UPDATE: It’s official! Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been selected to be Donald Trump‘s new Secretary of State. Also, former Democratic Congresswoman and veteran Tulsi Gabbard has been picked to be the Director of National Intelligence on what is turning out to be a busy day for the Trump transition.
Rumored over the past two days, the announcement by the 45th and soon-to-be 47th POTUS came as Trump was in DC Wednesday visiting Joe Biden, and House and Senate Republicans.
“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,” Trump said of the senior Sunshine State senator he once mocked as “Little Marco” in the 2016 bid for the GOP nomination. “I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!”
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Rubio took to social media pretty fast after Trump’s announcement to respond to his new gig.
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Lauded by Trump for her “fearless spirit” and joining the GOP, Gabbard hasn’t officially commented on her new prospective post running America’s spy agencies. A long time Trump surrogate, the ex-Hawaii representative and 2020 Democratic presidential nomination contender did offer praise for her new boss’ return to the White House last week.
PREVIOUSLY, NOV. 11 PM: Donald Trump reportedly plans to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as secretary of state.
Multiple media outlets reported that Rubio, who was reelected to a third term in 2022, would be the president elect’s pick for the cabinet post, one of the key positions in the incoming administration. The rports from The New York Times and other outlets also cautioned that Trump could change his mind.
There also were reports that Trump has asked Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) to be his national security adviser, a post that, unlike secretary of state, does not require Senate confirmation.
Rubio, first elected in 2010 in that year’s Tea Party wave, emerged as one of Trump’s final foes in the 2016 Republican primary. Trump referred to him as “Little Marco,” while Rubio called the Celebrity Apprentice host a con artist.
Since then, Rubio has emerged as one of Trump’s steadfast defenders, appearing with him on the campaign trail this year. Rubio serves as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Rubio’s departure from the Senate would open up a seat to be appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. As news of Rubio’s potential selection broke, so too did speculation that DeSantis could nominate himself, given that he is approaching the end of his second term as governor.
Earlier today, Trump’s team announced that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) would be nominated as UN ambassador and former Rep. Lee Zeldin would be appointed EPA administrator.
The departure of Stefanik and Waltz would leave two vacancies in the House, at a time when Republicans are expected to once again have a very slim majority. The AP has yet to call which party will take control, as there are a handful of races where a sizable number of votes remain to be counted. But Speaker Mike Johnson may be faced starting a new Congress with just three or four votes to spare, at least until special elections are held to replace the newly anointed Trump administration figures.