Marco Rubio Unanimously Confirmed by Senate as Donald Trump’s Secretary of State

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty

The nomination of the senior senator from Florida, 53, was confirmed on Monday, Jan. 20, hours afterDonald Trumptook the oath of office as the 47th president.

The vote was a unanimous and bipartisan 99-0 result, per theAssociated Press. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chose state Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the last two years of Rubio’s Senate termlast week.

Rubio’s confirmation hearing was mostly uneventful, with even Democratic Senators voicing support for his nomination. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen called Rubio “well-qualified to serve as secretary of state," perCNN.

Five nominees were scheduled to receive votes from confirmation hearing committees, including Rubio. Others include John Ratcliffe for CIA director in the Intelligence Committee, Pete Hegseth for defense secretary in the Armed Services Committee, and both Russell Vought for White House budget director and Kristi Noem for homeland security secretary in the Homeland Security and Governmental Committee,according to NBC News.

Noem’s nomination was advanced with a 13-2 vote, while Vought’s nomination was advanced 8-7, reports NBC News.

Earlier on Monday, Senate majority leader John Thune (R-S.D.) shared his perspective on the day’s task at hand.

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For Hegseth, the road to confirmation may be a lengthier one. On Monday, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 14-13 on party lines to advance his nomination.

Last week, the nominee was the subject of a tense and polarizing debate in his Senate confirmation hearing.

As senators probed into a long history of accusations against him, Hegseth fought off allegations of misconduct, sexual assault and alcohol abuse — many of which resurfaced in the time since Trump nominated him.

source: people.com