Marco Rubio

File:Marco Rubio in high school.jpeg photo|left]]

Marco Antonio Rubio was born in 1971 in Miami, Florida.{{cite news |last=Linkins |first=Jason |date=October 20, 2011 |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/marco-rubio-bobby-jindal-birthers_n_1022742.html |title=Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal Become Focus Of Bipartisan Birthers |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806204849/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/marco-rubio-bobby-jindal-birthers_n_1022742.html |url-status=live }} He is the second son and third child of Mario Rubio Reina{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=26}} and Oriales (née García) Rubio.{{cite web |last1=Daugherty |first1=Alex |title=Marco Rubio's mother, who left Cuba for Miami, dies at 88 |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article235626687.html |website=Miami Herald |access-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215025018/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article235626687.html |url-status=live }} His parents were Cubans who began living in the United States in 1956 during the regime of Fulgencio Batista, two and a half years before Fidel Castro ascended to power after the Cuban Revolution. His mother made at least four return trips to Cuba after Castro's takeover, including a month-long trip in 1961, and a return to Cuba had been planned before the changes in their native country. Rubio's parents were not U.S. citizens at the time of Rubio's birth.{{cite web|title=Marco Rubio Once Benefitted From Birthright Citizenship, Now He's Open to Restricting It|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/08/18/marco-rubio-once-benefitted-from-birthright-citizenship-now-hes-open-restricting|work=National Journal|access-date=November 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011162523/http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/08/18/marco-rubio-once-benefitted-from-birthright-citizenship-now-hes-open-restricting|archive-date=October 11, 2015|date=August 18, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Rubio's Parents Were Plain Old Immigrants, Not Refugees|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/10/rubios-parents-were-plain-old-immigrants-not-refugees/336501/|website=The Atlantic|date=October 2011|access-date=November 13, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101021007/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/10/rubios-parents-were-plain-old-immigrants-not-refugees/336501/|url-status=live}} They were naturalized in 1975.{{cite news |last=Roig-Franzia |first=Manuel |title=Marco Rubio's compelling family story embellishes facts, documents show |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marco-rubios-compelling-family-story-embellishes-facts-documents-show/2011/10/20/gIQAaVHD1L_story.html |access-date=October 21, 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 21, 2011 |archive-date=October 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021180412/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marco-rubios-compelling-family-story-embellishes-facts-documents-show/2011/10/20/gIQAaVHD1L_story.html |url-status=live }} See also [https://live.washingtonpost.com/post-reporter-discusses-marco-rubio-story.html?hpid=z8 Live Chat: Marco Rubio's embellished family story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913044117/https://live.washingtonpost.com/post-reporter-discusses-marco-rubio-story.html?hpid=z8 |date=September 13, 2017 }}, The Washington Post (October 24, 2011). Some relatives of Rubio's were admitted to the U.S. as refugees.

Rubio's maternal grandfather, Pedro Victor Garcia, immigrated to the U.S. legally in 1956, but returned to Cuba to find work in 1959.{{cite news |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Manuel |last=Roig-Franzia |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/marco-rubios-grandfather-had-difficult-transition-to-us/2012/06/17/gJQA4535jV_story.html |title=Marco Rubio's grandfather had difficult transition to U.S. |date=June 17, 2012 |access-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618094553/http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/marco-rubios-grandfather-had-difficult-transition-to-us/2012/06/17/gJQA4535jV_story.html |url-status=live }} When in 1962 he fled communist Cuba and returned to the U.S. without a visa, he was detained as an undocumented immigrant and an immigration judge ordered him to be deported.{{cite news |publisher=WPBF |agency=Associated Press |location=West Palm Beach, FL |url=http://www.wpbf.com/news/politics/Marco-Rubio-s-grandfather-ordered-deported-to-Cuba-in-1962/-/8788770/11841162/-/1yggv2z/-/ |title=Marco Rubio's grandfather ordered deported to Cuba in 1962 |date=April 25, 2012 |access-date=February 24, 2013 }}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} But immigration officials reversed their decision later that day, and the deportation order was not enforced. Instead, Garcia was reclassified to the legal status of "parolee" that allowed him to stay in the U.S.{{cite magazine | magazine = TIME | title = Immigrant Son | url = https://swampland.time.com/2013/02/07/immigrant-son/ | date = February 7, 2013 | first = Michael | last = Grunwald | access-date = March 2, 2016 | archive-date = March 3, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303080216/http://swampland.time.com/2013/02/07/immigrant-son/ | url-status = live }}{{cite news|title=Rubio's Grandfather may have temporarily been in U.S. illegally|url=http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2012/04/25/rubios-grandfather-may-have-temporarily-been-in-u-s-illegally/|access-date=November 19, 2014|agency=Associated Press|date=April 25, 2012|website=Herald Tribune|archive-date=December 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222053616/http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2012/04/25/rubios-grandfather-may-have-temporarily-been-in-u-s-illegally/|url-status=live}} He reapplied for permanent resident status in 1966 after the Cuban Adjustment Act passed, and his residency was approved. Rubio had a close relationship with his grandfather during his childhood.{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/us/politics/marco-rubio-immigration-grandfather.html | title = Marco Rubio's Policies Might Shut the Door to People Like His Grandfather | first = Jeremy | last = Peters | work = The New York Times | date = March 5, 2016 | access-date = February 25, 2017 | archive-date = September 13, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170913044613/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/us/politics/marco-rubio-immigration-grandfather.html | url-status = live }}

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. His parents left Cuba in 1956, during the Batista regime. According to the Post, "[in] Florida, being connected to the post-revolution exile community gives a politician cachet that could never be achieved by someone identified with the pre-Castro exodus, a group sometimes viewed with suspicion". Rubio denied that he had embellished his family history, stating that his public statements about his family were based on "family lore". Rubio asserted that his parents intended to return to Cuba in the 1960s. He added that his mother took his two elder siblings back to Cuba in 1961 with the intention of living there permanently (his father remained behind in Miami "wrapping up the family's matters"), but the nation's move toward communism caused the family to change its plans. Rubio said that the "essence of my family story is why they came to America in the first place and why they had to stay".{{cite web |first=Marco |last=Rubio |title=My family's flight from Castro |work=Politico |date=October 21, 2011 |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66567.html |access-date=February 14, 2013 |archive-date=November 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112213338/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66567.html |url-status=live }}

Rubio has three siblings: older brother Mario, older sister Barbara (married to Orlando Cicilia), and younger sister Veronica (formerly married to entertainer Carlos Ponce).{{Cite news |last=O'Keefe |first=Ed |date=April 13, 2015 |title=Who's in Marco Rubio's inner circle? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/04/13/whos-in-marco-rubios-inner-circle/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=February 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202040558/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/04/13/whos-in-marco-rubios-inner-circle/ |url-status=live }} Growing up, his family was Catholic, though from age{{spaces}}8 to age{{spaces}}11 he and his family attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while living in Las Vegas.{{cite web |first=Thomas |last=Burr |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54325018-78/rubio-church-family-faith.html.csp |title=Marco Rubio's book explains why he left Mormonism |work=Salt Lake Tribune |date=June 18, 2012 |access-date=June 29, 2012 |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620170943/http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54325018-78/rubio-church-family-faith.html.csp |url-status=live }} During those years in Nevada, his father worked as a bartender at Sam's Town Hotel and his mother as a housekeeper at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino.{{cite web|title=Marco Rubio About |url=https://www.rubio.senate.gov/about.cfm |website=Marco Rubio Senator |access-date=November 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141118144709/http://www.rubio.senate.gov/about.cfm |archive-date=November 18, 2014 }}

Rubio received his first communion as a Catholic in 1984 before moving with his family back to Miami a year later. He was confirmed. Although he changed religious affiliations several times, he was married in the Catholic Church.{{cite news |url=http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/23/sen-marco-rubios-religious-journey-catholic-to-mormon-to-catholic-to-baptist-and-catholic/?hpt=hp_t3 |title=Sen. Marco Rubio's religious journey: Catholic to Mormon to Catholic to Baptist and Catholic |last=Marrapodi |first=Erin |date=February 23, 2012 |publisher=CNN |access-date=February 24, 2012 |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301073459/http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/23/sen-marco-rubios-religious-journey-catholic-to-mormon-to-catholic-to-baptist-and-catholic/?hpt=hp_t3 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/SEctions/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180&SessionId=42 |title=Representative Marco Rubio |publisher=Florida House of Representatives |access-date=October 29, 2010 |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530015559/http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180&SessionId=42 |url-status=live }}

Rubio attended South Miami Senior High School, graduating in 1989. He attended Tarkio College in Missouri for one year on a football scholarship before enrolling at Santa Fe Community College (later Santa Fe College) in Gainesville, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1993 and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996.{{cite web|last=Bennett|first=George|title=Republican candidate Marco Rubio casts U.S. Senate race as battle for America|url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/republican-candidate-marco-rubio-casts-us-senate-r/nMBRR/|work=The Palm Beach Post|access-date=February 19, 2014|date=October 2, 2010|archive-date=April 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407064531/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/republican-candidate-marco-rubio-casts-us-senate-r/nMBRR/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Marco Rubio – Biography |url=http://www.republicanbusinesscouncil.com/bios/rubio_bio.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324040831/http://www.republicanbusinesscouncil.com/bios/rubio_bio.pdf |archive-date=March 24, 2012 |publisher=Republican Business Council |year=2010 |access-date=May 24, 2012}} Rubio has said that he incurred $100,000 in student loans, but paid off those loans in 2012.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-marco-rubios-state-union-response/story?id=18484413 |title=Transcript: Marco Rubio's State of the Union Response |publisher=ABC News |date=February 13, 2013 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-date=February 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216102053/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-marco-rubios-state-union-response/story?id=18484413 |url-status=live }}

While studying law, Rubio interned for U.S. representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.{{cite news|last=Clark |first=Lesley |title=Miami's Marco Rubio becomes new Florida senator |work=Miami Herald |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/05/2001675/miamis-marco-rubio-becomes-new.html |access-date=August 24, 2011 |date=January 5, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He also worked on Republican senator Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign.{{cite news |last=O'Keefe |first=Ed |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-south-florida-jeb-bush-and-marco-rubio-are-forcing-locals-to-pick-sides/2015/04/09/331951a6-d3e3-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html |title=In South Florida, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio are forcing locals to pick sides |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 10, 2014 |access-date=April 12, 2014 |archive-date=April 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411110032/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-south-florida-jeb-bush-and-marco-rubio-are-forcing-locals-to-pick-sides/2015/04/09/331951a6-d3e3-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Leary |first=Alex |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/marco-rubios-meteoric-rise-in-florida-politics/1127114 |title=Marco Rubio's meteoric rise in Florida politics |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=October 9, 2010 |access-date=April 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615122929/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/marco-rubios-meteoric-rise-in-florida-politics/1127114 |archive-date=June 15, 2017 }} In April 1998, two years after finishing law school, Rubio was elected to a seat as city commissioner for West Miami.{{Cite web| url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/marco-rubio-tea-party-pretty-boy-6379200| title=Marco Rubio, Tea Party Pretty Boy| date=July 22, 2010| access-date=April 7, 2020| archive-date=April 7, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407230010/https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/marco-rubio-tea-party-pretty-boy-6379200| url-status=live}} He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in early 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald/170641258/|title=16 Apr 2000, 235 – The Miami Herald at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026120039/http://www.newspapers.com/image/642773933/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Samuels |first=Robert |date=July 30, 2015 |title=The story behind Marco Rubio's frustrating first job as a politician |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-story-behind-marco-rubios-frustrating-first-job-as-a-politician/2015/07/29/5c0d4de6-308c-11e5-8f36-18d1d501920d_story.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027154316/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-story-behind-marco-rubios-frustrating-first-job-as-a-politician/2015/07/29/5c0d4de6-308c-11e5-8f36-18d1d501920d_story.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Mishak |date=November 5, 2015 |title=What Kind of Leader Is Marco Rubio? An Investigation. |url=https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/24397/what-kind-leader-is-marco-rubio-investigation |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=National Journal}}

==Early political career (2000–2008)==

File:Marco Rubio and Mario Diaz-Balart in the House chamber.jpg in 2001]]

In late 1999, a special election was called to fill the seat for the 111th House District in the Florida House of Representatives, representing Miami.{{cite news | first=David | last=Azares | title=Diaz De La Portilla Wins State Senate Seat | url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-12-15/news/9912150159_1_senate-post-state-senate-seat-miami-dade | newspaper=Sun Sentinel | date=December 15, 1999 | access-date=February 14, 2013 | archive-date=September 27, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927113326/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-12-15/news/9912150159_1_senate-post-state-senate-seat-miami-dade | url-status=dead }} It was considered a safe Republican seat, so Rubio's main challenge was to win the GOP nomination. He campaigned as a moderate, advocating tax cuts and early childhood education.

Rubio placed second in the Republican primary on December 14, 1999,{{cite web | title=December 14, 1999 Special Primary Senate 34 and House 111 & 115 | url=http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/SummaryRpt.asp?ElectionDate=12/14/1999&Race=STR&Party=REP&DATAMODE= | publisher=Florida Department of State Division of Elections | access-date=February 14, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729081104/http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/SummaryRpt.asp?ElectionDate=12%2F14%2F1999&Race=STR&Party=REP&DATAMODE= | archive-date=July 29, 2013 | url-status=dead }} but won the runoff election for the Republican nomination, defeating Angel Zayon (a television and radio reporter who was popular with Cuban exiles) by 64 votes.{{cite news | url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2010-07-22/news/marco-rubio-tea-party-pretty-boy/full/ | title=Marco Rubio, Tea Party pretty boy | first=Tim | last=Elfrink | date=July 22, 2010 | access-date=February 14, 2013 | work=Miami New Times | archive-date=February 16, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216034736/http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2010-07-22/news/marco-rubio-tea-party-pretty-boy/full | url-status=live }} He defeated Democrat Anastasia Garcia with 72% of the vote in a January 25, 2000, special election.{{cite news | title=Legislator says he got calls demanding he end sit-in Series: AROUND THE STATE: [SOUTH PINELLAS Edition] | date=January 26, 2000 | work=St. Petersburg Times | id={{ProQuest|263423613}} }}

In November 2000, Rubio was reelected unopposed.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=33133 |title=FL State House 111 Race – Nov 07, 2000 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928065314/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=33133 |url-status=live }} In 2002, he was reelected to a second term unopposed.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5594 |title=FL State House 111 Race – Nov 05, 2002 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928065350/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5594 |url-status=live }} In 2004, he was reelected to a third term with 66% of the vote.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=68885 |title=FL State House 111 Race – Nov 02, 2004 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928065253/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=68885 |url-status=live }} In 2006, he was reelected to a fourth term unopposed.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=297425 |title=FL State House 111 Race – Nov 07, 2006 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114130959/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=297425 |url-status=live }}

Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives for nearly nine years. Since the Florida legislative session officially lasted only 60 days, he spent about half of each year in Miami, where he practiced law. He worked at a law firm that specialized in land use and zoning until 2014, when he took a position with Broad and Cassel, a Miami law and lobbying firm. (State law precluded him from engaging in lobbying or introducing legislation on behalf of the firm's clients).{{cite news|author1=Hamburger, Tom|author2=Sullivan, Sean|date=June 29, 2015|title=How Marco Rubio turned political star power into a soaring personal income|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-marco-rubio-turned-political-star-power-into-a-soaring-personal-income/2015/06/29/8cdae1aa-13a8-11e5-9ddc-e3353542100c_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 7, 2015|archive-date=November 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106183550/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-marco-rubio-turned-political-star-power-into-a-soaring-personal-income/2015/06/29/8cdae1aa-13a8-11e5-9ddc-e3353542100c_story.html|url-status=live}}

File:Marco Rubio.jpg

When Rubio took his seat in the legislature in Tallahassee in January 2000, voters in Florida had recently approved a constitutional amendment on term limits. This created openings for new legislative leaders due to many senior incumbents having to retire. According to an article in National Journal, Rubio also gained an extra advantage in that regard, because he was sworn in early due to the special election, and he would take advantage of these opportunities to join the GOP leadership.

Later in 2000, the majority leader of the House, Mike Fasano, promoted Rubio to be one of two majority whips. National Journal described that position as typically requiring much arm-twisting, but said Rubio took a different approach that relied more on persuading legislators and less on coercing them.

Fasano resigned in September 2001 as majority leader of the House due to disagreements with the House speaker, and the speaker passed over Rubio to appoint a more experienced replacement for Fasano. Rubio volunteered to work on redistricting, which he accomplished by dividing the state into five regions, then working individually with the lawmakers involved, and this work helped to cement his relationships with GOP leaders.

