Will Trump Keep America Safe? Marco Rubio Won’t Say

FILE - In this March 14, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla. Rubio is facing in... FILE - In this March 14, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla. Rubio is facing intense pressure to run for re-election to his Florida Senate seat, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell taking the lead in a campaign to get him to reconsider his plans to retire. Republicans fear that if Rubio doesn’t run for a second term they could lose his seat. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) MORE LESS
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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who has maintained his support for Donald Trump, dodged questions from reporters on Thursday about the Republican nominee’s ability to lead and be a role model for young Americans.

Reporters asked Rubio if Trump would keep the country safe as president, and he would not say, according to CNN.

“The military is what keeps us safe,” Rubio responded, according to CNN. “We have to rebuild our military and (Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton) is a supporter of the defense cuts and the sequester which would be damaging to our country.”

The Florida senator also avoided answering questions about whether Trump would be a good role model for children.

“People know I have strong disagreements with both candidates in this race,” he replied, according to CNN. “I think Hillary Clinton would be a terrible role model in terms of the things she has done while in office. She destroyed emails and evidence while she was under investigation. And her policies are bad too.”

When asked again, Rubio said, “Like most Americans, people look at this and say, ‘These are not ideal choices.’ But that’s why — one of the reasons I ran for Senate, because I know no matter who wins, we’re going to have to have a strong Senate.”

“How do we wind up in the greatest country of the history of the world with two choices that people are very unhappy with?” he added, per CNN. “But that was the result of the Republican primary we had … We’re still going to have House and Senate that will pass laws and budgets hopefully, and a president that will execute them, and that check and balance, it works, it’s what kept our republic for over 240 years. We’re going to need to have a strong Senate.”

The senator also addressed the Republican party’s future, saying that the GOP needs better messaging.

“I’ve always been concerned about the future of the Republican Party because like any political movement, you’re either growing or you’re dying,” he told reporters, according to CNN. “The Republican Party and the conservative movement needs to do a better job of taking the things we stand for and convincing more people of all walks of life to be supportive of the things that we believe in … That’s going to be true of no matter what happens in the presidential race.”

Watch part of Rubio’s exchange with reporters via the Huffington Post:

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