Marco Rubio To Be Next Secretary Of State

WASHINGTON, DC (Reuters) – Senator Marco Rubio has been tapped by Donald Trump for the role of secretary of state, according to media reports on November 11. If confirmed, the Florida native would become the first Latino to serve as the U.S.’s top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is known for his hardline stance on several key international issues, particularly with China, Iran, and Cuba, where he has long advocated for a strong U.S. foreign policy. Over recent years, however, Rubio has adjusted some of his positions to align with Trump’s approach. Notably, Rubio has called for Ukraine to pursue a negotiated settlement with Russia rather than seeking to reclaim all lost territories. He also opposed a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine in April, one of only 15 Republican senators to do so.

One of the Senate’s leading “China hawks,” Rubio has persistently called for national security scrutiny of Chinese firms. In 2019, he urged the Treasury Department to review TikTok’s acquisition of Musical.ly, which led to a divestment order. More recently, he pressured the Biden administration to prevent U.S. companies from selling to Huawei after the company launched a new laptop with an Intel AI processor.

Rubio’s background also shapes his stance on Cuba; his grandfather fled the country in 1962, and he remains a vocal critic of efforts to normalize U.S.-Cuban relations. As the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Rubio’s robust positions underscore his commitment to confronting U.S. adversaries on the global stage.