History of Marco Rubio in Timeline
Marco Rubio is an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat currently serving as the 72nd United States Secretary of State since 2025. As a member of the Republican Party, Rubio is also acting in various other roles including National Security Advisor, Archivist of the United States, and Administrator of USAID.
1956: Grandfather's Immigration to U.S.
In 1956, Marco Rubio's maternal grandfather, Pedro Victor Garcia, legally immigrated to the U.S.
1956: Parents' Departure from Cuba
In 1956, Marco Rubio's parents left Cuba during the Batista regime.
1956: Parents' Immigration to the U.S.
In 1956, Marco Rubio's parents, Mario Rubio Reina and Oriales (née García) Rubio, immigrated to the United States from Cuba during the regime of Fulgencio Batista.
1959: Grandfather's Return to Cuba
In 1959, Pedro Victor Garcia, Marco Rubio's maternal grandfather, returned to Cuba to find work.
1959: Controversy Regarding Parents' Departure Date
In October 2011, The Washington Post reported that Marco Rubio's statements about his parents leaving Cuba in 1959 after Fidel Castro came to power were false; they left in 1956.
1961: Mother's Return Trip to Cuba
In 1961, Marco Rubio's mother made a month-long return trip to Cuba.
1961: Mother's Return to Cuba with Siblings
In 1961, Rubio's mother took his two elder siblings back to Cuba with the intention of living there permanently, but changed plans due to the nation's move toward communism.
1962: Grandfather's Return to U.S. and Detention
In 1962, Pedro Victor Garcia fled communist Cuba and returned to the U.S. without a visa, leading to his detention as an undocumented immigrant.
1966: Grandfather's Residency Approved
In 1966, after the Cuban Adjustment Act passed, Pedro Victor Garcia reapplied for permanent resident status, and his residency was approved.
1969: Henry Kissinger's role
From 1973 to 1975, Henry Kissinger held the dual role of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, a role Marco Rubio later assumed. Kissinger's combined tenure in one or both positions spanned from 1969 to 1977.
May 28, 1971: Marco Rubio's Birth
On May 28, 1971, Marco Antonio Rubio was born.
1973: Henry Kissinger's role
From 1973 to 1975, Henry Kissinger held the dual role of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, a role Marco Rubio later assumed. Kissinger's combined tenure in one or both positions spanned from 1969 to 1977.
1975: Henry Kissinger's role
From 1973 to 1975, Henry Kissinger held the dual role of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, a role Marco Rubio later assumed. Kissinger's combined tenure in one or both positions spanned from 1969 to 1977.
1975: Henry Kissinger Held Both Roles of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor
In 1975, Henry Kissinger was the last person before Marco Rubio to act as both Secretary of State and National Security Advisor simultaneously.
1975: Parents' Naturalization
In 1975, Marco Rubio's parents became naturalized U.S. citizens.
1977: Henry Kissinger's role
From 1973 to 1975, Henry Kissinger held the dual role of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, a role Marco Rubio later assumed. Kissinger's combined tenure in one or both positions spanned from 1969 to 1977.
1984: First Communion
In 1984, Marco Rubio received his first communion as a Catholic before moving with his family back to Miami a year later.
1989: High School Graduation
In 1989, Marco Rubio graduated from South Miami Senior High School.
1993: Bachelor's Degree
In 1993, Marco Rubio earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Florida.
1996: Juris Doctor Degree
In 1996, Marco Rubio earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law.
1996: Work on Bob Dole's Presidential Campaign
While studying law, Marco Rubio worked on Republican senator Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign.
April 1998: Election as City Commissioner
In April 1998, two years after finishing law school, Marco Rubio was elected to a seat as city commissioner for West Miami.
December 14, 1999: Second Place in Republican Primary
On December 14, 1999, Marco Rubio placed second in the Republican primary.
January 2000: Taking Seat in the Legislature
In January 2000, Marco Rubio took his seat in the legislature in Tallahassee.
January 25, 2000: Special Election Win
On January 25, 2000, Marco Rubio defeated Democrat Anastasia Garcia with 72% of the vote in a special election.
November 2000: Re-election to Florida House
In November 2000, Marco Rubio was reelected unopposed to the Florida House of Representatives.
2000: Election to Florida House of Representatives
In 2000, Marco Rubio was elected to represent the 111th district in the Florida House of Representatives.
2000: Appointment as Majority Whip
Later in 2000, the majority leader of the House, Mike Fasano, promoted Marco Rubio to be one of two majority whips.
