Marco Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, attorney, and diplomat serving as the 72nd United States secretary of state since 2025. He is also the acting national security advisor. A member of the Republican Party, Rubio represented Florida in the United States Senate from 2011 to 2025. Rubio was born and raised in Miami. He attended the University of Florida and the University of Miami's law school. After serving as a city commissioner for West Miami in the 1990s, he was elected in 2000 to represent the 111th district in the Florida House of Representatives. As the Republican majority leader, he was subsequently elected Speaker of the Florida House; he served for two years beginning in November 2006. Rubio left the Florida legislature in 2008 due to term limits, and began teaching at Florida International University. In a three-way race, Rubio was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. In April 2015, he launched a presidential bid instead of seeking reelection. He suspended his campaign for the presidency on March 15, 2016, after losing to Donald Trump in the Florida Republican primary. He then ran for reelection to the Senate and won a second term. Despite his criticism of Trump during his presidential campaign, Rubio endorsed him before the 2016 general election and was largely supportive of his presidency.
Due to his influence on U.S. policy on Latin America during the first Trump administration, he was described as a "virtual secretary of state for Latin America". He was also considered to have been one of Congress's most hawkish members with regard to China and the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese government sanctioned him twice in 2020 and he was banned from entering China until he became Secretary of State. Rubio became Florida's senior senator in January 2019, following the defeat of former senator Bill Nelson, and was reelected to a third term in 2022, defeating Democratic nominee Val Demings in a landslide victory. Rubio endorsed Trump for president in 2024 days before the Iowa caucuses. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intention to nominate Rubio to be secretary of state in his second administration. Rubio was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and took office on January 21, 2025. On May 1, 2025, Trump announced that Rubio would become acting national security advisor, replacing Mike Waltz, while continuing to serve as secretary of state. This dual role was last held by Henry Kissinger from 1973 to 1975 (serving a combined tenure in one or both positions from 1969 to 1977) in the Nixon and Ford administrations. In February 2025, Rubio also became the acting archivist of the United States and the acting USAID administrator, holding these roles until February 2026 and August 2025, respectively. He is the first Latino to serve as secretary of state or act as national security advisor, making him the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history.
Due to his influence on U.S. policy on Latin America during the first Trump administration, he was described as a "virtual secretary of state for Latin America". He was also considered to have been one of Congress's most hawkish members with regard to China and the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese government sanctioned him twice in 2020 and he was banned from entering China until he became Secretary of State. Rubio became Florida's senior senator in January 2019, following the defeat of former senator Bill Nelson, and was reelected to a third term in 2022, defeating Democratic nominee Val Demings in a landslide victory. Rubio endorsed Trump for president in 2024 days before the Iowa caucuses. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intention to nominate Rubio to be secretary of state in his second administration. Rubio was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and took office on January 21, 2025. On May 1, 2025, Trump announced that Rubio would become acting national security advisor, replacing Mike Waltz, while continuing to serve as secretary of state. This dual role was last held by Henry Kissinger from 1973 to 1975 (serving a combined tenure in one or both positions from 1969 to 1977) in the Nixon and Ford administrations. In February 2025, Rubio also became the acting archivist of the United States and the acting USAID administrator, holding these roles until February 2026 and August 2025, respectively. He is the first Latino to serve as secretary of state or act as national security advisor, making him the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history.
Americans want to rebuild the wall between church and state
The gathering, ostensibly to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, was dominated by Christian nationalist leaders, and included some Trump Cabinet members, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is the subject of religious discrimination complaints from active troops for his constant invocation of Jesus Christ, and for Hegseth’s “voluntary” monthly prayer meetings at the Pentagon. House Speaker Mike Johnson also attended the rally, as did the Rev. Franklin Graham and the Rev. Robert Jeffress, who has embraced the label “Christian nationalist.” “If being a Christian nationalist means loving Jesus Christ and loving America,” Jeffress said, “count me in.” (Actually, that is not what it means at all. More on that in a moment.)
