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Marco Rubio: America's new secretary of state [1]

['Charles Hoskinson']

Date: 2025-01-27 21:32:40+00:00

Marco Rubio credits his parents’ decision to immigrate to the United States from Cuba in 1956 for “the privilege to be born a citizen of the greatest nation in the history of the world.” Rubio’s father worked as a banquet bartender, while his mother worked as a hotel maid and stay-at-home mother.

The U.S. Senate historically confirmed Rubio 99-0 as secretary of state just hours after President Trump took his oath of office January 20. Rubio, a Miami native, was sworn in to a role that stretches back to Thomas Jefferson, the first U.S. secretary of state, and is the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history.

At his confirmation hearing January 15 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said he remains committed to placing America’s core national interests above all else as America’s secretary of state.

“Under President Trump, the top priority of the United States Department of State will be the United States,” he said. “The direction [President Trump] has given for the conduct of our foreign policy is clear. Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, every policy we pursue must be justified by the answer to one of three questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?”

Rubio was serving his third term in the U.S. Senate — having represented Florida since 2011 — when Trump nominated him. Rubio has been an influential voice in U.S. foreign policy as a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. As one of Florida’s two senators, Rubio traveled to dozens of countries and met with countless foreign leaders to advance America’s foreign policy priorities.

Rubio was an author of key bipartisan legislation on China and fought to hold the Chinese government accountable for its human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and in Hong Kong. He also has played a central role in shaping U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America, sponsoring legislation requiring sanctions against human rights abusers in Venezuela and imposing sanctions against members of the Cuban regime.

For years, Rubio led the bipartisan legislation that reauthorized the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Before becoming a U.S. senator, Rubio served as a city commissioner in West Miami, Florida, and as speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives.

Rubio earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. He and his wife, Jeanette, have four children.

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[1] Url: https://share.america.gov/marco-rubio-americas-new-secretary-of-state/?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=monthly_feature&utm_campaign=rubio_new

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