Donald Trump appears poised to nominate Marco Rubio for secretary of state

President-elect Donald Trump appears poised to peg Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, according to reports.
Rubio has served in the Senate since 2010 and is known for being hawkish on foreign policy matters. He opposed the latest round of funding for Ukraine’s fight against Russia and is known for his firm stances regarding China and Iran, the New York Times noted in first reporting the potential pick.
Trump had also considered Ric Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during his first administration, but had shifted as the day wore on, CNN reported.
Rubio was almost Trump’s vice presidential pick before he went for Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and had also been an opponent in the presidential race during primary season.
The potential secretary of state has international experience as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.
“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 told NBC News. “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.”
While Rubio had indicated he would be interested in the right cabinet position if offered, things were not always so cozy between the onetime presidential primary rivals.
In 2015, they famously hurled insults at one another, with Rubio calling Trump’s campaign a “freak show,” and Trump lobbing back with Trump-branded water bottles and “Make America Great Again” embossed towels.
It was a further dig at Rubio for breaking out into a sweat during a debate, mockery that morphed into a theme for Trump.
“They said to Marco Rubio ‘Are you having fun?’ He’s sweating like a pig,” Trump told a rally in Norcross, Ga., in fall 2015. “I never saw a guy sweat like this. The sweat is pouring down.”
In fact, Trump implied that Rubio’s perspiration could impede his foreign policy effectiveness, saying at a February 2016 rally, according to The Guardian, “When we get in with Putin we need people that don’t sweat.”