Senate Confirms Rubio As Secretary of State

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Well, it’s official: Marco Rubio is now Secretary of State, marking the first confirmed cabinet member of President Donald Trump’s second administration. The Senate voted 99-0 to confirm him, making it a rare moment of bipartisan agreement in Washington. Honestly, when was the last time anything passed in the Senate without at least a few grumpy holdouts? Even Bernie Sanders, who always seems to have a contrarian opinion ready to go, gave Rubio the nod. That alone should tell you how noncontroversial this pick really was.

Of course, Rubio managed to spice things up by breaking tradition and voting for himself—because why not? Usually, senators who are up for cabinet posts abstain from voting or just vote “present,” but not Marco. Nope, he walked right up and voted “yes,” which might be the most on-brand move for Rubio. Sure, the confirmation was already a done deal, but you can almost hear him saying, “Hey, I’m not leaving anything to chance!” Twitter, naturally, had a field day with it, but let’s be honest: who cares? The man is Secretary of State now, and he’s wasting no time stepping into the spotlight.

Immediately after his confirmation, Rubio resigned his Senate seat, creating yet another political domino effect in Florida. That’s right—now it’s Governor Ron DeSantis’ turn to appoint Rubio’s replacement, and you can bet this is going to be an interesting pick. Will DeSantis go for someone who aligns with his firebrand conservative style, or will he surprise us with a more low-key choice? Either way, Florida politics just got a whole lot more exciting.

Rubio’s confirmation process was practically a cakewalk. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted unanimously—22-0—to advance his nomination earlier that day. Even the Democrats on the committee didn’t seem to have much to complain about. Maybe they were still too stunned from Trump’s landslide win in 2024 to muster any real opposition. Or maybe they just realized Rubio is a solid choice. Either way, it’s one less fight they have to lose.

And while Rubio stole the headlines, he’s not the only Trump cabinet pick making moves. Pete Hegseth, nominated for Defense Secretary, and John Ratcliffe, tapped to lead the CIA, are also inching closer to confirmation. Hegseth’s nomination passed through committee on a strict party-line vote—no surprise there—but Ratcliffe managed to peel off a few Democrat votes. Apparently, even some Democrats couldn’t find enough dirt to block him. Imagine that.

Oh, and let’s not forget the Laken Riley Act, which also passed the Senate on Monday. While Rubio’s confirmation grabbed all the attention, the act is yet another win for the new administration. It’s a strong signal that Trump 2.0 isn’t wasting any time getting down to business.

So here we are: Rubio is in, Florida politics are about to get shaken up, and Trump’s cabinet is coming together faster than anyone expected. With Rubio at the helm of the State Department, expect a hardline stance on China, a revitalized America-first foreign policy, and some not-so-friendly phone calls to world leaders who might’ve thought they were off the hook. For those hoping for a return to diplomatic “normalcy,” well, you can kiss that goodbye. This administration isn’t about playing nice—it’s about getting results.

Rubio’s confirmation is just the beginning, and it’s a clear signal that Trump’s second term is going to be just as bold, unapologetic, and results-driven as his first. Buckle up, because things are about to get very interesting on the world stage. As for Rubio? Love him or hate him, the man has a front-row seat to America’s next chapter—and he’s not about to waste it.

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