Marco Rubio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marco Rubio
Official portrait, 2025
72nd United States Secretary of State
Incumbent
Assumed office January 21, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Christopher Landau
Preceded by	Antony Blinken
United States National Security Advisor
Acting
Assumed office May 1, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Mike Waltz
Other administration positions Archivist of the United States Acting Assumed office February 16, 2025 President Donald Trump Preceded by William J. Bosanko (acting) Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development Acting February 3, 2025 – July 1, 2025 President Donald Trump Preceded by Jason Gray (acting) Succeeded by Office abolished
United States Senator from Florida
In office January 3, 2011 – January 20, 2025
Preceded by	George LeMieux
Succeeded by	Ashley Moody
Committee positions Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 Preceded by Mark Warner Succeeded by Mark Warner Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Acting May 18, 2020 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by Richard Burr Succeeded by Mark Warner Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee In office January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by Jim Risch Succeeded by Ben Cardin
94th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office November 21, 2006 – November 18, 2008
Preceded by	Allan Bense
Succeeded by	Ray Sansom
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 111th district
In office January 25, 2000 – November 18, 2008
Preceded by	Carlos Valdes
Succeeded by	Erik Fresen
Member of the West Miami City Commission
In office April 1998 – January 2000
Preceded by	Tania Rozio
Succeeded by	Luciano Suarez
Personal details
Born	Marco Antonio Rubio (1971-05-28) May 28, 1971 (age 54) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jeanette Dousdebes ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	4
Education	University of Florida (BA) University of Miami (JD)
Signature

Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer. He is the 72nd United States Secretary of State, which means he is the country's top diplomat. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Before becoming Secretary of State, Rubio represented Florida in the United States Senate from 2011 to 2025. He also served in the Florida House of Representatives. In 2016, he was a candidate for President of the United States.

Rubio is the first Hispanic American to serve as Secretary of State. He is known for his influence on U.S. policy toward Latin America and for his strong opinions on China.

Early Life and Education

Rubio's 1989 high school yearbook photo

Marco Antonio Rubio was born in Miami, Florida. His parents were from Cuba and moved to the United States in 1956. They became U.S. citizens in 1975. Rubio grew up with his older brother, older sister, and younger sister.

His family was Catholic. When Rubio was a child, his family lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a few years. His father worked as a bartender and his mother worked as a housekeeper. The family later moved back to Miami.

Rubio graduated from South Miami Senior High School in 1989. He went to Tarkio College in Missouri on a football scholarship for one year. He later earned a degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1993. In 1996, he graduated with a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law.

Early Political Career

Rubio and Mario Díaz-Balart in 2001

Rubio's political career began in 1998 when he was elected as a city commissioner for West Miami. In 2000, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives.

In the Florida House, Rubio became a leader in the Republican Party. He served as majority leader and was later elected Speaker of the House in 2006. This made him the first Cuban American to hold that powerful position. As Speaker, he led the House and helped create new laws for the state.

One of his projects was a book called 100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future. He gathered ideas from people across Florida to fill the book. Some of these ideas, like new programs for high schools, became law. He left the Florida legislature in 2008 because of term limits, which restrict how long a person can hold an office.

U.S. Senator (2011–2025)

Rubio's portrait during the 112th Congress

After leaving the Florida legislature, Rubio taught at Florida International University. In 2009, he announced he would run for the U.S. Senate.

Elections

In 2010, Rubio ran against Florida's governor, Charlie Crist, for the Republican nomination. With support from the Tea Party movement, a conservative group, Rubio became popular. Crist decided to run as an independent, and Rubio won the Republican nomination. Rubio won the general election with 49% of the vote.

In 2015, Rubio decided to run for president instead of for reelection to the Senate. After he ended his presidential campaign, he changed his mind and ran for the Senate again. He won a second term in 2016.

In 2022, Rubio ran for a third term and won. He defeated the Democratic candidate Val Demings.

Work in the Senate

Rubio with Israeli president Shimon Peres during a trip to Israel in February 2013

As a senator, Rubio focused on foreign policy, national security, and economic issues. He was known for his strong views on the U.S. role in the world.

In 2013, he was part of a bipartisan group of senators called the "Gang of Eight." They wrote a bill to reform the country's immigration laws. The bill passed in the Senate but was not voted on in the House of Representatives.

Rubio was seen as an expert on Latin America. He was also a strong critic of the government of China. He supported policies to counter China's influence around the world. The Chinese government placed sanctions on him for his criticism.

During his time in the Senate, he served on important committees. These included the Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.

2016 Presidential Campaign

Senator Rubio speaks at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference.

Rubio speaks at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

On April 13, 2015, Rubio announced he was running for President of the United States. He competed for the Republican nomination against several other candidates, including Donald Trump.

During the campaign, Rubio and Trump often criticized each other. Rubio presented himself as a new generation of conservative leadership. He won the primary contests in Minnesota, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

On March 15, 2016, Rubio ended his campaign after finishing second in his home state of Florida. He later endorsed Trump for president.

Secretary of State (2025–present)

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced he would nominate Rubio to be his Secretary of State. The U.S. Senate approved his nomination, and he took office on January 21, 2025.

As Secretary of State, Rubio is in charge of the country's foreign policy and its relationships with other nations. He is the top U.S. diplomat. He has also served as the acting National Security Advisor.

Key Actions

Rubio with foreign ministers from the Quad countries in 2025.

On his first day, Rubio met with leaders from Australia, India, and Japan to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region. He has focused on strengthening alliances to counter China's influence.

His department put a 90-day freeze on some foreign aid programs from the USAID. The purpose was to review the programs to make sure they were effective.

Rubio has traveled to many countries to meet with world leaders. He has worked on peace agreements, including one between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. He has also been involved in discussions about providing aid to people in Gaza.

Political Positions

Rubio is known as a conservative politician. He supports lower taxes, a balanced federal budget, and a strong national defense. He opposed the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and voted to repeal it.

His foreign policy views are often described as "hawkish." This means he believes the U.S. should take a strong and active role in world affairs. He is a strong critic of the governments of China, Venezuela, and Cuba. He is also a strong supporter of Israel.

Rubio believes in protecting the right to own guns. He has said that new gun control laws often do not stop criminals.

Personal Life

The Rubios–Daniella, Anthony, Amanda, Dominick and Jeanette (front row, from left) are watching Marco delivers remarks on his first day in the State Department.

In 1998, Rubio married Jeanette Dousdebes. She is a former bank teller and was a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. They have four children.

The Rubio family lives in West Miami, Florida. They are Roman Catholic and attend church in Coral Gables, Florida.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Marco Rubio para niños

• Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act
• Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
• Florida Republican primary, 2016
• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress