elected president Donald Trump You are expected to be named. Marco Rubio He will serve as Florida secretary of state in the coming days, according to three sources familiar with the selection process.
Trump could still change his mind, the sources cautioned, noting that the decision won’t be finalized until the president-elect makes an official announcement.
The New York Times reported first Trump plans to name Rubio as the country’s top diplomat.
Foreign policy is one of the few areas where there is a deep philosophical divide among Trump’s base.
During the campaign, Trump’s main idea was that he would pursue an “America First” policy that emphasized less foreign aid, trying to limit US involvement in current foreign conflicts and avoid future ones. But even among prominent Trump supporters, there remains a distinct strain in foreign policy thinking.
While Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is an outspoken Trump supporter, he is considered one of the “less MAGA” options, as one Trump ally told NBC News. It’s a position that requires considerable appeal to Trump’s more isolated political base, while also holding water for a less disruptive brand of foreign policy that Trump supporters generally oppose.
Rubio, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, was seen as a potential vote-getter who could inject enough charm into Trump’s political base while not unnecessarily damaging relations with foreign allies.
One Trump ally said Rubio was someone “Trump’s base can trust.”
Another Trump ally said, “Even though Marco is a little bit bolder than the incoming president and vice president, he’s actually not as far off from them as a lot of people are blushing at first.” “He agreed more with the president on issues related to tariffs. He has a similar position on the issue of China and even voted against the last round of funding for Ukraine.”
A current senior administration official told NBC News that Rubio would be a “serious” and “qualified” choice. The person said it would be a relief when Rubio’s pick, Ric Grenell, Trump’s controversial first-term ambassador to Germany, was also in the mix for consideration. Many career diplomats said they worried the State Department would become politicized with Grenell’s nomination.
During the last Trump administration, the number of senior diplomats at the State Department declined sharply, first as a result of voluntary departures soon after his election and then as a result of attrition as their mandates were diverted to political appointees.
Trump previously considered Rubio as a running mate before choosing Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio.
If Rubio becomes secretary of state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will have to choose a replacement. That option will serve until at least 2026, when an election is held for the seat.
Trump has made a number of other personnel announcements in recent days. On Monday, he announced plans to run for the former MP. Lee ZeldinRN.Y., as the top administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Rep. Mike WaltzR-Fla., as his national security adviser.
He said last week Susie Wileswill be his campaign manager, White House chief of staff. On Sunday, he called himself a hardline politician on immigration Tom Homan as his “border king”.