Trump’s China Hawks Are Also Uyghur Advocates

President-elect Trump's nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Rep. Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor—both vocal critics of China's treatment of Uyghurs—has drawn positive reactions from Uyghur advocates while potentially setting up future conflicts within the administration.
Both nominees have strong records on Uyghur rights:
Rubio co-sponsored the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, leading to his sanctioning by Beijing in 2020
Waltz called for boycotting the 2022 Beijing Olympics, comparing it to the 1936 Nazi Germany Olympics
HOWEVER, POTENTIAL TENSIONS EXIST:
Trump's first-term actions on East Turkistan (Xinjiang) were reportedly driven by administration officials rather than Trump himself
Former NSA John Bolton claimed Trump privately supported Xi's Uyghur policies (which Trump denies)
Trump previously delayed sanctions on Chinese officials during trade talks
Trump ally Elon Musk's Tesla has significant Chinese business interests, including a showroom in East Turkistan (Xinjiang) that Rubio criticized
While the first Trump administration took steps, including sanctions and declaring genocide in Xinjiang, experts like former Human Rights Watch China director Sophie Richardson suggest these actions' credibility was undermined by Trump's own positions. The nominations of Rubio and Waltz could signal a stronger stance on Uyghur rights but may face resistance within the administration.