September 2001: Resignation of House Majority Leader
In September 2001, Mike Fasano resigned as majority leader of the House due to disagreements with the House speaker. Rubio volunteered to work on redistricting.
2001: Legislative Earmarks
In 2001, Marco Rubio requested legislative earmarks totaling about $145 million for 2001 and 2002, but none thereafter.
December 2002: Appointment as House Majority Leader
In December 2002, Marco Rubio was appointed House majority leader by Speaker Johnnie Byrd.
2002: Legislative Earmarks
In 2002, Marco Rubio requested legislative earmarks totaling about $145 million for 2001 and 2002, but none thereafter.
2002: Re-election to Florida House
In 2002, Marco Rubio was reelected to a second term unopposed in the Florida House of Representatives.
2003: Rubio Supported the Invasion of Iraq
Marco Rubio supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
2004: Re-election to Florida House
In 2004, Marco Rubio was reelected to a third term with 66% of the vote in the Florida House of Representatives.
September 13, 2005: Becoming Speaker
On September 13, 2005, at age 34, Marco Rubio became speaker after state representatives Dennis Baxley, Jeff Kottkamp, and Dennis A. Ross dropped out.
2005: Future Speaker Speech
In 2005, when chosen as future speaker, Marco Rubio delivered a speech to the Florida House, providing each member with a blank hardcover book titled "100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future".
November 2006: Election as Speaker of the Florida House
In November 2006, Marco Rubio was elected as the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, serving for two years.
November 2006: Swearing in as Speaker
In November 2006, Marco Rubio was sworn in as the first Cuban American to be speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
2006: Publication of '100 Innovative Ideas'
In 2006, Marco Rubio published the book "100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future" after traveling around the state and compiling citizens' ideas. About 24 of the 'ideas' became law, while another 10 were partially enacted.
2006: Re-election to Florida House
In 2006, Marco Rubio was reelected to a fourth term unopposed to the Florida House of Representatives.
November 2008: End of Speakership
Marco Rubio's term as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives ended in November 2008.
2008: Departure from Florida Legislature
In 2008, Marco Rubio left the Florida legislature due to term limits and began teaching at Florida International University.
2010: Report on Spending Requests
A 2010 report by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald said that some of Marco Rubio's spending requests dovetailed with his personal interests.
2010: Election to U.S. Senate
In 2010, Marco Rubio was elected to the U.S. Senate in a three-way race.
October 2011: Washington Post report
In October 2011, The Washington Post reported that Rubio's previous statements that his parents were forced to leave Cuba in 1959 (after Fidel Castro came to power) were falsehoods.
2012: Student Loan Payoff
In 2012, Marco Rubio paid off $100,000 in student loans.
2013: Rubio Ranked as the 17th Most Conservative Senator
According to the National Journal, in 2013 Marco Rubio was the 17th most conservative senator.
2013: Rubio's Support for Immigration Reform Led to a Decline in Tea Party Support
In 2013, Marco Rubio's support for comprehensive immigration reform legislation led to a decline in support from the Tea Party.
2014: Position with Broad and Cassel
In 2014, Marco Rubio took a position with Broad and Cassel, a Miami law and lobbying firm.
2014: Rubio's Rating by the Club for Growth
In 2014, The Club for Growth gave Marco Rubio a rating of 93 percent based on his voting record.
April 2015: Presidential Bid Launch
In April 2015, Marco Rubio launched a presidential bid instead of seeking reelection to the Senate.
November 2015: Rubio Opposed Accepting Syrian Refugees After Paris Terrorist Attacks
In November 2015, after the Paris terrorist attacks, Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. should accept no more Syrian refugees, citing the inability to conduct background checks.
2015: Rubio's Rating by American Conservative Union
As of early 2015, Marco Rubio had a rating of 98.67 from the American Conservative Union, based on his lifetime voting record in the Senate.
February 2016: Rubio Criticized Trump During Republican Primary Campaign
During the Republican primary campaign in February 2016, Marco Rubio criticized Donald Trump, calling him a "con artist" and stating he was unprepared to be president.
March 15, 2016: Suspension of Presidential Campaign
On March 15, 2016, Marco Rubio suspended his presidential campaign after losing to Donald Trump in the Florida Republican primary.
March 2016: Rubio Opposes Obama's Supreme Court Nominee
In March 2016, Marco Rubio opposed President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, arguing that a nominee should not be considered in the last year of a president's term.
