Rubio has become a strong defender of Trump’s agenda. That was evident during this latest clash with a radical Leftist.
And Marco Rubio torched this Democrat Senator during a heated U.S. Senate hearing.
Rubio Cracks Down on Campus Disruptors in Tense Senate Showdown
In a charged Senate hearing on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a bold case for revoking student visas from individuals causing chaos on U.S. college campuses, emphasizing that such privileges are not guaranteed for those who abuse them.
“A visa is not a right, it is a privilege,” Rubio declared during his testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. “People apply for student visas to come into the United States and study, and if you tell me that you are coming into the United States to lead campus crusades, to take over libraries and try to burn down buildings and acts of violence, we’re not going to give you a visa.”
Rubio’s stance was clear: “The bottom line is if you come here to stir up trouble on our campuses, we will deny you a visa.” He expressed frustration over disruptions affecting students who “pay money to go to school” but are forced to navigate “a bunch of lunatics” on visas.
The secretary vowed that the State Department would intensify efforts to identify and revoke visas from such individuals, stating, “I hope we can find more of these people.”
The hearing took a personal turn during a clash with Senator Chris Van Hollen. The Maryland Democrat openly criticized Rubio, saying, “I have to tell you directly and personally that I regret voting for you for Secretary of State.” Rubio fired back, “Your regret for voting for me confirms I’m doing a good job.”
WATCH:
Sen. @ChrisVanHollen: "I have to tell you directly and personally that I regret voting for you for Secretary of State."@SecRubio: "Your regret for voting for me confirms I'm doing a good job."
Van Hollen: "That's a flippant statement." pic.twitter.com/2UHH7tkkrT
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 20, 2025
Rubio also defended the Trump administration’s push to eliminate wasteful spending and curb illegal immigration. “I don’t regret cutting $10 million for male circumcisions in Mozambique,” he said, questioning its relevance to national prosperity.
He went further, citing “$14 million for social cohesion in Mali, whatever the hell that means,” and hinted at a longer list of questionable expenditures.
The exchange grew heated when Rubio referenced the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a figure Democrats have rallied behind as the “Maryland Man.” Rubio described Garcia as “a human trafficker” and “a gangbanger,” noting Van Hollen’s meeting with him in El Salvador. “And in the case of El Salvador, absolutely, we deported gang members — including the one you had a margarita with,” Rubio quipped.
The discussion also touched on the case of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Tufts University student whose visa was revoked in March over alleged “activities in support of Hamas.” Ozturk had penned a 2024 op-ed urging her university to recognize the “Palestinian genocide” and divest from Israel-linked companies.
Though details remain limited, the Department of Homeland Security cited her activities as justification, but a federal judge ordered her release on May 9.
Rubio’s comments align with the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to address foreign visa holders involved in activities tied to terrorist organizations, particularly amid recent campus protests. Earlier in May, Rubio announced a review of visa statuses for masked anti-Israel protesters who were arrested for occupying the Butler Library at Columbia University.
“We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library,” he said in a post on X. “Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.”
The Columbia incident saw keffiyeh-clad protesters storm the library, chanting and carrying signs, disrupting students preparing for finals. The group vandalized walls and furniture, with one glass case defaced with the phrase “Columbia will burn for the martyrs.”
When protesters attempted to leave, public safety officers demanded IDs, escalating tensions. The standoff lasted roughly five hours, culminating in the arrest of approximately 80 individuals, who were removed by police, according to the New York Post.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
