Rubio and Waltz: Trump’s anti-Pakistan duo

WEB DESK: During the past week, United States president-elect tapped Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz to be the secretary of state and the national security advisor, respectively. The two future members of Trump’s cabinet have long voiced their criticisms of Pakistan, and their support for India.

PAKISTAN IS “STATE-SPONSOR OF TERRORISM”: WALTZ

Michael Waltz, the future national security advisor, is the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional India Caucus, and as such, he has been vocal about his belief that America should strengthen relations with India. In an article published in 2021, which Waltz co-wrote with former Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley, he lauded India for the size of its troops, navy, space program, and its history of military and economic cooperation with America.

“[US] alliance with India would allow both countries to maintain and expand their global strength,” said Waltz. He has also specifically outlined how a partnership with the United States would help India deter Pakistan, which he called “a state-sponsor of terrorism, now propped up by Chinese investments,” from exerting its influence in Afghanistan.

“Growing collusion between China and Pakistan poses serious security risks for both India and the United States,” wrote Waltz after describing Pakistan as a ‘regional client’ of China, “willing to do the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) bidding and help bolster its international standing.

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“We need a new partner to prevent the creation of a terrorist super state that can attack our country again,” wrote Waltz.

RUBIO’S BILL ON INDIA-US CO-OPERATION

Marco Rubio, the future US secretary of state, is an equally strong advocate for India, a stance that is made clear through the ‘United States-India Defense Cooperation Act of 2024’, which Rubio introduced to the Senate in July 2024.

The bill states that the United States will “provide necessary security assistance to the Republic of India to deter actions by foreign actors that violate India’s land and maritime borders, as recognised by the United States government.”

The bill names Pakistan directly in section 9, in which it outlines that the secretary of state must submit an annual report detailing the “offensive uses of force against the Republic of India.” The following subsections detail how the report must include all instances in which Pakistan has used offensive force against India, provided safe haven to terrorist groups, or aided militants in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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This clause leaves room for US interference, leaning in India’s favour, in the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir after India has accused Pakistan of an incident in the disputed region.

Furthermore, the bill states that in such cases, no security assistance may be provided to Pakistan. This clause may be waived if the government of Pakistan cooperates with the US in various ways, such as combatting terrorist groups and dismantling nuclear weapons-related supplier networks.

US-INDIA RELATIONS IN 2025

The aforementioned bill was referred to the committee on foreign relations after being proposed in the Senate. However, with Rubio soon to be the Secretary of State, and the Republicans controlling both chambers of congress, the bill will likely come to fruition in 2025. Additionally, with Michael Waltz becoming the national security advisor, it seems that US will continue to strengthen its relations with India under Trump’s administration, complicating matters for Pakistan, primarily with regards to Kashmir.