Trump wants to snub Vivek Ramaswamy and pick Marco Rubio as secretary of state: report

Rubio has served in the Senate since 2010 and was even considered by Trump as a potential candidate to run for the 2024 election.

Trump chooses Marco Rubio over Vivek Ramaswamy

According to ABC News, President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Senator Marco Rubio for the position of Secretary of State, with Rubio being tested alongside another key ally, Vivek Ramaswamy. This decision comes after a series of high-profile appointments to Trump’s Cabinet, including positions as national security adviser, White House chief of staff and head of the EPA.

If overlooked, Ramaswamy would be the second prominent Indian-American MAGA personality, along with Nikki Haley, to be expelled from Trump’s incoming administration after he announced that she would join Haley despite her previous diplomatic service as US ambassador to the United Nations would not be invited for a role. Critical attitudes toward Trump reportedly played a role in this snub.

Who is Marco Rubio?

Rubio has held his Senate seat since 2011 and currently serves as vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The 53-year-old, who was in the running to be Trump’s running mate before the Republican Party announced Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate, also sits on the chamber’s Foreign Relations Committee.

Rubio’s bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 failed, but he secured victories in primaries in Minnesota, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Marco Rubio has always advocated for a robust and practical foreign policy, particularly with regard to countries such as China, Iran and Cuba. Although he usually tends to be tough on international affairs, he changed his mind to follow Trump’s views, particularly when it came to Ukraine. Originally a strong supporter of Ukraine, Rubio later rejected a $61 billion funding bill, citing that it did not adequately address immigration concerns.

“I’m not on Russia’s side – but unfortunately the reality is that the war in Ukraine will end with a negotiated settlement,” he told NBC in September. He assumes that the Ukraine war can be resolved through talks and that the US must ensure that Ukraine takes a strong position in these talks.

Vivek Ramaswamy teases his role in Trump’s cabinet

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Indian-American entrepreneur who initially challenged Donald Trump in the presidential race before suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump, has hinted at a possible role in the 47th president’s incoming Cabinet.

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Jonathan Karl asked Vivek Ramaswamy about his potential role in a second Trump administration. “There are some great options on the table,” Ramaswamy said.

Vivek Ramaswamy is likely to take on roles in the Trump administration, possibly the position of director of the Department of Homeland Security. Alternatively, he could focus on the political scene in Ohio, where he could fill the Senate seat vacated by JD Vance’s vice presidency.