June 2016: Rubio Reaffirmed Concerns About Trump's Fitness for Presidency
In June 2016, after Donald Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, Marco Rubio reaffirmed his February 2016 comments, expressing concern about handing "the nuclear codes of the United States to an erratic individual".
July 20, 2016: Rubio Endorsed Trump After Winning Republican Nomination
On July 20, 2016, after Donald Trump became the Republican Party's nominee, Marco Rubio endorsed him, despite his previous criticisms.
October 7, 2016: Rubio Condemned Trump's Comments in Access Hollywood Controversy
Following the Donald Trump Access Hollywood controversy on October 7, 2016, Marco Rubio condemned Trump's vulgar comments about women as egregious and unjustifiable, though he reaffirmed his support for Trump shortly thereafter.
2016: Rubio Backed Trump and Confirmed Attendance at Republican National Convention
In 2016, Marco Rubio supported Donald Trump for president over Hillary Clinton, anticipating Trump would repeal the Affordable Care Act and appoint a conservative Supreme Court Justice. Rubio also confirmed he would attend the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, to release his pledged delegates to support Trump.
January 2017: Rubio stated that he would be a "private citizen" by January 2017
In January 2017, Marco Rubio stated that he would be a "private citizen", leading to speculation that his political career was over. This came after he suspended his presidential campaign in March 2016 and ruled out other political positions.
February 2018: Rubio Defends NRA Contributions
In February 2018, at a CNN town hall following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Marco Rubio defended accepting contributions from the National Rifle Association (NRA), attributing their influence to the millions of supporters who share their agenda.
March 2018: Rubio Defends Citizenship Question on Census
In March 2018, Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, despite concerns that it would lead to undercounting.
July 2018: Rubio Offers Amendment on Real Estate Disclosure
In July 2018, Marco Rubio proposed an amendment to a congressional spending bill aimed at compelling companies that purchase real estate with cash to disclose their owners, seeking to combat criminals using illicit funds through anonymous shell companies.
August 28, 2018: Rubio Urges Sanctions on Chinese Officials
On August 28, 2018, Marco Rubio and 16 other members of Congress requested the U.S. to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Chinese officials for human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.
2018: Rubio Reversed Position on Climate Change
By 2018, Marco Rubio reversed his position on climate change, stating that humans contribute to an increase in greenhouse gases and that sea levels are rising at a measurable rate.
January 2019: Senior Senator from Florida
In January 2019, Marco Rubio became Florida's senior senator following the defeat of former senator Bill Nelson.
April 2020: Supreme Court Rejects Rubio's Attempt to Stop Obamacare
In April 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 8–1 against Marco Rubio's effort to halt the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
September 2020: Rubio Applauds Trump's Supreme Court Nomination
In September 2020, Marco Rubio supported President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
2020: Rubio Joined the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus
In 2020, Marco Rubio joined the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.
2020: Sanctioned by Chinese Government
In 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Marco Rubio twice and banned him from entering China.
2020: ICC Opened Investigation into Alleged War Crimes in Afghanistan
In 2020, the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
2021: ICC Deprioritized Investigation into U.S. Troops
In 2021, the International Criminal Court (ICC) deprioritized its investigation into U.S. troops, focusing on crimes by the Taliban and ISIS-K.
February 2022: Rubio Condemns Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Marco Rubio condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
2022: Rubio Condemns Holding Olympics in China
In 2022, Marco Rubio condemned the decision to hold the Winter Olympics in China, citing its "evil, genocidal regime" and pledging to prevent future Olympic Games from being hosted there.
2022: Re-election to Senate
In 2022, Marco Rubio was reelected to a third term, defeating Democratic nominee Val Demings.
March 2023: Rubio Supports Revoking China's Trade Status
In March 2023, Marco Rubio voiced his support for revoking China's permanent normal trade relations status.
November 2024: Trump Chose Rubio as Secretary of State
In November 2024, Donald Trump selected Marco Rubio as United States Secretary of State for his second administration, confirming this on November 13. The nomination was well-received by both Republicans and Democrats.
November 2024: Rubio says Ukraine war at a stalemate
In November 2024, Marco Rubio called Ukrainians "incredibly brave and strong", but said the war in Ukraine had reached a "stalemate" and "needs to be brought to a conclusion" to avoid further casualties.
November 2024: Nomination for Secretary of State
In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intention to nominate Marco Rubio to be secretary of state in his second administration.
2024: Endorsement of Trump
In 2024, Marco Rubio endorsed Trump for president days before the Iowa caucuses.
