The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Marco Rubio as secretary of state on Jan. 20, 2025. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of his confirmation. This was the first member of Trump’s Cabinet confirmed in his second presidential term. Rubio is the first Latino to serve as U.S. secretary of state.
Trump announced on Nov. 13, 2024, that he had selected Rubio as his nominee for secretary of state. In a statement, 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.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Rubio on Jan. 15, 2025, and voted unanimously to advance his nomination.
Rubio formerly served as a U.S. senator representing Florida from 2011 to his confirmation as secretary of state. He first held elected office as a city commissioner in West Miami, Florida. In 2000, he won election to represent Florida’s 111th House District. He served as majority leader of the Florida House of Representatives from 2003 to 2006 and House speaker from 2006 to 2008.
At the time of Rubio’s confirmation, he was the only member of Trump’s Cabinet who had been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At this point in Trump’s first term, two of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed.
At this point in the Biden administration, none of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed, and at this point in the Obama administration, seven of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed.
A presidential Cabinet is a group of senior federal officials who advise the president on the issues and activities of their respective agencies. The number of officials in a Cabinet can vary across presidential administrations. While not explicitly identified in the Constitution, the Cabinet secretaries are the 15 agency heads who are in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is also part of the Cabinet.
During Trump’s second term, the following offices were also Cabinet-rank positions: White House chief of staff, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. trade representative, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the director of National Intelligence, the administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the ambassador to the United Nations.
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