President-elect Donald Trump has selected his one-time rival, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, as his nominee for Secretary of State.
The selection of Rubio, a prominent foreign policy hawk and current top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, signals Trump’s aggressive approach to international relations in his second term.
The nomination would make Rubio the highest-ranking Hispanic official in American history.
The Cuban-American senator, known for his hardline stances against Iran and China, has emerged as a key ally in Trump’s vision for global leadership, sources close to the transition team revealed to Daily Mail.
The appointment comes as the international arena faces multiple crises, from Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine to escalating tensions in the Middle East involving Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
Some X users, however, have taken issue with the Rubio news. “Marco Rubio is a NEOCON. The American people voted a RESOUNDING NO against the warmongers in DC,” one account posted.
“If Trump puts him in his cabinet he is showing us he learned zero lessons from his first term. NO MARCO RUBIO. NO NEOCONS.”
CNN reported that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has also been selected to join Trump’s Cabinet as the head of Homeland Security.
Noem’s vice presidential aspirations were reportedly cut short after she admitted to shooting her puppy.
Trump’s decision follows his sweeping victory in which he captured all seven swing states and won the popular vote, marking the first such Republican victory in decades.
The former president has explicitly stated his determination to end the Ukraine conflict on his first day back in office.
The nomination of Rubio–who Trump once nicknamed ‘Little Marco”–represents a remarkable reconciliation between the two former rivals.
Things got heated between Trump and Rubio during the 2016 primary campaign, but recent weeks have seen Rubio actively campaigning for Trump.
The Florida senator recently endorsed Trump’s confrontational rhetoric, suggesting that emotional language resonates with voters during times of crisis.
The announcement prompted immediate praise from fellow Republicans.
Daily Mail reported that Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez celebrated the historic nature of the appointment on X, while Sen. Bill Hagerty, who had been considered for the position himself, expressed confidence in Rubio’s ability to implement “Trump’s America First, peace-through-strength agenda.”
The selection comes amid a flurry of high-profile appointments to Trump’s incoming administration.
The president-elect has already named Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy, Tom Homan as border czar, Rep. Elise Stefanik as UN ambassador, and Rep. Michael Waltz as National Security Advisor.
“What do Rick Scott, Marco Rubio, Michael Waltz, and Elise Stefanik all have in common? They have all voted against Ukraine spending packages,” one X user quipped.
Notable exclusions from the new administration include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, whom Trump explicitly ruled out in a recent Truth Social post.
Haley had been critical of Trump’s campaign style, particularly regarding his final rally at Madison Square Garden.
