Donald Trump is poised to make history by nominating Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, a selection that would make Rubio the first Hispanic American to serve as the nation’s top diplomat.
Multiple sources familiar with the decision have indicated to Fox News, CNN, The New York Times, and CBS News, that while the president-elect could still change course, Rubio is currently the leading candidate for the position.
The possible appointment of Rubio—who has served three terms as a senator and is part of the Foreign Relations Committee—shows a strong alignment with Trump’s foreign policy goals, even though they’ve had their share of disagreements in the past.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump and Rubio had some intense moments, with the former infamously calling Rubio “Little Marco.” However, their dynamic has changed quite a bit since then. Rubio has become one of Trump’s close advisers on foreign policy and was even in the running for the vice-presidential spot together with J.D. Vance.
The 53-year-old senator has consistently promoted a more cautious approach to America’s involvement abroad. A clear example of this was his vote earlier this year against a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, where he emphasized the importance of focusing on domestic issues like border security instead.
Marco Rubio has also taken a tough stance against traditional U.S. adversaries. He once referred to China as “the most powerful adversary the US has faced in living memory,” which attracted sanctions from the Chinese government against him.
His firm approach also applies to Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba, and he has been a vocal supporter of Israel during its conflicts with Hamas.
According to Euronews, Rubio has worked to reconcile Trump’s doubts about NATO with the need to maintain the alliance’s stability. To do this, he co-sponsored legislation to make U.S. withdrawal from NATO more difficult. Additionally, he has urged European countries, like the United Kingdom, to take more charge of their own defense and handle their relationships with Russia more on their own terms.
Marco Rubio’s appointment is just one piece of Trump’s upcoming administration, which will also have Representative Elise Stefanik serving as UN Ambassador and Representative Michael Waltz taking on the role of National Security Advisor.