In December 2002, Rubio was appointed House majority leader by Speaker Johnnie Byrd.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F7DC37DA1706DF7&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Dade Hispanics Set to Get Top Posts in House|publisher=Nl.newsbank.com|access-date=September 9, 2012|date=December 10, 2002|archive-date=April 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413132228/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F7DC37DA1706DF7&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F832B87CC108EB4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Two S. Florida Democrats To Lead Senate Committees|publisher=Nl.newsbank.com|access-date=September 9, 2012|date=December 18, 2002|archive-date=February 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205002543/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F832B87CC108EB4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}} He persuaded Speaker Byrd to restructure the job of majority leader, so that legislative wrangling would be left to the whip's office, and Rubio would become the main spokesperson for the House GOP.

According to National Journal, during this period Rubio did not entirely adhere to doctrinaire conservative principles, and some colleagues described him as a centrist "who sought out Democrats and groups that don't typically align with the GOP". He co-sponsored legislation that would have let farmworkers sue growers in state court if they were shortchanged on pay, and co-sponsored a bill for giving in-state tuition rates to the children of undocumented immigrants. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, he voiced suspicion about expanding police detention powers and helped defeat a GOP bill that would have required colleges to increase reporting to the state about foreign students.

As a state representative, Rubio requested legislative earmarks (called "Community Budget Issue Requests" in Florida), totaling about $145{{spaces}}million for 2001 and 2002, but none thereafter.{{Cite web |last=Sharockman |first=Aaron |date=November 16, 2010 |title=Marco Rubio wasn't always against earmarks, Florida Democrat claims |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2010/nov/16/steven-schale/marco-rubio-wasnt-always-against-earmarks-florida/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=PolitiFact |language=en-US}}{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=106–107}} Additionally, an office in the executive branch compiled a longer list of spending requests by legislators, including Rubio,{{Cite web |last=Caputo |first=Marc |date=March 9, 2010 |title=Rubio's campaign image belies history of $250 million in pork requests |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/rubios-campaign-image-belies-history-of-250-million-in-pork-requests/1078548 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421095405/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/rubios-campaign-image-belies-history-of-250-million-in-pork-requests/1078548 |archive-date=April 21, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |url-status=dead }} as did the non-profit group Florida TaxWatch.{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=John |date=May 23, 2007 |title=Governor could ax these turkeys |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2007/05/23/governor-could-ax-these-turkeys/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}} Many of those listed items were for health and social programs that Rubio has described as "the kind of thing that legislators would get attacked on if we didn't fund them". A 2010 report by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald said that some of Rubio's spending requests dovetailed with his personal interests. For example, Rubio requested a $20{{spaces}}million appropriation for Jackson Memorial Hospital to subsidize care for the poor and uninsured, and Rubio later did work for that hospital as a consultant. A spokesman for Rubio has said that the items in question helped the whole county, that Rubio did not lobby to get them approved, that the hospital money was necessary and non-controversial, and that Rubio is "a limited-government conservative{{spaces}}... not a no-government conservative".

File:Speaker-designate Marco Rubio with a blank book titled 100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future.jpg colleagues to help write 100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future in September 2005]]

File:House Select Committee on Private Property Rights Chairman Rep. Marco Rubio, R-Miami, left, guides discussion 2005-10-18.jpg Select Committee on Private Property Rights in October 2005]]

File:Speaker Rubio standing with Dem leader.jpg in 2007]]

File:Speaker Rubio Following Vote About Slavery.jpg Speaker Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt embrace after the Florida House's unanimous approval of the Florida Senate's resolution to formally express deep regret for slavery in March 2008]]

On September 13, 2005, at age 34,{{cite news|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-speaker-20150710|title=The Speaker|work=National Journal|access-date=July 23, 2015|date=July 11, 2015|url-access=subscription|archive-date=July 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715214617/http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-speaker-20150710|url-status=live}} Rubio became speaker after state representatives Dennis Baxley, Jeff Kottkamp, and Dennis A. Ross dropped out. He was sworn in a year later, in November 2006. He became the first Cuban American to be speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, and would remain speaker until November 2008.{{cite web |last=Fineout |first=Gary |url=http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031115/NEWS/211150381/1047 |title=Baxley backs off House leader bid |publisher=Ocala.com |date=November 15, 2003 |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-date=April 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404155430/http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20031115%2FNEWS%2F211150381%2F1047 |url-status=live }}

When he was chosen as future speaker in 2005, Rubio delivered a speech to the Florida House in which he asked members to look in their desks, where they each found a hardcover book titled 100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future; but the book was blank because it had not yet been written, and Rubio told his colleagues that they would fill in the pages together with the help of ordinary Floridians. In 2006, after traveling around the state and talking with citizens, and compiling their ideas, Rubio published the book.{{Cite book |last=Rubio |first=Marco |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6cXIZs6TogC |title=100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future |date=November 1, 2006 |publisher=Regnery Publishing |isbn=978-1-59698-511-7 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Rubio claims 57 of his 100 ideas were made law by the Florida Legislature |url=http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/feb/26/marco-rubio/rubio-claims-57-his-100-ideas-were-made-law-florid/ |publisher=Politifact |access-date=May 24, 2012 |last=Sharockman |first=Aaron |archive-date=June 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606143438/http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/feb/26/marco-rubio/rubio-claims-57-his-100-ideas-were-made-law-florid/ |url-status=live }} The National Journal called this book "the centerpiece of Rubio's early speakership". About 24 of the "ideas" became law, while another 10 were partially enacted. Among the items from his 2006 book that became law were multiple-year car registrations, a requirement that high schools provide more vocational courses, and an expanded voucher-like school-choice program. Rubio's defenders, and some critics, point out that nationwide economic difficulties overlapped with much of Rubio's speakership, and so funding new legislative proposals became difficult.

As Rubio took office as Speaker, Jeb Bush was completing his term as governor, and Bush left office in January 2007. Rubio hired 18 Bush aides, leading capitol insiders to say the speaker's suite was "the governor's office in exile". An article in National Journal described Rubio's style as being very different from Bush's; where Bush was a very assertive manager of affairs in Tallahassee, Rubio's style was to delegate certain powers, relinquish others, and invite political rivals into his inner circle. As the incoming speaker, he decided to open a private dining room for legislators, which he said would give members more privacy, free from being pursued by lobbyists, though the expense led to a public relations problem.

In 2006, Florida enacted into law limitations upon the authority of the state government to take private property, in response to the 2005 Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London which took a broad view of governmental power to take private property under eminent domain. This state legislation had been proposed by a special committee chaired by Rubio prior to his speakership.

Jeb Bush was succeeded by Charlie Crist, a moderate Republican who took office in January 2007. Rubio and Crist clashed frequently. Their sharpest clash involved the governor's initiative to expand casino gambling in Florida. Rubio sued Crist for bypassing the Florida Legislature in order to make a deal with the Seminole Tribe. The Florida Supreme Court sided with Rubio and blocked the deal.{{Cite web |last=Deb |first=Sopan |date=November 3, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio: Young, but a longtime fighter |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-young-but-a-longtime-fighter/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=November 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106014903/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-young-but-a-longtime-fighter/ |url-status=live }}

Rubio also was a critic of Crist's strategy to fight climate change through an executive order creating new automobile and utility emissions standards. Rubio accused Crist of imposing "European-style big government mandates", and the legislature under Rubio's leadership weakened the impact of Crist's climate change initiative. Rubio said that Crist's approach would harm consumers by driving up utility bills without having much effect upon the environment, and that a better approach would be to promote biofuel (e.g. ethanol), solar panels, and energy efficiency.{{Cite web |last=Dunkelberger |first=Lloyd |date=July 26, 2007 |title=Rubio: Crist's Plan Won't Work |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2007/07/26/rubio-crists-plan-wont-work/25785191007/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Klas |first=Mary Ellen |date=July 25, 2007 |title=Rubio clashes with Crist over climate change standards |url=https://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2007/07/rubio-clashes-w.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Miami Herald |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113041121/https://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2007/07/rubio-clashes-w.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Rubio |first=Marco |date=July 25, 2007 |title=Use common sense on energy policies |url=http://carboncapture.us/docs/Miami_Herald_070725.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116024115/http://carboncapture.us/docs/Miami_Herald_070725.htm |archive-date=January 16, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Miami Herald}}

