Trump expected to nominate Rubio as first Hispanic American Secretary of State

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Cuban American Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, a historic choice since the Florida senator would be the first Hispanic American to serve in the position.

Various news reports also suggested the president-elect has asked another Florida legislator, Rep. Mike Waltz to be his White House national security adviser, Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and former Trump official Stephen Miller to return as deputy chief of staff for his second term.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has also been tapped as the president’s incoming chief for the Department of Homeland Security while Floridian campaign strategist Susie Wiles has been selected to serve as Trump’s Chief of Staff.

Trump considered Rubio as a potential running mate in the final hours before the July 2024 Republican National Convention, but he was edged out at the last minute by Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.

While the president and senator’s decisions have not been announced as final, sources close to both camps have told ADN America that Trump is leaning toward his former 2016 rival for the position and that Rubio believes the position would give him an opportunity to make a positive difference that would benefit the United States in the international community.

Despite being former rivals for the presidency in 2016, Rubio and Trump rebuilt their bridges during the former president’s first term from 2017-2021 when the Florida senator served as an informal adviser on Latin American policy and worked with the administration to expand the Child Tax Credit.

Rubio also campaigned for Trump in his 2024 presidential race against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump’s interest in choosing Rubio as Secretary of State was previously reported by the New York Times, and would be a drift from some of his other choices.

According to a Nov. 12 report filed by the Wall Street Journal, nominating Rubio would “put a more establishment figure into the highest echelons of the Trump administration.”

On foreign policy issues, the Journal described the Florida senator as “a hawk on China, Iran and Cuba, Rubio [who] joined most of Washington in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.” It then added that, Rubio began changing his message in recent months, supporting an end to the war, even suggesting last week that the U.S. was “funding a stalemate war” that could take “100 years” to rebuild Ukraine.

News about Rubio broke hours after outlets reported he was naming Florida Congressman Mike Waltz, a staunch NATO critic as his national security adviser. Waltz, who previously served as a Green Beret is known for having hawkish views on China but has supported expediting an end to the Ukraine conflict.

In his first term, Trump went through four national security advisers, the first of whom, Gen. Michael Flynn only served 22 days after he was investigated by the FBI for allegedly making false statements.

Trump then hired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster and former Ambassador John Bolton, who were also pushed out over policy differences. Robert O’Brien, Trump’s final national security adviser, served from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot and remains a prospect for a key Cabinet post.

Waltz has been a loyal soldier to Trump and supported his zero-tolerance policies on illegal immigration and China. He previously served on the House China Task Force that orchestrates policy on how the U.S. should rival China.

Waltz’s views on Ukraine however, differ. Last year, the Florida congressman wrote an opinion piece for FoxNews.com arguing that “the era of Ukraine’s blank check from Congress is over.”

He has also mimicked Trump’s rhetoric about compelling European members of NATO to become more actively supportive of the international alliance.

“Stopping Russia before it draws NATO and therefore the U.S. into war is the right thing to do,” Waltz opined. “But the burden cannot continue to be solely on the shoulders of the American people, especially while Western Europe gets a pass.”

In early November, Waltz told NPR that Trump’s goal of negotiating a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia was “perfectly reasonable” adding that if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t work with Washington, the United States has “leverage, like taking the handcuffs off of the long-range weapons we provided Ukraine as well.”

If Rubio accepted the Secretary of State position, he would have to give up his Senate seat in Florida, which would compel Gov. Ron DeSantis to appoint a successor until a special election in 2026.

Although Florida was once a fierce battleground state in the days of Bush v. Gore, it is now a Republican stronghold that gave Trump a 13 percentage point margin of victory.