Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida and U.S. secretary of state nominee for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, throughout a gathering with Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, not pictured, on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 10, 2024.
Al Drago/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures
cover caption
toggle caption
Al Drago/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures
We’re following the confirmation hearings for the incoming Trump administration. See our full politics coverage, and observe NPR’s Trump’s Terms podcast or sign up for our Politics newsletter to remain updated.
Who: Marco Rubio
Nominated for: secretary of state
You would possibly know him from: The Senate and the 2016 Republican presidential major race, when Trump dubbed him “Little Marco” and Rubio warned voters to not help Trump, saying “buddies don’t let buddies vote for con artists.”
Extra about Rubio:
- He could be the primary Latino within the publish.
- He’s identified for hawkish stances on China, Cuba and Venezuela.
- His interventionist international coverage positions put him at odds with Trump.
What does this function do: The secretary of state is fourth in line of succession to the president and the highest Cupboard place. The secretary oversees U.S. international coverage.
Watch Rubio’s affirmation listening to scheduled for 10 a.m. ET:
Amongst President-elect Donald Trump’s Cupboard picks, secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio could face the simplest affirmation course of. He’s a longtime member of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee, so he’s well-known by the lawmakers who will probably be questioning him Wednesday at 10 a.m.
If confirmed, the 53-year-old Florida Republican could be the primary Latino to function America’s high diplomat. Born in Florida, the son of Cuban immigrants was first elected senator in 2010 and gained a popularity as a hawkish voice on China, Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.
His relations with Trump have been uneasy. In 2016, Rubio advised voters they need to not again Trump as candidate for president, saying “buddies don’t let buddies vote for con artists.” Trump dismissed him as “Little Marco,” although Rubio grew to become a fixture on the marketing campaign path in 2024.
He could face some robust questions on why he voted in opposition to support to Ukraine final 12 months, regardless of his earlier positions on Russia’s conflict there. He can also face questions on how his interventionist international coverage views conflict with Trump’s positions.
China has imposed sanctions on Rubio, which might make journey there troublesome. Rubio has accused China of a “grotesque marketing campaign of genocide” in opposition to Uyghur Muslims and he wrote laws that banned imports from the Xinjiang area. This human rights advocacy has put him at odds with Trump ally Elon Musk, who opened a Tesla dealership in Xinjiang quickly after Rubio’s Uyghur Compelled Labor Prevention Act was signed into law in 2021.
The outgoing Biden administration has made it a precedence to construct up alliances in Asia to counter China’s rise. On the State Division, Secretary of State Antony Blinken set up “China Home,” an workplace that attracts on specialists throughout the U.S. authorities to deal with China. That could be one workplace that Rubio will need to hold.
The secretary of state oversees U.S. international coverage, however Trump has already chipped away at a few of the job of America’s high diplomat, by tapping quite a few particular envoys for Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon. He has additionally named a longtime international coverage adviser, Richard Grenell, who had been within the operating for secretary of state, to function envoy for “particular missions.” “Ric will work in a few of the hottest spots across the World, together with Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said in a posting on his social media platform, Fact Social, saying the appointment.
