On January 20, the US Senate voted unanimously to confirm Senator Marco Rubio as US Secretary of State, marking him as the first approved member of President Donald Trump's second-term cabinet.
The vote was unanimous, including Rubio himself. The Senate is currently vacant following the resignation of Vice President J.D. Vance in mid-January. Rubio, the first Hispanic to serve in the role, is expected to step down soon to focus on his new role.
With his experience as a senior Republican leader on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mr. Rubio has won the support of many Democratic lawmakers.
"Leading the Department of State is a great responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Donald Trump has placed in me," Rubio said after being appointed by the president-elect in November. "As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy. Under President Donald Trump's leadership, we will bring peace through strength and always put the interests of the American people first."
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 22-0 to approve Rubio's nomination before sending it to the full Senate for confirmation. Senator James Risch, the committee's chairman, confirmed that Rubio would be confirmed that same day.
The US State Department has also been quick to prepare for the new Secretary of State’s first day on the job. According to officials, Secretary Rubio will deliver his inaugural speech on January 21 and meet with the foreign ministers of India, Australia, and Japan - the three remaining members of the “Quad”, a strategic alliance aimed at countering China’s influence in the Pacific.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he will nominate Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Mr Rubio's vacancy in the US Senate.
