Trump taps senator, former rival Marco Rubio as his top diplomat

WASHINGTON — 

President-elect Donald Trump’s prime to service arsenic the adjacent U.S. caput of authorities is Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who has been successful the Senate since 2011 and serves connected the chamber’s overseas relations and quality committees.

Trump, successful a connection Wednesday, called Rubio a highly respected person and a precise almighty dependable for state who “will beryllium a beardown Advocate for our Nation, a existent person to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who volition ne'er backmost down to our adversaries.”

Rubio, vice president of the Senate Select Committee connected Intelligence and a elder subordinate of the Committee connected Foreign Relations, is regarded arsenic intelligent, ambitious and well-liked by Senate colleagues of some parties.

If Rubio, who is 53 and the lad of Cuban immigrants, is confirmed by his Senate colleagues, helium would go the archetypal Latino caput of state. In that role, helium would beryllium tasked with helping to instrumentality Trump’s “America First” overseas policy.

After Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022, Rubio was a vocal protagonist of Kyiv. More recently, helium has called for negotiations to extremity the struggle and voted successful April against a $95 cardinal subject assistance bundle for the Ukrainians.

Rubio is simply a beardown protagonist of Israel, successful enactment with Trump’s stance. He has exhibited a pugnacious stance toward authoritarian regimes successful Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, arsenic good arsenic toward the communist enactment successful Beijing.

In response, China has banned the legislator from entering the state — thing that apt volition alteration if Rubio is confirmed arsenic caput of state.

Some starring Democrats successful Congress, who volition beryllium the absorption enactment successful January, are making affirmative comments astir the Republican.

“I've got a bully narration with Marco, and I deliberation Marco is precise capable,” Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who has served connected the quality committee with Rubio, told VOA aft Rubio’s sanction was circulated successful media reports.

On societal media, Democratic Senator John Fetterman called Rubio “a beardown choice,” adding that helium looks guardant to voting for his confirmation.

“Compared to immoderate of the different names that were floating around, radical who truly don't person immoderate acquisition successful overseas policy, I deliberation this is simply a beauteous bully one,” erstwhile Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger said connected CNN earlier Trump’s authoritative announcement.

In choosing members for his Cabinet and elder White House staff, Trump is mostly emphasizing loyalty alternatively than experience. Rubio campaigned for Trump during this year’s statesmanlike election.

The 2 had been rivals successful the Republican statesmanlike superior 8 years ago. Trump had repeatedly belittled the senator, portion Rubio questioned the New York existent property investor’s qualification for the presidency, calling Trump “a con man,” deemed him unsafe and idiosyncratic who could not beryllium trusted with the motorboat codes for atomic weapons.

After Trump won the party’s information and the presidency, the narration warmed. But Rubio did not broadside with Trump erstwhile helium refused to judge decision astatine the hands of Democratic Party campaigner Joe Biden 4 years ago. After Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021, Rubio condemned the violence, calling the attackers “unpatriotic” and “un-American” “low-lives.”

Earlier this year, Trump considered Rubio, a behind-the-scenes run overseas argumentation adviser, arsenic his moving mate earlier selecting Republican Senator JD Vance.

Should Rubio instrumentality the job, helium would person to vacate his Senate seat. A successor would past beryllium selected by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Among the candidates being promoted by influential Republicans for the Senate spot is Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee and Trump’s daughter-in-law.

VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report.