(LA Times 5.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
The gathering, ostensibly to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, was dominated by Christian nationalist leaders, and included some Trump Cabinet members, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is the subject of religious discrimination complaints from active troops for his constant invocation of Jesus Christ, and for Hegseth’s “voluntary” monthly prayer meetings at the Pentagon. House Speaker Mike Johnson also attended the rally, as did the Rev. Franklin Graham and the Rev. Robert Jeffress, who has embraced the label “Christian nationalist.” “If being a Christian nationalist means loving Jesus Christ and loving America,” Jeffress said, “count me in.” (Actually, that is not what it means at all. More on that in a moment.)
(LA Times 5.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
The evangelical primary has already started. Rubio has the early edge on Vance.
The evangelicals who helped elect Donald Trump president are already sizing up his successor. So far, many of them believe that Marco Rubio has the edge.Prominent evangelicals see the secretary of State as a figure who can win over both Trump’s MAGA party of today and the Reagan-era conservatives who once ran Washington. But they note that their rank-and-file voters remain genuinely open to Vice President JD Vance, particularly younger Americans who are curious about what a more populist social conservatism might look like under Vance’s stewardship. (Politico 5.19.26)READMORE>>>>>
The evangelicals who helped elect Donald Trump president are already sizing up his successor. So far, many of them believe that Marco Rubio has the edge.Prominent evangelicals see the secretary of State as a figure who can win over both Trump’s MAGA party of today and the Reagan-era conservatives who once ran Washington. But they note that their rank-and-file voters remain genuinely open to Vice President JD Vance, particularly younger Americans who are curious about what a more populist social conservatism might look like under Vance’s stewardship. (Politico 5.19.26)READMORE>>>>>
Trump Begins Branding America’s 250th Anniversary as a Christian Celebration
Speakers at the event, which I checked out on Sunday, included House Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who controversially used a prayer service to ask God for “overwhelming violence against enemies” in the US war against Iran. Trump also addressed attendees via video.(Mother Jones 5.17.26)READMORE>>>>>
Speakers at the event, which I checked out on Sunday, included House Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who controversially used a prayer service to ask God for “overwhelming violence against enemies” in the US war against Iran. Trump also addressed attendees via video.(Mother Jones 5.17.26)READMORE>>>>>
White House to host mass prayer event to promote Christian origins of the US
- Top Trump administration officials will address a mass prayer meeting in the heart of Washington Sunday – an event organisers bill as reclaiming the country's religious foundations, but critics say is a quasi-official rally for Christian nationalism. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson are all listed as guest speakers. President Donald Trump is expected to address the crowd via video. The gathering has been organised by the White House as part of a programme of celebrations for America's 250th birthday and, in a video message inviting Americans to attend, Hegseth said it was an opportunity to "rededicate this republic to God and country".
(France24 5.17.26)READMORE>>>>>
Trump administration will join a prayer gathering criticized for promoting Christian nationalism
Organizers expect thousands of people to attend Rededicate 250, which will include worship music, prayers and speeches from Cabinet heads and other Republican officials, along with religious leaders and others. Trump and several other speakers are addressing the crowd by video, while others will speak in person. The scheduled participants include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “Our founders knew two simple truths,” Hegseth said in a promotional video for the event featuring a montage of Cabinet secretaries. “Our rights don’t come from government, they come from God. And a nation is only as strong as its faith,” added Hegseth, whose use of Christian rhetoric to justify the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran and in other official settings has drawn scrutiny. (Fox21 5.14.26)READMORE>>>>>
Organizers expect thousands of people to attend Rededicate 250, which will include worship music, prayers and speeches from Cabinet heads and other Republican officials, along with religious leaders and others. Trump and several other speakers are addressing the crowd by video, while others will speak in person. The scheduled participants include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “Our founders knew two simple truths,” Hegseth said in a promotional video for the event featuring a montage of Cabinet secretaries. “Our rights don’t come from government, they come from God. And a nation is only as strong as its faith,” added Hegseth, whose use of Christian rhetoric to justify the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran and in other official settings has drawn scrutiny. (Fox21 5.14.26)READMORE>>>>>