Rubio introduced a plan to reduce state property taxes to 2001 levels (and potentially eliminate them altogether), while increasing sales taxes by 1% to 2.5% to fund schools. The proposal would have reduced property taxes in the state by $40–50{{spaces}}billion. His proposal passed the House, but was opposed by Governor Crist and Florida Senate Republicans, who said that the increase in sales tax would disproportionately affect the poor. So, Rubio agreed to smaller changes, and Crist's proposal to double the state's property tax exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 (for a tax reduction estimated by Crist to be $33{{spaces}}billion) ultimately passed.{{cite news |title=When Rubio Was the Man of Florida's House |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/416889/when-rubio-was-man-floridas-house-jim-geraghty |access-date=July 23, 2015 |work=National Review |date=April 13, 2015 |last=Geraghty |first=Jim |archive-date=August 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805094331/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/416889/when-rubio-was-man-floridas-house-jim-geraghty |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Marco Rubio's U.S. Senate campaign grew out of his 2007 antitax roots |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/marco-rubios-us-senate-campaign-grew-out-of-his-2007-antitax-roots/1108354 |access-date=May 24, 2012 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=July 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224101917/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/marco-rubios-us-senate-campaign-grew-out-of-his-2007-antitax-roots/1108354 |archive-date=February 24, 2013 |last=Leary|first=Alex}} Legislators called it the largest tax cut in Florida's history up until then.{{cite news|last1=Bousquet|first1=Steve|title=Confused now? It will get worse|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/16/State/Confused_now_It_will_.shtml|access-date=August 8, 2015|work=Tampa Bay Times|date=June 16, 2007|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133604/http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/16/State/Confused_now_It_will_.shtml|url-status=live}} At the time, Republican anti-tax activist Grover Norquist described Rubio as "the most pro-taxpayer legislative leader in the country".

As Speaker, Rubio "aggressively tried to push Florida to the political right", according to NBC News, and frequently clashed with the Florida Senate, which was run by more moderate Republicans, and with then-Governor Charlie Crist, a centrist Republican at the time.{{Cite web |last=Bacon |first=Perry Jr. |date=April 14, 2015 |title=In Florida House, Rubio Led A Conservative Revolt Against Fellow Republicans |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/florida-house-rubio-lead-conservative-revolt-against-fellow-republicans-n338736 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |publisher=NBC News |language=en}} Although a conservative, "behind the scenes many Democrats considered Rubio someone with whom they could work", according to biographer Manuel Roig-Franzia.{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=110}} Dan Gelber of Miami, the House Democratic leader at the time of Rubio's speakership, considered him "a true conservative" but not "a reflexive partisan", saying: "He didn't have an objection to working with the other side simply because they were the other side. To put it bluntly, he wasn't a jerk."{{Cite news |last=Adams |first=Chris |date=June 16, 2015 |title=Moderate Marco? Not quite, but Rubio has history of bipartisanship |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article27428128.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=Miami Herald}} Gelber considered Rubio "a severe conservative, really far to the right, but probably the most talented spokesman the severe right could ever hope for."

While speaker of the Florida House, Rubio shared a residence in Tallahassee with another Florida state representative, David Rivera, which the two co-owned. The house later went into foreclosure in 2010 after several missed mortgage payments.{{cite news |last=Bender |first=Michael C. |title=Rubio faces foreclosure on Tally home; his campaign says it's resolved |url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/rubio-faces-foreclosure-on-tally-home-his-campaign-754440.html |access-date=May 5, 2011 |newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |date=June 17, 2010 |archive-date=September 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919201410/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/rubio-faces-foreclosure-on-tally-home-his-campaign-754440.html |url-status=live }} At that point, Rubio assumed responsibility for the payments, and the house was eventually sold.{{Cite web |last=Caputo |first=Marc |date=June 3, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio sells his house of horrors |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/marco-rubio-sells-house-of-horrors-118572 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Politico |publisher= |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2015 |title=Rubio sells troubled house in Florida for $117K |url=https://apnews.com/e7f05cd0b0cc4958adee8b12b808da3e |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Associated Press |language=en-US}}

In 2007, Florida state senator Tony Hill (D-Jacksonville), chairman of the state legislature's Black Caucus, requested that the legislature apologize for slavery, and Rubio said the idea merited discussion.{{Cite web |last=Kleindienst |first=Linda |date=April 18, 2007 |title=Lawmakers consider apology for slavery |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2007/04/18/lawmakers-consider-apology-for-slavery/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}} The following year, a supportive Rubio said such apologies can be important albeit symbolic; he pointed out that even in 2008 young African-American males "believe that the American dream is not available to them".{{Cite web |last=Colavecchio-Van Sickler |first=Shannon |date=March 5, 2008 |title=State: Florida mulls slavery apology |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/05/State/Florida_mulls_slavery.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318083245/http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/05/State/Florida_mulls_slavery.shtml |archive-date=March 18, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Colavecchio-Van Sickler |first=Shannon |date=March 26, 2008 |title=Florida apologizes for role in slavery |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/florida-apologizes-for-role-in-slavery/432823 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015200426/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/florida-apologizes-for-role-in-slavery/432823 |archive-date=October 15, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en-us |url-status=dead }} He helped set up a council on issues facing black men and boys, persuaded colleagues to replicate the Harlem Children's Zone in the Miami neighborhood of Liberty City, and supported efforts to promote literacy and mentoring for black children and others.{{Cite web |last=Leary |first=Alex |date=August 2, 2014 |title=Perspective: Rubio seeks the sweet spot |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/perspective-rubio-seeks-the-sweet-spot/2191101/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=October 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001102934/https://www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/perspective-rubio-seeks-the-sweet-spot/2191101/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last1=Hollis |first1=Mark |last2=Lewis |first2=Gregory |date=April 23, 2008 |title=Funding plan seeks to boost mentoring |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2008-04-23/news/0804230013_1_role-models-african-american-black-men |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810012232/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2008-04-23/news/0804230013_1_role-models-african-american-black-men |archive-date=August 10, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=Sun Sentinel |language=en |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Figueroa |first=Laura |date=May 2, 2008 |title=Rubio's farewell : "I leave here today with full peace in my heart" |url=https://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/05/weepy-speeches.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Miami Herald}}{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://cssbmb.com/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Florida Council On The Social Status Of Black Men And Boys |language=en-US}}

