Trump nominates Marco Rubio for secretary of state

Rubio’s nomination had been reported earlier in the week, despite his own rocky history with the president-elect. The two leaders were fierce rivals during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, though Rubio has become a trusted Trump ally in recent years.

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He joins a growing Trump Cabinet filled with China hawks. Rubio himself has twice been sanctioned by the Communist Party of China.

“Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump wrote in a statement. “He will 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. I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!”

Trump met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday morning for a presidential transition meeting. Trump himself did not offer Biden the same courtesy following the 2020 general election.

The Rubio announcement is the first of Trump’s Cabinet picks to earn praise from the opposite side of the aisle.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Tuesday that while he does not agree with Rubio in all policy areas, he was pleased by the pick and plans to vote for his confirmation next year.

“I have worked with Marco Rubio for more than a decade on the Intelligence Committee, particularly closely in the last couple of years in his role as Vice Chairman, and while we don’t always agree, he is smart, talented, and will be a strong voice for American interests around the globe,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) added in his own statement.

Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he hoped to confirm Rubio “as quickly as possible.”

“The Biden-Harris administration’s appeasement-first foreign policy made America weaker and less safe,” Ricketts wrote. “In contrast, Senator Rubio is clear-eyed about the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He is the perfect candidate to help President Trump restore American strength abroad.”

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Trump has been announcing administration postings, specifically in the national security world, with relative frequency this week after naming Susie Wiles to be his White House chief of staff on Friday.

Trump additionally nominated Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for attorney general, Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) for homeland security secretary, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan for “border czar,” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for ambassador to the United Nations, and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) for national security adviser.