When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarks on his first trip to the Middle East this weekend, he will do so without his regional team at the State Department fully assembled and as tension flares over President Donald Trump's plans for Gaza.
The trip comes as Mr Trump attempts to build regional support for the US take control of the Gaza Strip and permanently displace more than 2 million Palestinians in the territory to neighbouring countries.
Mr Rubio, who will be on his second foreign trip as Secretary of State, is expected to “promote US interests in advancing regional co-operation, stability and peace” as part of President Trump’s broader “America first” agenda.
“The trip will centre on freeing American and all other hostages from Hamas captivity, advancing to phase two of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and countering the destabilising activities of the Iranian regime and its proxies,” the State Department said in a statement.
But questions over Gaza's future and how serious Mr Trump is about taking control of the enclave are bound to come up.
Without a full team in place at the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Mr Rubio’s preparations could be hampered, though the seasoned politician may be unfazed by that.
“If the staff isn't fully co-ordinated and working together, it works against him,” said Aaron David Miller, a former long-time Middle East analyst at the State Department. “But Marco Rubio, actually, of all the President's appointments, probably has the most foreign policy experience and when it comes to the international scene he’ll be fine.”
On Wednesday, Mr Trump nominated Joel Rayburn to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, a position formerly held by Barbara Leaf.
Mr Rayburn is a veteran diplomat with years of experience in the region. From 2018 to 2021, he served as US special envoy for Syria. He also served as senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon on the National Security Council during the beginning of Mr Trump’s first term.
Tim Lenderking, another veteran diplomat, is currently the highest-ranking official at the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is yet to be confirmed as the next US ambassador to Israel, but Mr Trump has still to announce a nominee for envoy to Saudi Arabia. The US ambassador to the UAE, Martina Strong, previously appointed by Joe Biden, is remaining in her post.
While the State Department waits for the Senate to confirm Mr Rayburn, Mr Rubio will visit Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE at a time when the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears at risk of collapsing.
It is, however, unclear what Mr Rubio's role will be in the Middle East as other members of the Trump administration take the lead on crucial issues.
Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for the Middle East, has already criss-crossed the region several times and has been widely credited with helping to push the ceasefire and hostage deal between Hamas and Israel over the line, before the new administration had even taken over.
“The White House has been the controlling influence on most issues, certainly on almost all Middle East issues,” Mr Miller said.
