WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted unanimously Monday to swiftly confirm Marco Rubio as secretary of state and appoint President Donald Trump as the first member of his new Cabinet on Inauguration Day.
Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, was the least controversial of President Trump’s nominees, with the vote being decisive 99-0. Another CIA director, John Ratcliffe, is expected to be voted on as early as Tuesday. Actions against others could come later in the week, including the nomination of former military veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense.
“Marco Rubio is a very intelligent man with an incredible understanding of U.S. foreign policy,” the most senior Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, said at the opening of the debate.
Traditionally, the Senate often convenes immediately after the inauguration pageantry to begin assembling the new president’s team, particularly national security officials. During President Trump’s first term, the Senate quickly confirmed the secretaries of defense and homeland security on the first day, and President Joe Biden’s choice to be director of national intelligence was confirmed on his inauguration day.
With Trump back in the White House and Republicans controlling a majority in Congress, his outsider Cabinet choices are more clearly established despite initial skepticism and opposition from both sides. It is being done.
“I feel good, but we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Rubio said afterward, surrounded by his colleagues on the Senate floor.
“It’s an important job at an important time and I’m honored,” Rubio said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune acted quickly Monday, announcing that he expects voting on President Trump’s nominees to begin “soon.”
Democrats have calculated that it is better to be seen as willing to work with Trump than to simply tighten the blockade on his nominees. They maintain opposition to some of his other candidates with lower approval ratings, including Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary. There is.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said his party “will not rubber-stamp candidates who we believe are grossly unqualified or oppose candidates who are worthy of serious consideration.”
He said Rubio is an example of a “qualified candidate that we believe should be confirmed immediately.”
Senate committees have held lengthy confirmation hearings on more than a dozen Cabinet nominees, with additional hearings scheduled this week. And several committees are expected to meet later Monday to begin voting to advance the nominees to the full Senate for confirmation.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously advanced Rubio’s nomination late Monday. The Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee each voted to change the nominations of Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Ratcliffe. The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs recommended Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security and Russell Vought as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, but there was opposition.
Mr. Rubio is a popular senator who was a rival to President Trump in the 2016 election, but has grown closer to the president in recent years. He appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee last week to answer questions after more than a decade as a member.
Rubio will become secretary of state, the country’s top diplomat and the first Latino to hold the position. Born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, he has spent years working in foreign affairs, particularly in South America, and has emerged as a hawk on the rise of China.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Rubio warned of the consequences of the “imbalanced relationship” between the United States and China. While Rubio aligns with President Trump’s anti-globalist rhetoric, he is also seen as an internationalist who understands the power of American engagement on the world stage.
Mr. Rubio attracted bipartisan support from across the aisle, from both Republicans and Democrats. He will replace outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken and hopes the Trump administration will continue Biden’s Middle East policy to end the war in Gaza and help Ukraine counter Russia’s nominations. said.
The Senate is split 53-47, but the resignation of Vice President J.D. Vance and soon Rubio’s resignation will further reduce the Republican majority until his successor arrives. Republicans need nearly all of their members to overcome Democratic opposition to their nominees.
An objection from any one senator, as expected from Hegseth and several other selectmen, would force the Senate to take procedural steps and postpone the vote to later in the week. Probably.
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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Mary Claire Jalonick contributed to this report.