In 2010, during Rubio's Senate campaign, and again in 2015 during his presidential campaign, issues were raised by the media and his political opponents about some items charged by Rubio to his Republican Party of Florida American Express card during his time as House speaker.{{cite web | url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/marco-rubio-made-personal_n_476516.html | title=Marco Rubio Made Personal Charges on GOP Credit Card | publisher=HuffPost Politics | date=April 27, 2010 | access-date=July 15, 2014 | archive-date=July 22, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722143820/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/marco-rubio-made-personal_n_476516.html | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-florida-gop-under-federal-investigation-report-says/ | title=Marco Rubio, Florida GOP Under Federal Investigation, Report Says | publisher=CBS News | date=April 21, 2010 | access-date=July 15, 2014 | author=Condon, Stephanie | archive-date=July 22, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722083101/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-florida-gop-under-federal-investigation-report-says/ | url-status=live }} Rubio charged about $110,000 during those two years, of which $16,000 was personal expenses unrelated to party business, such as groceries and plane tickets.{{Cite web |last=Leary |first=Alex |date=November 8, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio campaign releases previously undisclosed GOP credit card statements |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/hedy-goes-here-and-here-xy-for-rubio-cardy/2253087/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726120944/https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/hedy-goes-here-and-here-xy-for-rubio-cardy/2253087/ |url-status=live }} Rubio said that he personally paid American Express more than $16,000 for these personal expenses.{{cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-credit-scandal-threatens-to-halt-rubios-momentum-in-primary/ | title=GOP Credit Scandal Threatens to Halt Rubio's Momentum in Primary | publisher=Fox News Channel | date=April 22, 2010 | access-date=July 15, 2014 | archive-date=July 24, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724202047/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/22/gop-credit-scandal-threatens-halt-rubios-momentum-primary/ | url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Reinhard |first1=Beth |last2=Hiaasen |first2=Scott |date=February 24, 2010 |title=Records show Marco Rubio spent thousands with GOP credit card |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/records-show-marco-rubio-spent-thousands-with-gop-credit-card/1075692 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728092806/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/records-show-marco-rubio-spent-thousands-with-gop-credit-card/1075692 |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en-us |url-status=dead }} In 2012, the Florida Commission on Ethics cleared Rubio of wrongdoing in his use of the party-issued credit card, although the commission inspector said that Rubio exhibited a "level of negligence" in not using his personal MasterCard.{{cite web|last=Leary|first=Alex|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/ethics-panel-dismisses-2010-claim-about-rubio/1242622/|title=Ethics panel dismisses 2010 claim about Rubio|website=Tampa Bay Times|date=July 27, 2012|access-date=October 31, 2015|archive-date=November 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113172855/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/ethics-panel-dismisses-2010-claim-about-rubio/1242622|url-status=live}}.{{cite web|first1=Drew|last1=Griffin|first2=Scott|last2=Zamost|first3=Tal|last3=Kopan|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/05/politics/marco-rubio-finances-republican-party-card/index.html|title=Marco Rubio's Florida spending caused alarm for colleague|website=CNN|date=November 6, 2015|access-date=November 10, 2015|archive-date=November 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109154537/http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/05/politics/marco-rubio-finances-republican-party-card/index.html|url-status=live}} In November 2015, Rubio released his party credit card statements for January 2005 through October 2006, which showed eight personal charges totaling $7,243.74, all of which he had personally reimbursed, in most instances by the next billing period.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/07/rubio-releases-gop-charge-card-statements-from-2005-06/|title=Rubio releases more credit card statements, team says 'nothing to hide'|website=Fox News|date=November 8, 2015|last1=Gomez|first1=Serafin|agency=Associated Press|access-date=November 9, 2015|archive-date=November 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110233404/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/07/rubio-releases-gop-charge-card-statements-from-2005-06/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|first=Eric|last=Bradner|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/07/politics/marco-rubio-credit-card-statements/|title=Marco Rubio releases Florida GOP charge card statements|website=CNN|date=November 7, 2015|access-date=November 9, 2015|archive-date=November 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120164259/http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/07/politics/marco-rubio-credit-card-statements/|url-status=live}} When releasing the charge records, Rubio spokesman Todd Harris said, "These statements are more than 10 years old. And the only people who ask about them today are the liberal media and our political opponents. We are releasing them now because Marco has nothing to hide."

After leaving the Florida Legislature in 2008, Rubio began teaching under a fellowship appointment at Florida International University (FIU) as an adjunct professor.{{cite web|last=Leary|first=Alex|title=At Florida International University, GOP rising star Sen. Marco Rubio is professor Rubio|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/at-florida-international-university-gop-rising-star-sen-marco-rubio-is/1226057/|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=February 19, 2014|date=April 20, 2012|archive-date=March 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306013021/http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/at-florida-international-university-gop-rising-star-sen-marco-rubio-is/1226057|url-status=live}} In 2011, after entering the U.S. Senate, he rejoined the FIU faculty.{{cite news|last=Terris|first=Ben|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-its-like-to-take-a-political-science-class-with-professor-marco-rubio/2015/02/10/a02c7726-b0d6-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html|title=What it's like to take a political science class with professor Marco Rubio|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 10, 2015|access-date=November 10, 2015|archive-date=November 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120191625/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-its-like-to-take-a-political-science-class-with-professor-marco-rubio/2015/02/10/a02c7726-b0d6-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html|url-status=live}} He has taught undergraduate courses on Florida politics, political parties, and legislative politics.{{cite web|last=Bennett|first=George|url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/us-sen-marco-rubios-teaching-post-at-fiu-draws-scr/nLs9g/|title=U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's teaching post at FIU draws scrutiny|website=Palm Beach Post|date=June 13, 2011|access-date=November 10, 2015|archive-date=November 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119235322/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/us-sen-marco-rubios-teaching-post-at-fiu-draws-scr/nLs9g/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Leary |first=Alex |date=June 2, 2011 |title=Sen. Marco Rubio returns to teaching at FIU |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/sen-marco-rubio-returns-to-teaching-at-fiu/1173236 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208113306/http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/sen-marco-rubio-returns-to-teaching-at-fiu/1173236 |archive-date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en-us |url-status=dead }}

Rubio's appointment as an FIU professor was initially criticized.{{cite web|last=Caputo|first=Marc|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/marco-rubio-florida-international-university-115003|title=Professor Rubio: Inside the classroom, the Florida Republican gives clues about his political future|website=Politico|date=February 9, 2015|access-date=November 10, 2015|archive-date=October 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018101355/http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/marco-rubio-florida-international-university-115003|url-status=live}} The university obtained considerable state funding when Rubio was speaker of the Florida House, and many other university jobs were being eliminated due to funding issues at the time FIU appointed him to the faculty.{{Cite web |last1=Leary |first1=Alex |last2=Reinhard |first2=Beth |author-link2=Beth Reinhard |date=December 12, 2009 |title=Senate run puts Rubio's ties to FIU under fiscal scrutiny |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/senate-run-puts-rubios-ties-to-fiu-under-fiscal-scrutiny/1058456 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204103321/http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/senate-run-puts-rubios-ties-to-fiu-under-fiscal-scrutiny/1058456 |archive-date=February 4, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times |url-status=dead }} When Rubio accepted the fellowship appointment as an adjunct professor at FIU, he agreed to raise most of the funding for his position from private sources.{{Cite news |last1=Barbaro |first1=Michael |last2=Eder |first2=Steve |date=May 9, 2015 |title=Billionaire Lifts Marco Rubio, Politically and Personally |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/us/billionaire-lifts-marco-rubio-politically-and-personally.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=February 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222233018/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/us/billionaire-lifts-marco-rubio-politically-and-personally.html |url-status=live }}

{{Main|2010 United States Senate election in Florida}}

On May 5, 2009, Rubio stated his intent to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martínez, who had decided not to seek reelection and subsequently resigned before completing his term. Before launching his campaign, Rubio met with fundraisers and supporters throughout the state.{{cite news |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/elections-2016/marco-rubio/article18167360.html |title=Marco Rubio quietly registers to run for U.S. Senate |work=Miami Herald |date=March 5, 2009 |first=Beth |last=Reinhard |access-date=February 10, 2016 |archive-date=February 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211090207/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/elections-2016/marco-rubio/article18167360.html |url-status=live }} Initially trailing by double digits in the primary against the incumbent governor of his own party, Charlie Crist, Rubio eventually surpassed Crist in polling for the Republican nomination.{{cite web |url=http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1297.xml?ReleaseID=1417 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128195800/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1297.xml?ReleaseID=1417 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 28, 2010 |date=January 26, 2010 |title=Rubio Edges Crist In Florida Gop Senate Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; President Obama Under Water As Voters Disapprove |publisher=Quinnipiac University|via=Internet Archive }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/florida/election_2010_florida_gop_senate_primary |publisher=Rasmussen Reports |title=Election 2010: Florida Republican Primary for Senate|date=February 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209003948/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/florida/election_2010_florida_republican_primary_for_senate |archive-date=February 9, 2010 |access-date=February 25, 2012|via=Internet Archive}} In his campaign, Rubio received the support of members of the Tea Party, many of whom were dissatisfied with Crist's policies as governor.{{cite news|last1=Leibovich|first1=Mark|title=The First Senator From the Tea Party?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10florida-t.html|access-date=November 19, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=January 6, 2010|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905185550/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10florida-t.html|url-status=live}} On April 28, 2010, Crist said he would run without a party affiliation, effectively ceding the Republican nomination to Rubio.{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/charlie-crist-will-run-for-senate-with-no-party-affiliation/1091169|title=Charlie Crist will run for Senate with no party affiliation|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=December 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120000620/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/charlie-crist-will-run-for-senate-with-no-party-affiliation/1091169|archive-date=November 20, 2015|via=Internet Archive|last1=Bousquet|first1=Steve|last2=Smith|first2=Adam C.|last3=Reinhard|first3=Beth}}{{cite news|url=http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/04/28/crist-to-run-as-independent-in-fl-sen-race |title=Crist to Run as Independent in FL Sen Race |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=April 28, 2010 |first=Kimberly |last=Schwandt |access-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503140412/http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/04/28/crist-to-run-as-independent-in-fl-sen-race/ |archive-date=May 3, 2010 |via=Internet Archive}}{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/special-report/2010/04/29/all-star-panel-gop-gov-crist-running-independent-floridas-senate-race|title=All-Star Panel on GOP Gov. Crist Running as an Independent in Florida's Senate Race|website=Fox News Channel|date=April 29, 2010|series=Special Report With Bret Baier|access-date=December 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303080228/http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/special-report/2010/04/29/all-star-panel-gop-gov-crist-running-independent-floridas-senate-race|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}} Several of Crist's top fundraisers, as well as Republican leadership, refused to support Crist after Rubio won the Republican nomination.{{cite web |last=Romm |first=Tony |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/67113-mcconnell-crist-would-lose-all-gop-support-if-he-ran-as-independent/ |title=McConnell: Crist would lose all GOP support if he ran as independent |work=The Hill |date=April 18, 2010 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |archive-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622060438/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/92869-mcconnell-crist-would-lose-all-gop-support-if-he-ran-as-independent |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/35937.html |title=Top Charlie Crist supporters torn over indy bid |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |last2=Catanese |first2=David |date=April 17, 2010 |work=Politico |access-date=April 17, 2010 |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418233443/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/35937.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/marco-rubio-wins-florida-_n_693377.html |title=Marco Rubio Wins Florida GOP Senate Primary |first1=Brendan |last1=Farrington |first2=Jennifer |last2=Kay |work=The Huffington Post |date=August 24, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2010 |archive-date=September 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902164916/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/marco-rubio-wins-florida-_n_693377.html |url-status=live }}

