Marco Rubio: a look back at his career as Republican senator from Florida to Secretary of State

Secretary of State Marco Rubio gestures at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the Prime Minister's Office, during his visit, in Jerusalem, Sept. 15, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City, Sept. 14, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters before boarding his plane at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Fla, en route to Mexico City, Sept. 2, 2025.

President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., attend a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, Aug. 26, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stands with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on July 11, 2025.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, July 8, 2025.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (center), Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner (right) and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (left) applaud after signing a peace agreement during a ceremony at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 2025. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed an agreement in Washington on Friday to put an end to a conflict in the eastern DRC that has killed thousands, although broad questions loom on what it will mean. Trump has trumpeted the diplomacy that led to the deal and publicly complained that he has not received a Nobel Peace Prize. But the agreement has also come under scrutiny for its vagueness including on the economic component, with the Trump administration eager to compete with China and profit from abundant mineral wealth in the long-turbulent east of the vast DRC.

Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State speaks during a news conference following the 2025 NATO Summit on June 25, 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands. Among other matters, members are to approve a new defense investment plan that raises the target for defense spending to 5% of GDP.

This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this handout provided by the White House, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio sit in the Situation Room as they monitor the mission that took out three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, at the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. According to the Pentagon three of Iran's nuclear sites sustained "severe damage" from the U.S. strikes.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Rubio testified on the proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of State.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards a plane en route to Istanbul departing from Antalya, on May 16, 2025.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talks to the press during an informal meeting of The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) foreign ministers ahead of potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey, in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. NATO chief Mark Rutte said that he was "cautiously optimistic" for progress towards peace in Ukraine, but that it was up to Russia to take the "next steps necessary."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks as President Trump looks on during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with the media on his military airplane as he flies to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 10, 2025. Rubio arrived in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah ahead of the talks with Ukrainian officials expected on March 11, leading a delegation including Mike Waltz, President Donald Trump's national security adviser.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is greeted by Republican lawmakers before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a meeting with President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as Vice President JD Vance (L) and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (R) react in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 27, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 19, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (R) and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff attend an interview after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 18, 2025.

Portraits of Saudi Arabia's founder king Abdulaziz ibn Saud (C), his son and incumbent monarch King Salman bin Abdulaziz (L), and current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hang on the wall behind as Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud receives Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Saudi Foreign Ministry headquarters in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rekindles the Eternal Flame at the Hall of Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum in Jerusalem on Feb. 16, 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a joint press conference at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on Feb. 16, 2025.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar (L) stands by as Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks from his aircraft upon arrival at Israel's Ben Guiron Airport in Lod on Feb. 15, 2025 on the first leg of his Middle East trip.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2R) stands alongside Indo-Pacific Quad ministers, L-R, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, during a photo opportunity before meetings at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21, 2025.

Vice President J.D. Vance (L) swears in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, in the Vice President's ceremonial office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21, 2025. The Senate unanimously approved Rubio as Secretary of State on Jan. 20, putting the fellow senator on the front line of President Donald Trump's diplomacy.

Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio arrives for the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2025. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved Marco Rubio as secretary of state on Jan. 20, putting the fellow senator in the frontline of President Donald Trump's diplomacy.

Marco Rubio attends a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of State on Jan. 15, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, left, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin applauded Gold Star Families during the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC focused on foreign policy and threats.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., delivers remarks during the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 16, 2024. The second day of the RNC focused on crime and border policies.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, right, runs into Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) while making media rounds in the Spin Room at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion after the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump held at CNN's studios in Atlanta on Jun 27, 2024.

Vice Chairman Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) questions Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, Jen Easterly, Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and Larissa Knapp, Assistant Director, FBI, National Security Branch at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on foreign threats to the 2024 elections on May 15, 2024 in Washington.

Chairman Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), second from left, and Vice Chairman Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), right, before the testimony of Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, Jen Easterly, Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and Larissa Knapp, Assistant Director, FBI, National Security Branch, at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on foreign threats to the 2024 elections on May 15, 2024, in Washington.

