MIAMI—Miami Mayor Francis Suarez congratulated Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on his reported appointment as the next United States Secretary of State on Tuesday.
"I’m proud of my friend, fellow Floridian, Senator @marcorubio on his appointment as our next Secretary of State! His unwavering commitment to freedom and justice will help restore American leadership globally," Saurez said. "I look forward to continuing our important work together. Congratulations, Marco!"
Rubio's selection comes after President-elect Donald Trump's election day victory last Tuesday. The 53-year-old has been Florida's senior United States Senator since 2011.
Rubio also served as Florida's Speaker of the House from 2006-2008. With his appointment, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis can select Rubio's appointment in the upper chamber.
In 2016, Rubio unsuccessfully ran for president against Trump, who eventually became the Republican nominee. The pair infamously spared for the nomination, with Rubio calling Trump a "con artist" and making fun of the size of his hands.
Not known to take a punch lightly, Trump referred to Rubio as "Little Marco" during the campaign. He also made fun of Rubio for needing water during his State of the Union rebuttal of then-President Barack Obama.
Eversince, Rubio has become a staunch ally of Trump, which included appearances at his Florida rallies during his 2024 presidential run. Rubio also was briefly floated as Trump's vice presidential pick, which eventually went to Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.
According to NBC News, a Trump ally said Sen. Rubio fits in the Secretary of State position because he's a good mixture of "MAGA" but a little more "hawkish" than the incoming presidential ticket.
“While Marco is a little more hawkish than the incoming president and vice president, he’s actually not as far away from them as many people might assume at first blush,” a Trump ally said. “He’s become far more aligned with the president on issues regarding tariffs. He has a similar stand on the China issue and he even voted against the last round of Ukraine funding.”
A Cuban American, Rubio has strong roots in Miami and the State of Florida. Before becoming a politician, Rubio attended the University of Florida and the University of Miami School of Law.
Along with Rubio, Trump tabbed Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security advisor on Tuesday. Florida's run could also continue if Senator Rick Scott becomes Senate Majority Leader.