On November 2, 2010, Rubio won the general election with 49% of the vote to Crist's 30% and Democrat Kendrick Meek's 20%.{{cite news |url=http://elections.nbcnews.com/ns/politics/2010/florida/senate/ |title=Florida Senate Election Results |publisher=NBC News |date=November 8, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2013 |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618031204/http://elections.nbcnews.com/ns/politics/2010/florida/senate |url-status=live }} When Rubio was sworn in to the U.S. Senate, he and Bob Menendez of New Jersey were the only two Hispanic Americans in the Senate.

{{Main|2016 United States Senate election in Florida}}

In April 2015, Rubio decided to run for president instead of seeking reelection to the Senate. After suspending his presidential campaign on March 15, 2016, Rubio "seemed to open the door to running for reelection" on June 13, 2016, citing the previous day's Orlando nightclub shooting and how "it really gives you pause, to think a little bit about your service to your country and where you can be most useful to your country."{{cite web|last=LoBianco|first=Tom|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/13/politics/marco-rubio-senate-orlando-shootings/index.html|title=Citing Orlando shootings, Rubio opens door to Senate run|work=CNN|date=June 13, 2016|access-date=June 13, 2016|archive-date=June 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613204808/http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/13/politics/marco-rubio-senate-orlando-shootings/index.html|url-status=live}} Rubio officially started his campaign nine days later, on June 22.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/06/22/marco-rubio-will-seek-senate-re-election-reversing-pledge-not-to-run/|title=Marco Rubio will seek Senate re-election, reversing pledge not to run|last1=DeBonis|first1=Mike|last2=O'Keefe|first2=Ed|date=June 22, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=June 22, 2016|last3=Sullivan|first3=Sean|archive-date=June 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622185936/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/06/22/marco-rubio-will-seek-senate-re-election-reversing-pledge-not-to-run/|url-status=live}} Rubio won the Republican primary on August 30, 2016, defeating Carlos Beruff.{{cite news|title=Marco Rubio easily wins Senate primary in Florida|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-senate-house-primary-results-2016/|access-date=November 16, 2016|agency=Associated Press|publisher=CBS News|date=August 30, 2016|archive-date=November 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117064826/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-senate-house-primary-results-2016/|url-status=live}} He faced Democratic nominee Patrick Murphy in the general election, defeating him with almost 52% of the vote.{{cite news|title=Florida Results|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/florida|access-date=November 16, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=November 16, 2016|archive-date=February 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224173402/http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/florida|url-status=live}}

{{Main|2022 United States Senate election in Florida}}

In November 2020, Rubio announced he would run for a third Senate term in the 2022 election.{{Cite web |date=November 10, 2020 |title=Marco Rubio Readies Bid for a Third Term in the Senate |url=https://www.floridadaily.com/marco-rubio-launches-bid-for-a-third-term-in-the-senate/ |website=FloridaDaily |first=Kevin |last=Derby |access-date=January 2, 2023 |archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212044635/https://floridadaily.com/marco-rubio-launches-bid-for-a-third-term-in-the-senate/ |url-status=live }} He faced Democratic challenger Val Demings, the U.S. representative for Florida's 10th congressional district and a former police officer. Rubio criticized Demings as an "ineffective member of Congress and a puppet of Nancy Pelosi; she's voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time".{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2022 |title=Rubio slams Democratic opponent Demings for voting with Pelosi '100% of the time' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-slams-demings-for-voting-with-pelosi-100-of-the-time |website=Fox News |first=Brooke |last=Singman |access-date=January 2, 2023 |archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212045659/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-slams-demings-for-voting-with-pelosi-100-of-the-time |url-status=live }} Demings criticized Rubio's attendance record in the Senate, and in a campaign ad said Rubio had "one of the worst attendance records in the Senate. When Florida needs you, you just don't show up."{{Cite web |date=July 13, 2022 |title=Sen. Marco Rubio has "one of the worst attendance records in the Senate." |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/jul/14/val-demings/val-demings-ad-criticizes-rubios-attendance-record/ |website=PolitiFact |access-date=January 2, 2023 |archive-date=June 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616230108/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/jul/14/val-demings/val-demings-ad-criticizes-rubios-attendance-record/ |url-status=live }} Demings also claimed that Rubio supported tax hikes, but this was proven false.{{cite news |last1=Washington |first1=District of Columbia 1800 I. Street NW |title=PolitiFact - No proof for Val Demings claim that Marco Rubio backs tax hikes like those indicated in Scott's plan |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/mar/09/val-demings/no-proof-val-demings-claim-marco-rubio-backs-tax-h/ |access-date=March 10, 2022 |work=@politifact |date=March 9, 2022 |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310163241/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/mar/09/val-demings/no-proof-val-demings-claim-marco-rubio-backs-tax-h/ |url-status=live }} Rubio won the November 8 general election with 57% of the vote to Demings's 41%.{{Cite news |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Florida Governor Election Results |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-florida-governor.html |access-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109000632/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-florida-governor.html |url-status=live }}

File:Marco Rubio, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg]]

File:Meeting in February 2013 with Israeli President Shimon Peres during trip to Jordan and Israel.jpg during a trip to Israel in February 2013]]

File:At US-Mexican border in November 2011 with Customs and Border Patrol.jpg officials]]

During Rubio's first four years in the U.S. Senate, Republicans were in the minority. After the 2014 midterm elections, the Republicans obtained majority control of the Senate, giving Rubio and the Republicans vast federal influence during the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency, as well as during all four years of Donald Trump's presidency. After the 2020 elections, the Democrats regained majority control of the Senate, and Rubio has reassumed minority status within the Senate.

{{multiple image

| width1 = 200

| image1 = Meeting in January 2011 with Florida constituents at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.jpg

| caption1 = Rubio with Floridians at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan in January 2011

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| image2 = At Guantanamo Naval Base in May 2012.jpg

| caption2 = Rubio visiting Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in May 2012

}}

Shortly after taking office in 2011, Rubio said he had no interest in running for president or vice president in the 2012 presidential election.{{cite web|first=Michael|last=O'Brien|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/79156-rubio-rejects-running-as-republicans-vp-nominee/|title=Rubio rejects running as Republicans' VP nominee|website=The Hill|date=January 10, 2011|access-date=November 5, 2015|archive-date=November 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120013358/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/136955-rubio-rejects-running-as-republicans-vp-nominee|url-status=live}} In March 2012, when he endorsed Mitt Romney for president, Rubio said that he did not expect to be or want to be selected as a vice presidential running mate,{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Rucker|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-marco-rubio-is-being-seriously-vetted-as-possible-vice-presidential-choice/2012/06/19/gJQAUq19nV_story.html|title=Romney: Marco Rubio is being seriously vetted as possible vice presidential pick|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 19, 2012|access-date=November 5, 2015|archive-date=November 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121151716/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-marco-rubio-is-being-seriously-vetted-as-possible-vice-presidential-choice/2012/06/19/gJQAUq19nV_story.html|url-status=live}} but was vetted for vice president by the Romney campaign. Former Romney aide Beth Myers has said that the vetting process turned up nothing disqualifying about Rubio.{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Isenstadt|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/romney-rubio-vetting-215373|title=Romney alum rebuts Bush whispers: Rubio passed our vetting|website=Politico|date=October 29, 2015|access-date=October 31, 2015|archive-date=October 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031132457/http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/romney-rubio-vetting-215373|url-status=live}}

