Sen. Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the State Department, told lawmakers at a confirmation hearing Wednesday that trade frictions, including some involving agriculture, are among the biggest sticking points in the U.S.-Mexico relationship.

Trade, border security and criminal violence, the Florida Republican told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, are the three biggest sources of tension between the U.S. and its southern neighbor. On trade, the senator cited what he described as Mexico’s violation of free trade agreements as a source of grievance.

“Some of the things that I've seen, even as the senator from Florida, in the agricultural sector ... are going to continue to be an irritant in our relationship,” Rubio said.

U.S. policymakers have raised multiple ag trade issues with Mexico in recent years – the most significant of which was over genetically modified corn. A U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement dispute resolution panel ruled last month that Mexico had failed to live up to its trade commitments when it banned imports of GM corn, giving the Mexican government 45 days to lift the ban.

Lawmakers, for their part, have expressed concerns over recent Mexican constitutional reforms that, they argue, weaken oversight and violate USMCA market access and competition provisions. Both U.S. and Canadian lawmakers have also raised the issue of China using Mexico as a “backdoor” for Chinese products to enter the U.S. market.

The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and analysts are anticipating agriculture issues to feature prominently in the discussions.

While he highlighted the contentious parts of the relationship, Rubio also acknowledged that U.S. and Mexican economic interests are “deeply intertwined,” adding that he hopes the trade frictions can be resolved.

Rubio used part of the five-hour hearing to echo many of Trump’s criticisms of liberalizing trade policies. He blamed “free and unfettered trade” for the “collapse” of U.S. industrial capacity and the migration of supply chains to adversarial countries.

“The post-war global order is not just obsolete, it is now a weapon being used against us,” Rubio said.

Rubio accused China, in particular, of pursuing policies to enhance economic growth at the United States' expense and weaponizing international institutions. His approach to challenging Beijing featured prominently in senators’ questions.

The U.S.-China relationship will be “definitional to the century,” Rubio asserted. But he argued that rebuilding domestic industrial capacity would be as important to U.S. supremacy as its actions abroad.

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Rubio stressed that he shares Trump’s concerns about China’s strategic positions around the Panama Canal. A Hong Kong-based company operates two seaports, one at each end of the 50-mile canal – a major trade route for the U.S.

“It is a very legitimate issue that we face there,” Rubio said. “China could use its presence on both ends of the canal as a choke point against the United States in a conflict situation.”

Although he acknowledged that the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, as Trump claimed in a Christmas-day Truth Social post, Rubio argued China’s influence poses a national security threat.

Under the terms of a 1977 treaty, the U.S. is authorized to use military force to defend the neutrality of the canal. Rubio argued that he is “compelled to suspect” that “an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated.”

Rubio is among the least controversial of Trump’s cabinet picks, and some Republicans are eying fast-tracking his nomination to secure his approval on inauguration day.

Rubio’s exchanges with Foreign Relations Committee Democrats clearly demonstrated elements of support from both sides of the aisle.

Some of the committee Democrats emphasized their strong working relationships with Rubio and described previous bipartisan legislative efforts – including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who spoke warmly about Rubio’s support for her successful push to change Senate rules to allow her to bring her baby on the floor to vote.

“What you've seen is a nominee who is extremely well prepared,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said. “He's not talking out of a briefing book. He's not having to thumb through a binder to decide how to answer a particular question.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was unequivocal.

“It is clear you're going to be confirmed to this position. You're going to be confirmed with an overwhelming bipartisan vote,” Cruz said, adding he believes it would “likely” occur Jan. 20.