President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that he has officially tapped Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to be his new Secretary of State when he takes over in January.

“It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State,” Trump said. “Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom.”

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump continued. “I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!”

In a statement, Rubio said that leading the U.S. State Department was “a tremendous responsibility and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me.”

“As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda,” he said. “Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else.”

“I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate so the President has his national security and foreign policy team in place when he takes office on January 20,” he added.

Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me. As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace…

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 13, 2024

Born in Miami, Florida in 1971, Rubio learned about the horrors of communism from his parents, who were both Cuban immigrants.

Now serving in his third term as a U.S. Senator, Rubio has developed a reputation for having strong foreign policy views, including hardline views on China, Venezuela, and Iran.