2024: ICC Issued Arrest Warrants for Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
In 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant.
January 15, 2025: Rubio Testified Before Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
On January 15, 2025, Marco Rubio appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the hearing, he described China as "the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever faced."
January 20, 2025: Rubio Formally Nominated and Confirmed as Secretary of State
On January 20, 2025, Marco Rubio was formally nominated by President Trump as Secretary of State. His nomination was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and confirmed by the Senate with a 99-0 vote.
January 21, 2025: Taking Office as Secretary of State
On January 21, 2025, Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and took office as Secretary of State.
January 22, 2025: Rubio Instructed State Department to Freeze Passport Applications Requesting "X" Sex Markers
On January 22, 2025, in compliance with Executive Order 14168, Marco Rubio directed the State Department to freeze passport applications requesting "X" sex markers, causing confusion and holding transgender applicants' documents.
January 24, 2025: Rubio Enacted Freeze on U.S. Foreign Aid
On January 24, 2025, Marco Rubio enacted a 90-day freeze on all U.S. foreign aid, with few exceptions, as per President Trump's executive order, effective January 28. This action affected numerous USAID humanitarian, development, and security programs worldwide.
February 2025: Rubio Announced Shutdown of Counter Foreign Information and Manipulation and Interference Office
In February 2025, Marco Rubio announced that the State Department's Counter Foreign Information and Manipulation and Interference Office would be shut down, citing wasted millions of dollars and censorship.
February 2025: Rubio Reached Agreement with El Salvador for Deported Foreign Nationals and Jailed U.S. Citizens
In February 2025, Marco Rubio reached an agreement with El Salvador president Nayib Bukele for the country to take in deported foreign nationals who committed crimes, as well as jailed U.S. citizens and permanent residents, praising a "mega-prison" in El Salvador.
February 2025: Rubio Supported U.S. Takeover of Gaza Strip
In February 2025, Marco Rubio supported President Trump's proposal for the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip, expressing a desire to "Make Gaza Beautiful Again" and pursue lasting peace.
February 16, 2025: Rubio Claimed Trump Was the Only Leader Capable of Peace Negotiations in Ukraine
On February 16, 2025, Marco Rubio dismissed concerns about Ukraine and Europe being excluded from future peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stating that Donald Trump was the only leader capable of initiating the process.
March 7, 2025: Rubio Clashed with Elon Musk During White House Cabinet Meeting
On March 7, 2025, The New York Times reported that Marco Rubio clashed with Elon Musk during a White House cabinet meeting. Musk criticized Rubio for not firing anyone in the State Department, while Rubio was angered by Musk's dismantling of USAID.
March 9, 2025: Rubio Condemned Massacres of Syrian Minorities
On March 9, 2025, Marco Rubio condemned the massacres of Syrian minorities committed by pro-government fighters during clashes in western Syria, expressing U.S. support for religious and ethnic minorities and calling for accountability for the perpetrators.
March 2025: Rubio Bypassed Congress to Send Arms to Israel
In March 2025, Marco Rubio bypassed Congress by issuing an emergency declaration to send a $4 billion shipment of arms to Israel.
May 1, 2025: Appointment as Acting National Security Advisor
On May 1, 2025, Trump announced that Rubio would become acting National Security Advisor, while continuing to serve as Secretary of State.
May 15, 2025: Rubio Acknowledged Criticism of Gaza Aid Plan
On May 15, 2025, Marco Rubio acknowledged criticism of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation plan, stating that the U.S. government is open to alternative solutions for distributing aid.
May 2025: Rubio Announced Stricter Visa Policies for Chinese Students
In May 2025, Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. government would "aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students" with CCP connections or studying in critical fields, and would increase scrutiny of future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
May 16, 2025: Trump Discussed Addressing Starvation in Gaza
On May 16, 2025, while in Abu Dhabi, UAE, President Trump discussed addressing starvation in Gaza. Israel proposed a plan for food distribution through private contractors protected by Israeli soldiers, with a U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation set to begin operations by the end of May. This plan has been criticized for potential forced relocations.
June 2025: Rubio Announced Sanctions on International Criminal Court Judges
In June 2025, Marco Rubio announced sanctions on four International Criminal Court judges for allegedly targeting the United States and Israel.
2025: Service as Secretary of State
In 2025, Marco Rubio began serving as the 72nd United States Secretary of State, also serving in other positions such as national security advisor, archivist of the United States, and administrator of USAID.
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