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Rubio hunts for Trump legacy items

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▪ Rubio takes leading role on Trump legacy items

▪ Democrats strategize for State of the Union

▪ Colbert doubles down amid CBS turmoil

▪ Zuckerberg set to testify in landmark trial

Marco Rubio keeps having his moments.

The secretary of State has been a key figure in a second Trump administration heavily focused on foreign policy. That has placed Rubio as a standard-bearer of President Trump’s legacy in what will be his boss’s final term as commander in chief.

That was on display most recently with Rubio’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference last weekend and his subsequent multicountry trip in Europe.

Rubio received widespread attention and praise from international leaders during his address at the conference. He struck a balance between reiterating the administration’s policies and views on the threats facing Europe and reassuring the U.S.’s European allies that the country wants to work together.

It was a welcome message for European leaders and a stark contrast from the speech Vice President Vance gave to the conference last year, when he spoke about the “threat from within,” criticizing mass migration and accusing Europeans of suppressing free speech.

Vance’s speech got a cool reception from European leaders who said they felt lectured. Meanwhile, Rubio received a standing ovation.

“We do not need to abandon the system of international cooperation we authored, and we don’t need to dismantle the global institutions of the old order that together we built,” Rubio said. “But these must be reformed. These must be rebuilt.”

The acclaim Rubio has received is giving some momentum to the possibility of him becoming Trump’s heir apparent in the 2028 presidential race, The Hill’s Julia Mueller and Amie Parnes report. Trump praised both Vance and Rubio in comments Monday and applauded Rubio’s speech, but he declined to weigh in on whom he may support as his successor.

Vance denied the idea that he has any “conflict” with Rubio amid the speculation both are eyeing presidential runs in 2028. He was asked during an interview with Fox News whether he wants to run for president and said he is focused on his current job.

He also weighed in on the Iran talks Tuesday — asserting himself in discussion of a major foreign policy matter.

Rubio continued his European trip with visits to Slovakia and Hungary in recent days, keeping close relations with both countries’ pro-Trump leaders.

These are all within the traditional responsibilities of the secretary of State, but the president’s concentration on foreign policy has made Rubio the tip of the spear in trying to reach deals and notch achievements that shore up Trump’s legacy.

One of the most high-profile moments of Trump’s second term came last month when the president addressed the stunning U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Rubio was among the few officials speaking alongside Trump and was in the room at Mar-a-Lago overseeing the raid as it unfolded. He’s also been key in the aftermath of the operation to form relations with acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

Rubio has stridently defended the operation against critics and on a few occasions talked down lawmakers who were considering throwing their support behind war powers resolutions to limit the president’s military authority. He did so by apparently having talks with key swing votes, assuring them the administration would seek congressional approval before sending troops into Venezuela.

Still, Rubio is not the only key member of the administration seeking to shore up Trump’s legacy on the world stage. Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have regularly taken part in negotiations on some of the most prominent and intense topics. They were in Geneva on Tuesday for talks with Iran on its nuclear program followed by discussions with Russia and Ukraine about their ongoing war.

While Rubio is the country’s chief diplomat, he’s taken a high-profile role in advancing Trump’s agenda closer to home too, including downsizing the department and shuttering USAID. His multiple titles are regularly joked about at major social gatherings and online.

The State Department’s webpage touting “diplomatic wins” from Trump’s first year back in office hits on a number of the items the president views as key to his legacy, including “halting mass illegal migration,” “securing peace around the world” and “getting Europe to pay more for defense.” It also touts some moves sure to ingratiate the secretary to the president, such as renaming the U.S. Institute of Peace after Trump.

“Marco continues to enhance himself both in Trump World and internationally,” GOP strategist Brian Seitchik told Mueller and Parnes.

“During the first Trump administration, and even during sort of those wilderness years, Marco wasn’t really a part of the MAGA world. He was always viewed somewhat through the prism of a former rival. … So he has really positioned himself well among Trump voters and enhanced his stature in the party,” he added.

While Rubio drew the most attention in Munich, plenty of other possible 2028 contenders were on hand looking to shore up their foreign policy credentials.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), coming off a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, also attended the conference, where he continued to pitch an alternative vision to that of the current administration.

“Well, I’m here in many respects to remind everyone that Trump is temporary,” he told CNN. “He’ll be gone in a matter of years. States like California are permanent. We’re reliable, stable partners.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also pushed back strongly against the administration but received attention for some stumbles she made on key foreign policy questions, including a question about U.S. policy regarding Taiwan.

Vance went after her for that slip-up, calling it “embarrassing.”

▪ CNN: Rubio seeks to export MAGA abroad. 

