US Vice President, JD Vance has sworn in Marco Rubio as the 72nd Secretary of State.
This marks Vance’s first time swearing in a federal official and makes Rubio the first of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees to take the job.
Rubio’s swearing in follows a unanimous 99-0 confirmation vote in the US Senate.
The confirmation took place during the first session of the 119th Congress on Monday, January 20, 2025.
The White House wrote on X, “Congratulations to Marco Rubio on his unanimous confirmation as Secretary of State—the first in President Trump’s Cabinet. America is back and entering a golden age.”
Rubio, a long-time Senator from Florida, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Born in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Rubio’s upbringing in a family that balanced hard work and faith shaped his dedication to public service.
His father worked as a banquet bartender, while his mother held multiple jobs, including as a factory worker and hotel maid.
Rubio has often credited their efforts in shaping his understanding of the American Dream.
A strong advocate for freedom and opportunity, Rubio’s years in the Senate have seen him champion policies aimed at preserving America’s greatness.
After his failed GOP presidential primary bid in 2016, Rubio sharpened his foreign policy credentials as the leading Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, while building relationships in his party and across the aisle.
With extensive foreign policy experience and a history of engaging with world leaders, Rubio has built a reputation as a staunch defender of American interests on the global stage.
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis named state Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the seat set to be vacated by Rubio.
Nomination Drew Strong Support From A Number Of Senate Democrats
Rubio’s nomination received a warm reception from many Senate Democrats.
During his confirmation hearing, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Rubio “well-qualified to serve as Secretary of state.”
During questions from Senators, Rubio voiced his support for NATO – as well as a bipartisan law he co-sponsored that states that the US cannot withdraw from the alliance without Senate approval or an act of Congress.
Rubio also talked about the need for the US to take a strong stance with respect to China during his confirmation hearing, calling the Chinese Communist Party a “potent” and “dangerous” adversary.
He said the Chinese are a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now, in every realm, “it’s an extraordinary challenge and one that I believe will define the 21st century.”
“We’ve allowed them to get away with things, and frankly the Chinese did what any country in the world would do given these opportunities, they took advantage of it, so now we’re dealing with the ramifications of it.
“Much of what we need to do to confront China is here at home. It’s not just abroad, it’s also here at home. We have to rebuild our domestic industrial capacity, and we have to make sure the United States is not reliant on any single other nation for any of our critical supply chains.”
Marco Rubio
In response to questions about Russia’s war against Ukraine, Rubio said it’s “unrealistic to believe” Ukraine can push Russian forces back to where they were before the 2022 invasion and that the official US position should be that the war should end.
Rubio added he and Trump agree about the war needing to end and criticized the Biden administration for not setting a clear “end goal” for the war.
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