Trump taps Marco Rubio for Secretary of State

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed he'll nominate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as secretary of state in his next administration.

Rubio, 53, has deep foreign policy experience and has transformed from a Trump opponent to a close ally who was a finalist to serve as Trump's vice president. If confirmed by the Senate, Rubio will become the top U.S. diplomat under a president who has vowed to pursue an "America First" agenda amid the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars.

"It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State," Trump said in a prepared statement. "Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom. He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries. I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!"

Rubio is currently the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A Cuban American, Rubio would be the first Latino person to serve as secretary of state.

“Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me," Rubio said in a statement. "As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump, we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else. I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate so the President has his national security and foreign policy team in place when he takes office on January 20.”

The three-term senator has expressed support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia, but voted against additional aid for the country last year. He recently said the war in Ukraine is going to end with "a negotiated settlement," something Trump has also supported. He's also advocated for a tough approach to American adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.

Rubio now takes a more hardline approach to immigration than he did earlier in his career, when he was part of the Gang of Eight that brokered a deal that would include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people. He now supports Trump’s pledge to institute a mass deportation program for undocumented immigrants. He also voted against a bipartisan border security bill this year that Trump opposed.

Rubio has had a yearslong conversion to Trump's brand of conservative populism, shifting from a Jeb Bush acolyte to a Trump believer.

Rubio ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary and called Trump a “con artist” who couldn’t be trusted with the nuclear codes. Trump mocked the senator, who was seen in 2016 as the fresh face of a party, as "Little Marco."

They quickly patched up their relationship after the campaign, though, and worked together in Trump's first administration on shared policy goals. Rubio helped steer Trump's foreign policy efforts, particularly on Latin America. That mutually beneficial alliance blossomed into a stronger connection during the 2024 campaign, when Trump came close to selecting Rubio as his running mate in July.

After getting passed over for the job of vice president, Rubio continued to campaign extensively with Trump, appearing with him at multiple rallies, including one on the final day before the election. He also was a frequent presence on television.

Trump reportedly considered Rubio as well as U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., former U.S. ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell, and former national security adviser Robert O'Brien.

The high-profile appointment is still subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the Senate – though there will likely be few headaches given Republicans' 53-seat majority in the chamber next year and Rubio's longstanding relationships in the Senate.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would name Rubio's replacement if the senator gets confirmed to serve in the Trump Cabinet. On the list of potential picks are Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nu?ez, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and DeSantis’ chief of staff James Uthmeier.

Rubio would join an administration that is fast being built and includes 2024 Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff;  Elise Stefanik as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; longtime immigration adviser Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy; Tom Homan overseeing deportation policy and aviation security; Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser; and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel; and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his pick for secretary of Homeland Security.

This story has been updated to add additional information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump taps Marco Rubio for Secretary of State