US media reports say President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as Secretary of State.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says Trump could change his mind on the Rubio move, as he remains fond of others lobbying for the Secretary of State role. But people familiar with the Rubio decision said that Trump feels good about going with him.
Sky News reports that three sources familiar with the selection process have told its US partner network NBC News that “Mr. Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January 2025, could still change his mind about the appointment.”
The New York Times was the first to report that Mr. Trump plans to select Mr. Rubio for the position.
During Mr. Trump's first term in the White House between 2017 and 2021, Mr. Rubio reportedly co-sponsored legislation that would make it harder for the then-president to withdraw from the NATO alliance.
Sky News reports that earlier this year Mr. Rubio was one of 15 Republican senators to vote against a US$95bn military aid package to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, which was eventually passed in April.
Turkiye’s Anadolu Agency (AA) says Mr. Rubio is known for his hardline stance on Cuba, Iran and China.
According to AA, Rubio, a staunch supporter of Israel, has consistently adopted hardline positions.
Earlier this year, he reportedly accused President Joe Biden of appealing to “antisemites” in the Democratic Party by criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged the administration to revoke visas for foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, labeling them as "terrorist sympathizers."
Mr. Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2008. Rubio unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2016, but won presidential primaries in Minnesota, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Mr. Rubio is a Cuban American from Miami, Florida.