Smart Take with Blake Burman

Starting tonight, I’ll have lawmakers on my show to answer your questions directly in a new segment called Viewer’s Voice. If you have a question, ping our team here. The concept is simple: Our government represents all Americans, and it should work for you.

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) will be our debut lawmaker tonight ahead of Trump’s visit to his state tomorrow, and questions are already starting to come in. I’ve gone through many of the questions, and here’s what stood out to me right away: They reflect what we’ve been seeing in polls, as prices, immigration and foreign policy are among the top issues.

Hope you tune in tonight at 6p ET, and please send us your questions in advance! 

Burman hosts “The Hill” weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation.

3 Things to Know Today

Air Force One jets are expected to be repainted in Trump’s preferred colors of red, white, gold and dark blue. All Air Force One and Air Force Two aircraft currently feature a lighter blue and white design that’s been in use since the Kennedy administration.

Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) is facing calls to be censured or for his resignation over a social media post he made in which he said he would choose dogs over Muslims. It’s the latest comment from Fine that has stirred controversy.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) denied any interest in potentially replacing Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) in her Senate seat if she is elected governor, telling reporters he would “rather eat glass.”

DEMS’ STRATEGY: Eyes will be on congressional Democrats in addition to the president for Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress next week.

House Democrats are planning a variety of moves to demonstrate their opposition to the president during the speech in the midst of a standoff over immigration enforcement policies and the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), The Hill’s Sudiksha Kochi reports.

Kochi reports some Democrats are planning to skip the event, while others are planning to walk out midway through the speech and bring guests to underscore their arguments about the impacts of his policies. Still others haven’t made their plans clear.

Congressional addresses have become rowdy affairs in recent years. Former President Biden was heckled on multiple occasions during his presidency, while Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) shouted out at Trump during his address before Congress last year.

But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) seems to be trying to head that off in advance. Multiple outlets reported he advised members during a closed-door meeting last week to either attend the address in “silent defiance” or skip it entirely.

▪ USA Today: What to know ahead of Trump’s speech.

▪ Washington Examiner: GOP wants Trump to use optimistic tone.

▪ The Wall Street Journal: The Republican governor getting under Trump’s skin.

DHS TALKS: The White House signaled negotiators remain “pretty far apart” on reaching a deal to fund DHS after Democrats issued their counteroffer.

“In terms of the written offer that was transmitted from the Democrats, the parties are still pretty far apart,” a White House official told The Hill.

“The Administration remains interested in good faith conversations to end the Democrat shutdown before more Americans feel the impacts,” they continued. “But the Administration also remains committed to carrying out the President’s promise to enforce federal immigration law.”

Senate Democrats sent their counterproposal Monday night to the White House after rejecting the administration’s previous offer as “not serious.” The details of Democrats’ most recent proposal and the back-and-forth have been mostly unclear.

Most employees of DHS are still working, as they’re considered essential, but Wednesday marks the fifth day of the funding gap for the department. Congress remains out of session throughout the week, teeing up the shutdown to continue at least into next week. 

▪ The Hill: DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin leaving administration.

▪ NBC News: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s relationship with Coast Guard strained.

CBS HEADACHES MOUNT: The number of troubles facing CBS is rising with the latest controversy concerning “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert.

Colbert slammed CBS on his show Monday, accusing the network’s lawyers of telling him that he could not host Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.

The late-night host theorized Paramount, which owns CBS, didn’t want to upset Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr, who has expressed interest in eliminating the exemption to the agency’s “equal time” rule for late-night TV programs.

CBS denied preventing Colbert from airing an interview with Talarico, saying it only offered legal guidance that it could trigger equal time rules, which require programs to allow time for a candidate’s opponent, for two other candidates.

But the media outlet has received backlash from critics who accused CBS of censorship.

“This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration’s broader campaign to censor and control speech,” said FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat. “The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression.”

Colbert pushed back on CBS’s denial during his Tuesday night show, calling it “crap.” He said “every word” of his script from Monday was approved by CBS’s lawyers, who regularly approve every script of his show before it airs.

“In fact, between the monologue I did last night and before I did the second act talking about this issue, I had to go backstage. I got called backstage to get more notes from these lawyers — something that had never, ever happened before — and they told us the language they wanted me to use to describe that equal time exception,” Colbert said. “And I used that language. So, I don’t know what this is about.”

“I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network, I’ve never had one,” Colbert added.

This is the latest controversy concerning CBS in recent months. The organization and its owner Paramount have already faced scrutiny over the cancellation of Colbert’s program and its installation of controversial Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss to lead CBS News.

CBS is set to lose another high-profile figure as Anderson Cooper said Monday he would leave his longtime role as a contributor for “60 Minutes.” He said the decision was based on wanting to spend more time with family.

