Jan. 15 (UPI) — Donald Trump’s former primary opponent Sen. Marco Rubio is meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday as the president-elect’s secretary of state nominee.
The confirmation hearing begins on Capitol Hill at 10 a.m. EST. Rubio, R-Fla., has served in the Senate since 2011.
The 53 year old’s nomination has not faced the backlash of some of Trump’s other cabinet picks. He serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“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 said on social media when announcing Rubio’s nomination.
If confirmed, Rubio, a Cuban American, would be the first Latino person to hold the office of secretary of state.
“Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me,” Rubio said in a statement. “Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interest of Americans and America above all else.”
While Rubio appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, will be questioned by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
