed President Trump's UN General Assembly address, emphasizing a "peace through strength" message and challenging the UN's relevance amid failures in Ukraine, Gaza, and Haiti. Rubio criticized the organization for inaction and wasteful spending, urging it to fulfill its potential.
Responding to Turkish President Erdogan's critique, Rubio defended Trump as the "indispensable leader" for brokering peace, citing successes in conflicts like DRC-Rwanda, Azerbaijan-Armenia, Thailand-Cambodia, and India-Pakistan. He dismissed a reported Hamas letter proposing a 60-day pause for half the hostages, insisting on immediate release of all 48 hostages.
Rubio warned Hamas of Israel's advance into Gaza City, hoping for surrender to enable rebuilding. He addressed allies' recognition of a Palestinian state as "irrelevant" and driven by domestic politics, not advancing negotiations. On refugees, he noted countries' private refusals due to capacity limits.
Regarding Russian incursions into NATO airspace, Rubio affirmed NATO's responses, including intercepts, and praised the recent summit while urging Europe to sanction Russian energy imports. He also reflected personally on Charlie Kirk's death, highlighting his faith and wisdom.