John Fetterman is breaking with his party once again. The Pennsylvania senator is the first Democrat to voice support for President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Fetterman praised Rubio after his nomination was reported in the New York Times. Trump publicly announced Wednesday that he is nominating Rubio, calling the former GOP rival a "fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries."
"It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State. Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom," Trump said in a statement. "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."
In a post on X, Fetterman called Rubio a "strong choice" for Secretary of State. Fetterman was elected to the Senate in 2022 as a progressive but has since emerged as an occasional critic of Democrats, especially on foreign policy towards Israel.
“Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own. That being said, my colleague @SenMarcoRubio is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation,” Fetterman wrote.
Ahead of the presidential election, Fetterman had warned Democrats that President-elect Donald Trump had significant momentum in Pennsylvania. Trump won the key battleground and the popular vote to secure a historic second term.
Republicans took back the Senate and kept the House, handing Trump a "trifecta" to pursue his agenda. Over the past days, Trump has been naming his Cabinet, with many picks reflecting his emphasis on personal loyalty.
Rubio, a Florida senator since 2011, ran unsuccessfully against Trump in the 2015 Republican presidential primaries, where Trump mocked him as "little Marco." Marco later became a staunch supporter of Trump and was rumored to be on his VP shortlist before Trump named Senator J.D. Vance.
Known as a strong interventionist, Rubio would be coming into the top U.S. foreign policy role at a time when two major conflicts are raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. Despite his hawkish instincts, Rubio has said the war in Ukraine should end with a negotiated settlement, echoing Trump's calls for peace in Europe.
"But at the end of the day, what we are funding here is a stalemate war, and it needs to be brought to a conclusion, or that country is going to be set back 100 years," Rubio said last week.
In a response to Trump's nomination, Rubio said he was "honored" to have Trump's trust.
"As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda," Rubio wrote on X. "Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else."
With Rubio getting the nod for Secretary of State, Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R) will appoint a replacement to serve out his term.
Trump nominated another prominent Florida Republican, MAGA firebrand Matt Gaetz, for attorney general on Wednesday in a shock announcement.
