President-elect Trump is expected to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of state, according to multiple reports and a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Hill.
Rubio's selection as Trump's top diplomat completes a dramatic turnaround from 2016, when the two were fierce rivals in the Republican presidential primary. Earlier this year, President Trump almost chose Rubio as his running mate before selecting Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
new york timesfirst reported Trump had planned to nominate Rubio.
Several members of Congress and Trump supporters congratulated the senator on social media.
“He will represent America with dignity and courage and restore American leadership around the world, especially in Latin America!” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) Posted in X. “It has been an honor to serve the people of Florida alongside him and I look forward to continuing to work together.”
The Florida senator is seen as a foreign policy hawk who is tough on China and Iran. In an interview with NBC in September, Rubio said it was clear that the war between Ukraine and Russia would end with a “negotiated solution.”
President Trump has vowed to restore his “America First” foreign policy vision as soon as he takes office. He expressed skepticism about continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, and called on European allies to redouble efforts to support Kiev and their defense through the NATO alliance.
Rubio's selection comes as President Trump is rapidly deploying his national security team after winning last week's election. He selected Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Fla.) to be ambassador to the United Nations and named Rep. Mike Walz (R-Fla.) to be his national security adviser.
Rubio is expected to be approved by his colleagues. His resignation will narrow the projected Republican majority in the Senate. The party holds 52 seats, with Republican David McCormick leading in Pennsylvania in what remains a close race.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican) plans to appoint Rubio's successor to fill the seat until the next statewide election.