Sen. Marco Rubio visits Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Fla. on July 7, 2021.

US Senator Marco Rubio is introduced to a large crowd at Melbourne Auditorium Saturday, September 17, 2022 during Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Marco Rubio.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) kisses his wife Jeanette Christina Dousdebes Rubio before a televised debate at Duncan Theater an the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) greet each other before a televised debate at Duncan Theater an the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

Marco Rubio takes a picture during the Save America Rally at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo in Miami on Sunday November 6, 2022.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio and family celebrate his victory over Rep. Val Demings in Miami Florida on November 8, 2022.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, speaks during the Republican presidential debate sponsored by Fox Business and the Wall Street Journal at the Milwaukee Theatre on November 10, 2015, in Milwaukee, Wis.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) steps out of the elevator on his way to a vote in the Senate Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.

Sen. Marco Rubio's visits the Treasure Coast on Friday, July 1, 2016, to examine the algae pollution in the St. Lucie River. Afterward, Rubio spoke to the media and local elected officials and business representatives at Central Marine in Stuart.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) heading to Senate floor as the Senate takes up a $95B foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

Rubio and Sen. Ben Cardin speak to the media about the chemical attack in Syria on April 5, 2017.

Rubio greets Ben Carson before his confirmation hearing to be secretary of Housing and Urban Development on Jan. 12, 2017.

Rubio and Sen. John McCain walk to the Senate Republican leadership election on Capitol Hill on Nov. 16, 2016.

With his family by his side, Rubio speaks during his election watch party in Miami on Nov. 8, 2016.

President Obama and Rubio arrive at Orlando International Airport on June 16, 2016, to meet with the families of victims of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub.

Rubio, flanked by his family, speaks at a primary night rally on March 15, 2016, in Miami, where he announced he was ending his presidential bid.

Rubio participates in a presidential campaign event in Melbourne, Fla., on March 14, 2016.

Rubio and Trump chat during a commercial break in the broadcast of the Republican primary debate on the campus of the University of Miami on March 10, 2016, in Coral Gables, Fla.

Rubio speaks to supporters during a rally at Sanford International Airport in Sanford, Fla., on March 7, 2016.

Rubio speaks at a rally at the Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel on Feb. 21, 2016, in North Las Vegas, Nev.

Rubio and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley celebrate after Rubio addressed supporters at a primary night event on Feb. 20, 2016, in Columbia, S.C.

Rubio makes a quick exit after voting on the Senate floor on Feb. 10, 2016, in Washington.

Rubio greets supporters as he leaves the stage with his family at his campaign party in the Iowa Ballroom at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines on Iowa caucus night.

Rubio participates in the Fox Business Network Republican debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on Jan. 14, 2016 in North Charleston, S.C.

Rubio speaks during a town hall at the VFW on Nov. 30, 2015, in Laconia, N.H.

Rubio files paperwork for the New Hampshire primary on Nov. 5, 2015 in Concord, N.H.

Rubio and Ted Cruz take part in the second GOP primary debate at the Reagan Library on Sept. 16, 2015, in Simi Valley, Calif.

Rubio mans the grill at the Iowa Pork Producers Pork Tent during the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 18, 2015, in Des Moines.

Chris Christie listens as Rubio makes a point during the first Republican primary debate on Aug. 6, 2015, in Cleveland.

Rubio questions Secretary of State John Kerry during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Iran nuclear agreement on July 23, 2015.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rubio talk before a news conference to introduce their proposal for an overhaul of the tax code on March 4, 2015.

Rubio speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, on March 6, 2014, in National Harbor, Md.

Rubio is interviewed by USA TODAY's Susan Page in Washington on Feb. 11, 2014.

Conservative radio talk-show host Mike Siegel, left, interviews Rubio on April 18, 2013, in Washington.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., left, speaks as Rubio and Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., listen during a news conference on immigration reform on April 18, 2013, on Capitol Hill.

Rubio talks with his son, Dominick, at the breakfast table as his other son, Anthony, eats his egg sandwich on June 8, 2012, at their home in West Miami.