Marco Antonio Rubio (b. 28 May 1971, Miami, Florida), USAn politician and lawyer. After serving in local and state-level offices in Florida, he represented Florida in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2025. He assumed office as U.S. Secretary of State on 25 January 2025.

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Marco Rubio was born in Miami to a Cuban immigrant family. During his childhood, he lived for a time with his family in Las Vegas, Nevada, before returning to Florida.

He completed his secondary education at South Miami Senior High School. He began his undergraduate studies at Tarkio College, later transferred to Santa Fe Community College, and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida. He completed his legal education at the University of Miami School of Law and received his Juris Doctor (JD) degree in 1996.

During law school, Rubio worked in the office of U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. After completing his legal education, he practiced law in Florida.

Rubio began his public service in 1998 when he was elected to the West Miami City Commission. In 2000, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, where he served until 2008.

From 2006 to 2008, he served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. During this period, he implemented the policy initiative titled “100 Innovative Ideas for Florida’s Future,” organizing public forums and advancing various legislative proposals to the House agenda.

Marco Rubio was elected as a U.S. Senator from Florida in the 2010 general election and took office in January 2011. During his tenure in the Senate, he worked on issues including foreign policy, immigration reform, tax regulation and national security.

In 2013, he participated in the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” immigration reform initiative. The proposed legislation passed the Senate but was not enacted by the House of Representatives.

Rubio gained prominence in the Senate through his membership on the Committee on Foreign Relations, playing an active role in hearings on Latin America, China, Russia and the Middle East.

In 2015, Rubio launched his campaign for the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential nomination. He withdrew from the race after losing the Florida primary in 2016.

During the 2016 primary campaign, he criticized Donald Trump. In subsequent years, he endorsed Trump and participated in the Republican Party’s foreign policy platform during the 2024 presidential election cycle.

Following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Marco Rubio was nominated for the position of U.S. Secretary of State. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rubio by a vote of 99–0. Rubio was officially sworn in as U.S. Secretary of State on 25 January 2025. In this role, he became the first person of Latin American descent to serve as U.S. Secretary of State in American history.

During his tenure as Secretary of State, key foreign policy priorities have included the Russia-Ukraine war, developments in the Middle East, Israel and Iran policy, China-U.S. relations and Latin America.

In remarks made on a U.S.-based television program in March 2025, Rubio stated that the U.S. administration continues diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia. He highlighted the human losses and long-term consequences of the destruction caused by the conflict, noting that the United States, Ukraine, Russia and European countries are all directly affected parties to the ongoing hostilities.

In the same assessment, he emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump has played a decisive role in efforts to end the war, noting that the Washington administration seeks to maintain diplomatic contact with both Russia and Ukraine to clarify their respective demands and establish a foundation for compromise. He also addressed U.S.-Ukraine relations and military assistance programs, stating that certain support mechanisms temporarily suspended are being reviewed in the context of peace negotiations. During this televised statement, Rubio spoke with a cross symbol drawn on his forehead.

Rubio’s foreign policy approach is based on interstate competition, national security, U.S. alliance systems and sanction mechanisms. The policy stance he advocated during his Senate tenure has continued under his authority as Secretary of State in implementing the official foreign policy of the United States.