Donald Trump will choose Hispanic Senator Marco Rubio for the position of Secretary of State of his new government, as reported by Reuters. He New York Times He had advanced the information, citing sources familiar with the process, although he also warned that Trump could change his mind at the last minute. Neither party has yet confirmed the information. If so, Rubio, 53, will be the first Latino to lead US diplomacy.
The decision to put a Latino at the head of US foreign policy also has symbolic value for the Hispanic community. The Latino vote, especially that of men, has played a decisive role in these elections so that the magnate can return to the White House. Despite his racist rhetoric, Rubio’s selection for such an important position within his administration is also a way to endear himself to one of the country’s largest demographic groups. In these elections, Latin Americans represented 15% of the total electorate at the national level.
Rubio, who has been a senator from Florida since 2010, has stood out for his tough positions regarding China and Iran. He has also supported sanctions against Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Rubio’s vision for Beijing and Tehran aligns with promises Trump has made about a presidency that will be feared by major international rivals. The new incoming administration will face an international scenario marked by the war in Ukraine, the escalation in the Middle East and the Asian giant’s annexation aspirations in the South China Sea. A context where Russia, Iran and China are allying in pursuit of common interests.
The future Secretary of State was one of the Republican senators who followed Trump’s guidelines and voted against the $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine, which was stalled until last April. In recent interviews, Rubio has asserted that Ukraine needs to seek a negotiated agreement with Russia to end the conflict and set aside its attempts to recover occupied territories. “I’m not on Russia’s side, but unfortunately, the reality is that the way the war in Ukraine is going to end is with a negotiated settlement,” Rubio told NBC in September.
Regarding the Gaza war, the Florida senator has shown a marked pro-Israel profile. Last November, shortly after the conflict broke out, Rubio assured a group of pro-Palestinian activists that he would not call for a ceasefire, but “quite the opposite.” “I want you to understand this: I want you to destroy every Hamas element you can find. These people are ruthless animals who committed horrible crimes, and I hope they publish that,” Rubio said in the video that was posted by one of the activists on the X platform.
The selection of Rubio, along with pro-Israel congresswoman Elise Stefanik, confirms Trump’s willingness to close ranks with Israel in the midst of an international community increasingly critical of Tel-Aviv’s actions. The Republican seems to point out ways to overcome the administration of current President Joe Biden, who has led one of the most pro-Israel presidencies in US history.
Despite sharing many of Trump’s positions on foreign policy, Rubio was one of the promoters in 2023 of legislation that makes it more difficult for any president to order the United States to leave NATO. The rule, which Biden signed into law in 2024, establishes that to withdraw from the Alliance it is necessary to have the support of two-thirds of the Senate or for Congress to authorize it through a law. Trump has always lamented that the United States contributes more money than its European partners to the Alliance and at the beginning of the year he assured that he would “encourage” Russia to attack those allies that do not contribute enough in defense.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has assured that China, Russia and Iran were becoming stronger within the international system because they were not afraid of current President Joe Biden. So the now president-elect promised to make the United States a power “feared” by its rivals. Although Trump, rather than generating fear, arouses the sympathy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he continued to maintain contact after leaving the White House.
In the summer, his name was one of those being considered as a possible Trump vice president. Although he competed in the 2016 primaries and their relationship did not get off to a good start, Rubio has been able to climb the ranks and become one of the figures that orbit around the now president-elect.
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