The Senate voted on Monday to confirm Marco Rubio as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State, making him the first high-level Cabinet official in the new administration to receive approval from the chamber. The confirmation vote occurred just hours after Trump was sworn in as president.
Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida since 2011, garnered strong bipartisan support, with several Senate Democrats praising him as highly qualified for the position.
Rubio’s journey from Trump adversary to ally marks a notable political turnaround. Once bitter rivals during the 2016 GOP presidential primary—where Rubio labeled Trump a “con artist” and Trump derisively referred to him as “Little Marco”—the two have since mended ties.
Following his unsuccessful 2016 presidential bid, Rubio bolstered his foreign policy credentials as the leading Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and fostered relationships within his party and across the aisle, preparing him for his new role as a key player in Trump’s administration.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed state Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Marco Rubio. Rubio’s nomination as Secretary of State was well-received by many Senate Democrats. During his confirmation hearing, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised Rubio as “well-qualified to serve as Secretary of State.”
In response to senators’ questions, Rubio affirmed his support for NATO and highlighted a bipartisan law he co-sponsored, which stipulates that the United States cannot withdraw from the alliance without Senate approval or an act of Congress. Rubio also emphasized the importance of the U.S. taking a strong stance on China, describing the Chinese Communist Party as a “potent” and “dangerous” adversary during his testimony.
