Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a University of Miami School of Law alumnus, is one of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for key positions in his second-term cabinet.
Following his re-election on Nov. 5, Trump announced Rubio’s nomination for Secretary of State, alongside other appointments, including those for Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Rubio has represented Florida in the United States Senate since 2011 and was previously the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, after receiving his J.D. from the University of Miami in 1996.
Professor Arthur Simon, a former Florida Rep. who currently teaches political science at the University of Miami, praised Trump’s choice of Sen. Rubio to lead the state department.
“Marco has earned high marks from both Republicans and Democrats for his work in the Senate… I’m proud of Marco,” Simon said.
If confirmed to the position, Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, would be the highest-ranking Latino in the federal government. He would outrank Albert Gonzalez, who served as Attorney General under President George W. Bush.
For Attorney General, Trump nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, despite his accusations of sex trafficking and the House Ethics Committee investigating him.
Reactions to Gaetz’s nomination have been mixed, including from Republican senators. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican senator, noted her shock at the pick.
“Obviously, the president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but I’m certain that there will be a lot of questions,” Collins said.
Gaetz also turned in his letter of resignation to Congress, despite Trump’s nomination not being final until confirmation after Jan. 20, 2025.
Simon said that he would have to “hold his nose” on his thoughts about the pick, but thought it may not be a bad choice to pull Gaetz away from Florida’s politics.
Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has also been appointed as the Director of National Intelligence in Trump’s cabinet.
Gabbard, who was once a Democrat, but became a Republican while campaigning for Trump in October of 2024, was previously the vice chair for Democratic National Committee and is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
She also gained notoriety for claims that she was “a Russian asset” during her 2020 campaign for president, which might be a point of contention on her road to confirmation to the position.
Simon was also weary of the president-elect’s pick of her, raising questions about her qualifications for the role. Asking “what do you want?” from someone who is in charge of such sensitive information as the nation’s national intelligence.
Trump also chose Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to run a new department, dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency.” This department is not a federal department, despite its title.
The road to confirmation for most of Trump’s nominations should not be difficult, as Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, where nominations for the cabinet get confirmed.
Other picks Trump has made include South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for Homeland Security, Fox News host and National Guard veteran Pete Hegseth to run the Department of Defense and environmental lawyer and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy to run Health and Human Services.
Each of Trump’s picks carry their fair share of baggage, from killing dogs to vaccine skepticism and sexual assault allegations.
The age of this cabinet also signals a change in direction from the current administration, with the average age among the announced picks so far being 48 years old.
Simon commended Trump’s strategic thinking in selecting sitting members of Congress for cabinet roles, potentially opening seats for Republican gains in special elections. He observed that the president appeared cautious in avoiding appointments that could jeopardize Republican strongholds.
Addressing Democrats, Simon advised patience and readiness, “Let’s see what this administration can achieve.”