Marco Rubio Is Trump’s Pick for Secretary of State
by https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-gold · NY TimesMarco Rubio Is Trump’s Pick for Secretary of State
The president-elect said Senator Rubio would 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.”
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Credit...Scott McIntyre for The New York Times
By Michael Gold
See the latest on Trump’s cabinet and staff picks as he transitions into the White House.
President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Wednesday that he would nominate Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to be his secretary of state, opting for a onetime political rival and foreign policy hawk who has taken a hard-line approach to China that aligns with Mr. Trump’s views.
Mr. Trump’s decision, which had been anticipated, adds to a foreign policy and national security team that he has been filling out quickly in the days after winning re-election.
Mr. Rubio, who had been a top contender to become Mr. Trump’s running mate in the presidential race this year, was first elected to the Senate in 2010. He has staked out an aggressive foreign policy approach toward China, Iran and Venezuela, countries that Mr. Trump frequently criticized on the campaign trail.
If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Rubio would become the first Latino to serve as secretary of state. Mr. Trump said in a statement that Mr. Rubio would 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.”
Mr. Rubio said in a statement that he would “work every day” to carry out Mr. Trump’s 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,” he said.
Mr. Rubio advised Mr. Trump on foreign policy during his administration, particularly around issues related to Venezuela and Cuba. And he has been one of the most vocal senators on the need for the United States to be more aggressive on China, a view promulgated by Mr. Trump.
However, his views have at times conflicted with Mr. Trump’s “America First” stance. Mr. Rubio cosponsored legislation that would stop any president from pulling the United States out of NATO without Congress’s approval, a measure that was seen as a pre-emptive effort to block Mr. Trump from following through on his frequent threats to abandon the alliance.
Still, while Mr. Rubio has previously spoken about the need for a hard-line approach to Russia, he has more recently echoed Mr. Trump’s view on that country’s war against Ukraine, saying that the conflict “needs to be brought to a conclusion.” Mr. Rubio would likely adhere to Mr. Trump’s expected plans to push Ukraine to find a way to reach a settlement with Russia and remain outside of NATO, a resolution that might entail a significant sacrifice of Ukrainian territory.
Mr. Rubio was a reliable surrogate for Mr. Trump during his presidential campaign, even after Mr. Trump passed over him as his running mate in favor of Senator JD Vance of Ohio. In the Senate, he currently serves on the Foreign Relations Committee and is the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, roles in which he has worked across party lines.
Gov. Ron DeSantis can temporarily appoint a replacement for Mr. Rubio to serve in the Senate.
Trump Builds His Administration
As his team ramps up the transition process, President-elect Donald Trump says his administration will radically reshape the federal government.
- Immigration: Trump’s plans to expel noncitizens on a mass scale are likely to raise prices on goods and services and lower employment rates for U.S. workers, many economists say.
- Middle East: Trump’s emerging team in the Middle East appears poised to push U.S. foreign policy into even tighter accord with Israel’s far-right government.
- Foreign Policy: While many of Trump’s foreign policy picks were once called neocons by their peers, they now speak the language of the “America First” movement.
- Skirting the Senate: Trump’s demand that Senate Republicans surrender their role in vetting his nominees poses an early test of whether his second term will be more radical than his first.
- Department of Education: The president-elect said he would use the department to further his priorities. He also said he would close it. Both options would face difficulties.
- Slashing Government: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been tapped to lead what Trump called the Department of Government Efficiency, which he said would seek “drastic change.”