Photo by U.S. Embassy Jerusalem/Flickr
Audio By Carbonatix
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth caused a stir on social media over the weekend when he joked in Doral that he “only speaks American” after Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed assembled Spanish-speaking world leaders in their native language.
President Donald Trump and some of his cabinet members were in South Florida on Saturday for the first meeting of the newly minted agency Shield of the Americas, where recently ousted Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem debuted as the group’s “special envoy.” What began as another praise fest for Trump devolved into a crass joke about language — or at least what Hegseth appears to think is a language.
After spending the first minute of his address speaking effusively of the president, including saying Trump will go down as one of the most historic figures in American history, Rubio went on to contemplate the nuanced difference between an ally and a friend.
“We have a lot of allies around the world and we are grateful for our allies. And all the countries represented here, all 12 of the leaders are allies,” he said at the event. “But they’re more than allies; they’re friends. At a time when we have learned that often times an ally when you need them may not be there for you. These are counties that have been there for us, and these are leaders that are not just allies. They are friends, and they are always willing to work with the United States.”
Then, noting several Spanish-language news agencies in the room, Rubio asked Trump if it was okay to address the crowd in Spanish (after praising himself as an interpreter).
“I want to thank the countries that are here today,” Rubio said in Spanish. “First, the President has made this region a priority in his administration. Many presidents said they’d do it, but he has done it. And we thank him. We’re also grateful to the 12 countries that are here today. These are countries that are not only allies — they are friends. These are countries that always respond when needed, and they work with us. And there’s a lot left to do. These are countries with great populations and a lot of potential, and we want to be their partners in developing these countries, their economies, and their security.
“We sincerely thank you for being here with us today. May God bless your countries and the United States, and thank you as always for your cooperation. We’ll continue to work together, and we’re going to do great things, very important things, for this region, that will make future generations thankful for our efforts.”
Before introducing the next speaker, Trump commended Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban parents, on his Spanish (or maybe it was an insult against his English). “I think he’s better in Spanish,” the President said.
Hegseth took the stage immediately after Rubio finished, telling the President, “I only speak American.”
It’s unclear whether Hegseth knows the founding fathers specifically didn’t designate an official language for the country, nor was it clear whether he knows the language he’s referring to is actually English.
At the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral Saturday, the U.S. welcomed “our strongest likeminded allies in our hemisphere to promote freedom, security, and prosperity in our region,” according to a news release from the U.S. Department of State. “This historic coalition of nations will work together to advance strategies that stop foreign interference in our hemisphere, criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration.”
The group is a security initiative against narcotics trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, according to USA Today.