Upon taking office, Rubio hired Cesar Conda as his chief of staff.{{Cite news |author-link=Stephen F. Hayes |last=Hayes |first=Stephen |date=January 28, 2011 |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/marco-rubio-picks-chief-staff-cesar-conda_537520.html |title=Marco Rubio Picks a Chief of Staff: Cesar Conda |work=The Weekly Standard |access-date=January 28, 2011 |archive-date=January 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130033115/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/marco-rubio-picks-chief-staff-cesar-conda_537520.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Rubio taps Cheney aide for chief of staff|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0111/Rubio_taps_Cheney_aide_for_chief_of_staff_.html|publisher=Politico|access-date=April 20, 2014|date=January 26, 2011|last=Toeplitz|first=Shira|archive-date=January 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115043227/http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0111/Rubio_taps_Cheney_aide_for_chief_of_staff_.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Sen. Marco Rubio hires Cesar Conda to be chief of staff|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/sen-marco-rubio-hires-cesar-conda-to-be-chief-of-staff/1148232|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=April 20, 2014|date=January 28, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421064209/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/sen-marco-rubio-hires-cesar-conda-to-be-chief-of-staff/1148232|archive-date=April 21, 2014|last=Leary|first=Alex}} Conda, a former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, and former top aide to senators Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) and Robert Kasten (R-Wis.), was succeeded in 2014 as Rubio's chief of staff by his deputy, Alberto Martinez, but Conda remained as a part-time adviser.{{Cite news |last1=O'Keefe |first1=Ed |last2=Costa |first2=Robert |date=April 11, 2014 |title=Marco Rubio announces staff changes sure to fuel 2016 talk |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/04/11/marco-rubio-announces-staff-changes-sure-to-fuel-2016-talk/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=November 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126163934/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/04/11/marco-rubio-announces-staff-changes-sure-to-fuel-2016-talk/ |url-status=live }}

During his first year in office, Rubio became an influential defender of the United States embargo against Cuba and induced the State Department to withdraw an ambassadorial nomination of Jonathan D. Farrar, who was the Chief of Mission of the United States Interests Section in Havana from 2008 to 2011. Rubio believed that Farrar was not assertive enough toward the Castro regime.{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=194–195}} Also in 2011, Rubio was invited to visit the Reagan Library, during which he gave a well-publicized speech praising its namesake, and also rescued Nancy Reagan from falling.{{Cite web |last=O'Hara |first=Kate |date=August 24, 2011 |title=Opinion: Marco Rubio to the rescue! Freshman senator saves a falling Nancy Reagan |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/top-of-the-ticket/story/2011-08-24/opinion-marco-rubio-to-the-rescue-freshman-senator-saves-a-falling-nancy-reagan |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=February 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220080142/https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/top-of-the-ticket/story/2011-08-24/opinion-marco-rubio-to-the-rescue-freshman-senator-saves-a-falling-nancy-reagan |url-status=live }}{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=1–6}}

In March 2011, Rubio supported U.S. participation in the military campaign in Libya to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2016 |title=Republican Town Hall: CNN's Reality Check Team inspects the claims |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/republican-town-hall-fact-check/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |publisher=CNN |language=en}} He urged that Senate leaders bring "a bi-partisan resolution to the Senate floor authorizing the president's decision to participate in allied military action in Libya".{{Cite web |last=Halper |first=Daniel |date=April 5, 2011 |title=Senate Resolution Would Support Policy of Regime Change in Libya |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/senate-resolution-would-support-policy-of-regime-change-in-libya/article/556824 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222081614/http://www.weeklystandard.com/senate-resolution-would-support-policy-of-regime-change-in-libya/article/556824 |archive-date=February 22, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=The Weekly Standard}} The administration decided that no congressional authorization was needed under the War Powers Resolution; Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) joined Rubio in writing an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal in June 2011 again urging passage of such authorization.{{Cite news |last1=Lieberman |first1=Joe |last2=Rubio |first2=Marco |date=June 22, 2011 |title=Joe Lieberman and Marco Rubio: Victory Is the Answer in Libya |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304070104576399923803151478 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal |archive-date=March 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324162825/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304070104576399923803151478 |url-status=live }} In October 2011, Rubio joined several other senators in pushing for continued engagement to "help Libya lay the foundation for sustainable security".{{Cite news |last1=McCain |first1=John |last2=Graham |first2=Lindsey |last3=Kirk |first3=Mark |last4=Rubio |first4=Marco |date=October 6, 2011 |title=McCain, Graham, Kirk and Rubio: The Promise of a Pro-American Libya |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203388804576613293623346516 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211024215/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203388804576613293623346516 |url-status=live }} Soon after Gadhafi was ousted, Rubio warned there was a serious threat posed by the spread of militias and weapons, and called for more U.S. involvement to counter that threat.

Rubio voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011, which included mandatory automatic budget cuts from sequestration.{{Cite web |last1=McAuliff |first1=Michael |last2=Mershon |first2=Erin |date=August 2, 2012 |title=GOP Hates On 'Dumb' Budget Control Act |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/budget-cuts-sequestration_n_1735321 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=The Huffington Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sherman |first=Amy |date=November 26, 2013 |title=Marco Rubio says he never supported the sequester |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2013/nov/26/marco-rubio/marco-rubio-says-he-never-supported-sequester/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=PolitiFact |language=en-US}} He later said that defense spending should never have been linked to taxes and the deficit, calling the policy a "terrible idea" based on a "false choice".

The following month, Rubio and Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, co-sponsored the American Growth, Recovery, Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Act (AGREE Act), which would have extended many tax credits and exemptions for businesses investing in research and development, equipment, and other capital; provided a tax credit for veterans who start a business franchise; allowed an increase in immigration for certain types of work visas; and strengthened copyright protections.{{cite news |author=Green |first=Laura |date=November 16, 2011 |title=Sen. Marco Rubio says bipartisan jobs bill built on common ground |url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/sen-marco-rubio-says-bipartisan-jobs-bill-built-on/nLzkn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311051429/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/sen-marco-rubio-says-bipartisan-jobs-bill-built-on/nLzkn/ |archive-date=March 11, 2014 |access-date=August 18, 2013 |work=The Palm Beach Post}}{{sfn|Roig-Franzia|2015|p=191}}{{cite news |title=A jobs bill that will pass in Congress? Sen. Coons and Sen. Rubio on bipartisan bill to boost hiring |url=http://am.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/16/a-jobs-bill-that-will-pass-in-congress-sen-coons-and-sen-rubio-on-bipartisan-bill-to-boost-hiring/ |publisher=CNN |date=November 16, 2011 |access-date=February 21, 2016 |series=American Morning |type=video |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223080628/http://am.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/16/a-jobs-bill-that-will-pass-in-congress-sen-coons-and-sen-rubio-on-bipartisan-bill-to-boost-hiring/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Sens. Rubio, Coons Introduce AGREE Act |url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/your-world-cavuto/2011/11/17/sens-rubio-coons-introduce-agree-act |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=November 16, 2011 |access-date=February 21, 2016 |series=Your World Cavuto |last=Cavuto |first=Neil |archive-date=February 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222084606/http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/your-world-cavuto/2011/11/17/sens-rubio-coons-introduce-agree-act |url-status=live }}

Rubio voted against the 2012 "fiscal cliff" resolutions. Although he received some criticism for this position, he responded: "Thousands of small businesses, not just the wealthy, will now be forced to decide how they'll pay this new tax, and, chances are, they'll do it by firing employees, cutting back their hours and benefits, or postponing the new hires they were looking to make. And to make matters worse, it does nothing to bring our dangerous debt under control."{{cite web |last=Reinhard |first=Beth |title=Paul Ryan vs. Marco Rubio: The Politics of the Cliff Vote |work=National Journal |date=January 3, 2013 |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/paul-ryan-vs-marco-rubio-the-politics-of-the-cliff-vote-20130103?page=1 |access-date=January 4, 2013 |archive-date=January 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106021704/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/paul-ryan-vs-marco-rubio-the-politics-of-the-cliff-vote-20130103?page=1 |url-status=live }}

