In a ground-breaking move Donald Trump picked Marco Rubio as his next Secretary of State which marks the first time a Latino would take this high-ranking position (the announcement came just after Trumps win over Harris in last years election)
The 53-year old Florida-born politicians path to this role shows interesting changes: once known for his tough-guy foreign policy ideas he now backs more low-key solutions. His view on the Ukraine-Russia situation demonstrates this shift: “Im not on Russiaʼs side — but unfortunately the reality of it is that the way the war in Ukraine is going to end is with a negotiated settlement“
The world that Rubio will need to deal with looks very different from what it was during Trumps first term — with conflicts in Middle-East; Ukraine and new ties between China Russia and Iran. His background as Senate Intelligence Committeeʼs top-ranked Republican shows his deep know-how in global issues; especially when it comes to China-related problems
Rubioʼs pick means more than just foreign policy: it shows how Latino voters are changing their voting patterns. As grandson of a Cuban immigrant (who left the island in early 60s) he brings strong views on Latin American issues; especially on Cuba and Venezuela. His past work includes:
- Making TikTok face security checks
- Pushing for limits on Huawei
- Working on NATO-related laws
- Leading Latin American affairs group
The choice of Rubio over other candidates — including JD Vance who got the VP spot — shows Trumps careful mix of keeping his base happy while reaching out to new voter groups