U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent nearly 20% of a Jan. 25 statement marking Australia National Day discussing the antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Chanukah in December.
“Following last year’s horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, the United States continues to stand in solidarity with the loved ones of the fallen victims and Australia’s Jewish community,” stated Rubio, who is also the U.S. national security advisor, among other roles. “We remain committed to confronting and defeating the evil of antisemitism.”
The references to the anti-Jewish attack made up 40 words of a statement that ran 206 words.
A State Department spokesman told JNS that “as Secretary Rubio has said, ‘There can be no compromise with antisemitism.’”
“As antisemitism surges globally, the Trump administration continues to fight this hatred as a policy priority,” the spokesman told JNS.
Rubio said in the Australia National Day statement that the United States and Australia are “bound by a long-standing alliance” and that “over the past year, our defense, economic and security cooperation has deepened, reflecting our shared commitment to democratic values, regional stability and mutual prosperity.”
The U.S.-Australian economic relationship “continues to shine,” and Washington “looks forward to continuing our close partnership with Australia in the years ahead,” Rubio stated.
On Dec. 14, he stated that the “United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Australia targeting a Jewish celebration” and that “antisemitism has no place in this world.”
“Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community and the people of Australia,” he stated at the time.