But his departure comes at a critical time for the network, when the spotlight is already on the company. CBS is also facing pressure over the ties between its contributor Peter Attia and Jeffrey Epstein, as revealed in the Epstein files.

ZUCKERBERG TESTIFIES: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify Wednesday in the landmark social media case over claims that his and other social media platforms were intentionally designed to be addicting for children.

The case began earlier this month against Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and Google’s YouTube, after TikTok and Snapchat reached settlements with the plaintiffs. It’s just the first in a series of trials against Meta, TikTok and YouTube set in the coming months.

Zuckerberg has previously testified before Congress on these accusations, but Wednesday will mark the first time he testifies before a jury on them, ABC News reported. The plaintiffs, a mother and daughter, argue the platforms led to the daughter’s struggles with anxiety, depression and body image issues, while Meta has pointed to the safeguards it has put in place for teen users.

The outcome of the trial is being seen as a bellwether of the future cases coming up.

NO MATCH: DNA from gloves found near the house of Nancy Guthrie didn’t yield any match in the FBI’s database, a major setback for investigators.

Officials had one of their best possible leads yet in the more than two weeks since the mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie disappeared when they located the gloves about 2 miles away from the home. They appeared to match those worn by a masked person seen outside the home on Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera. But the lack of a match dashed those hopes.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said additional DNA found at the house is also being analyzed.

▪ NewsNation: Officials trace suspect’s backpack to Walmart.

The president will participate in a Black History Month celebration at 3 p.m. He will participate in signing time at 4 p.m. and a policy meeting at 4:30 p.m.

The House and Senate are out today.

BOAT STRIKE CAMPAIGN: The ongoing U.S. operation targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats continued during the Presidents Day holiday, killing nearly a dozen people.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth touted the strikes in a post on the social platform X, writing “Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs.”

U.S. Southern Command (Southcom) said it destroyed three boats, two in the East Pacific and one in the Caribbean, and killed 11 “narco-terrorists.” More than 40 strikes killing at least 144 people have taken place in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean since early September, though they were paused toward the end of last year and start of this year.

Southcom said the military struck an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean last Friday, the first such strike in the region since November.

The renewed strikes come as Hegseth has carried out more overhauls within the Pentagon. Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Hegseth ordered Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to fire Col. David Butler, one of his top advisers.

Butler has served as Driscoll’s spokesperson and was the spokesperson for retired Gen. Mark Milley when he served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

His ouster marks another shakeup within the Department of Defense under Hegseth, who has forced out retired Gen. CQ Brown, who was chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; retired Adm. Lisa Franchetti, who was the chief of naval operations; and retired Adm. Alvin Holsey, former head of U.S. Southern Command, among others.

▪ The Hill: Administration pushing to improve military meals.

PERUVIAN CRISIS: Peru has been thrust back into the midst of political crisis as interim President José Jerí was removed from office Tuesday over corruption allegations, making him the third leader in a row to be ousted.

Jerí became president in October after his predecessor, Dina Boluarte, was removed amid a high crime rate in the country and corruption scandals surrounding her. Peru’s constitution allows presidents to be removed if they are found “morally incapable” of leading the country, a clause that has received a broad interpretation from legislators.

Before Boluarte, Pedro Castillo was removed as president in 2022 after he tried to dissolve the Legislature to avoid anti-corruption proceedings. Castillo was sentenced to 11 years in prison last year for trying to overthrow the country’s institutions.

The investigation into Jerí stems from a series of undisclosed meetings with two Chinese executives. He has denied any wrongdoing, but his opponents have accused him of corruption.

The Legislature voted overwhelmingly, 75-24, with three abstentions, to remove Jerí. Legislators will choose a new president on Wednesday.

The turmoil comes as Peru is approaching its next scheduled presidential election in April. Whoever wins that election will take over in late July.

▪ The Guardian: Jerí ousted in ‘express impeachment.’

Breaking through the return-to-office mirage, Gleb Tsipursky writes in The Hill.

More and more ham sandwiches aren’t getting indicted nowadays, James D. Zirin writes in The Hill.

And finally … A rare moment of solidarity took place as leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson following the longtime civil rights leader’s death Tuesday.

Trump posted a lengthy tribute to Jackson, calling him a “force of nature.”

“He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts.’ He was very gregarious – Someone who truly loved people!” he said in a Truth Social post.

Former President Obama lauded Jackson as a precursor to his own path.

“And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land,” he said. “Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders.”

Other Republicans besides Trump also weighed in to honor Jackson.

“He was a larger-than-life figure who passionately pushed for his causes, always striving to make America live up to its potential,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a post on X. “He led a long and consequential life, and he will be missed by his family and friends.”

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