File:Preparing in February 2013 to deliver Republican address to the nation.jpg in February 2013]]

In 2013, Rubio was part of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" senators that crafted comprehensive immigration reform legislation.{{cite news|title=Sen. Marco Rubio (R)|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/member/1856|access-date=August 16, 2014|publisher=National Journal Almanac|url-access=subscription|archive-date=August 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084201/http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/member/1856|url-status=live}} Rubio proposed a plan providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., involving payment of fines and back taxes, background checks, and a probationary period; that pathway was to be implemented only after strengthening border security.{{cite web |last1=Reiff |first1=Laura Foote |last2=Binshteyn |first2=Nataliya |date=January 28, 2013 |title=President Obama to Outline Plan for Comprehensive Immigration Reform on Tuesday |url=http://www.natlawreview.com/article/president-obama-to-outline-plan-comprehensive-immigration-reform-tuesday-0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107150826/http://www.natlawreview.com/article/president-obama-to-outline-plan-comprehensive-immigration-reform-tuesday-0 |archive-date=November 7, 2013 |access-date=January 29, 2013 |work=The National Law Review |publisher=Greenberg Traurig, LLP}}{{Cite news |last=Boles |first=Corey |date=April 17, 2013 |title=Much-Anticipated Immigration Bill Is Introduced |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-38357 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} The bill passed the Senate 68 to 32 with his support, but Rubio then signaled that the bill should not be taken up by the House because other priorities, like repealing Obamacare, were a higher priority for him; the House never did take up the bill. Rubio has since explained that he still supports reform, but a different approach instead of a single comprehensive bill.{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Pema |date=December 4, 2015 |title=How Marco Rubio gave in to Democrats on the immigration reform bill |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/12/rubio-immigration-reform-gang-eight/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Mother Jones |language=en-US}}

Rubio was chosen to deliver the Republican response to President Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address.{{cite news|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/12/full-text-marco-rubios-republican-response/|title=Full text: Marco Rubio's Republican response|publisher=CNN|date=February 12, 2013|last=Rubio|first=Marco|access-date=February 19, 2013|archive-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217204103/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/12/full-text-marco-rubios-republican-response/|url-status=dead}} It marked the first time the response was delivered in English and Spanish.{{cite news |title=State of the Union: Marco Rubio to Deliver Republican Response |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/02/marco-rubio-to-deliver-gop-state-of-the-union-response/ |publisher=ABC News |first=Z. Byron |last=Wolf |date=February 6, 2013 |access-date=February 19, 2013 |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209195030/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/02/marco-rubio-to-deliver-gop-state-of-the-union-response/ |url-status=live }} Rubio's attempt to draw a strong line against the looming defense sequestration was undercut by fellow Republican senator Rand Paul's additional response to Obama's speech that called for the sequester to be carried out.{{cite web|url=http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130224/DEFREG02/302240006/Has-U-S-GOP-Lost-Its-Standing-Strong-Defense-Party-|title=Has U.S. GOP Lost Its Standing as The Strong-on-Defense Party?|work=Defense News|access-date=December 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130408011532/http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130224/DEFREG02/302240006/Has-U-S-GOP-Lost-Its-Standing-Strong-Defense-Party-|archive-date=April 8, 2013}}

In April 2013, Rubio voted against an expansion of background checks for gun purchases, contending that such increased regulatory measures would do little to help capture criminals.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Zachary D. |date=April 14, 2013 |title=Rubio Argument Against Background Checks Exposes Logical Glitch in NRA Talking Point |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rubio-background-checks-i_n_3080364 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=The Huffington Post |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00097 |title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress – 1st Session |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=July 30, 2013 |archive-date=August 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809104556/http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00097 |url-status=live }} Rubio voted against publishing the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture. In 2016, Rubio said the U.S. should "find out everything they know" from captured terrorists and should not telegraph "the enemy what interrogation techniques we will or won't use."{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/ted-cruz-republicans-torture-217976|title=On torture, Cruz stands alone|author=Crowley, Michael|work=Politico|date=January 21, 2016|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=October 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024190023/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/ted-cruz-republicans-torture-217976|url-status=live}}

File:Marco Rubio by Matt Johnson.jpg

Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate as a result of the elections in November 2014.{{Cite news |last=Tau |first=Byron |date=February 4, 2016 |title=Santorum Won't Name Single Rubio Feat in Senate (Hint: Think 'Immigration') |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-60888 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} As this new period of Republican control began, Rubio pushed for the elimination of the "risk corridors" used by the federal government to compensate insurers for their losses as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The risk corridors were intended to be funded by profitable insurers participating in the PPACA, but since insurer losses have significantly exceeded their profits in the program, the risk corridors have been depleted. His efforts contributed to the inclusion of a provision in the 2014 federal budget that prevented other funding sources from being tapped to replenish the risk corridors.{{cite news | url=https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/261244-rubio-budget-win-is-dealing-heavy-blow-to-obamacare/ | work=The Hill | title=Rubio budget win is dealing heavy blow to ObamaCare | date=November 24, 2015 | last=Ferris | first=Sarah | access-date=February 23, 2016 | archive-date=February 24, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224113505/http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/261244-rubio-budget-win-is-dealing-heavy-blow-to-obamacare | url-status=live }}

In March 2015, Rubio and Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, proposed a tax plan that according to The Wall Street Journal, combined thinking from "old-fashioned, Reagan-era supply-siders" and a "breed of largely younger conservative reform thinkers" concerned with the tax burden on the middle class. The plan would lower the top corporate income tax rate from 38% to 25%, eliminate taxes on capital gains, dividends, and inherited estates, and create a new child tax credit worth up to $2,500 per child. The plan would set the top individual income tax rate at 35%. It also included a proposal to replace the means-tested welfare system, including food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit, with a new "consolidated system of benefits".{{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/03/13/lee-rubio-plan-gives-life-to-2016-tax-debate/ |title=Lee-Rubio Plan Gives Life to 2016 Tax Debate |last1=King |first1=Neil Jr. |date=March 13, 2015 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-date=March 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324162358/https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-53730 |url-status=live }}

According to analysis by Vocativ as reported by Fox News, Rubio missed 8.3% of total votes from January 2011 to February 2015.{{cite news |author= |date=April 23, 2015 |title=Absentee ballot: Ted Cruz a no-show at most committee meetings, floor votes |url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/04/23/absentee-ballot-ted-cruz-no-show-at-most-committee-meetings-floor-votes/ |publisher=Fox News Channel |access-date=April 23, 2015 |quote=In February, an analysis carried out by Vocativ in partnership with GovTrack.us, showed that Rubio beats Cruz as the senator most absent from chambers, having missed 99, or 8.3 percent, of 1,198 total votes since taking office in January 2011 to February of this year. |archive-date=April 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424071512/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/04/23/absentee-ballot-ted-cruz-no-show-at-most-committee-meetings-floor-votes/ |url-status=live }} From October 27, 2014, to October 26, 2015, Rubio voted in 74% of Senate votes, according to an analysis by GovTrack.us, which tracks congressional voting records.{{cite web|title=Marco Rubio, Senator for Florida|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/marco_rubio/412491|website=GovTrack|publisher=Civic Impulse, LLC|access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-date=October 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029043327/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/marco_rubio/412491|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Rugaber|first1=Christopher S.|title=AP FACT CHECK: The Republican debaters and the facts|url=https://news.yahoo.com/ap-fact-check-republican-debaters-facts-005112443--election.html|access-date=October 29, 2015|agency=Associated Press|date=October 28, 2015|archive-date=October 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031220429/http://news.yahoo.com/ap-fact-check-republican-debaters-facts-005112443--election.html|url-status=live}} In 2015, Rubio was absent for about 35% of Senate votes.{{cite web | url=http://www.factcheck.org/2015/11/senators-missing-votes/ | title=Senators Missing Votes | work=FactCheck.org | date=November 3, 2015 | access-date=March 8, 2016 | author=Gore, D'Angelo | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308055636/http://www.factcheck.org/2015/11/senators-missing-votes | url-status=live }} In historical context Rubio's attendance record for Senate votes is not exceptional among senators seeking a presidential nomination; John McCain missed a much higher percentage of votes in 2007. But it was the worst of the three senators who campaigned for the presidency in 2015.{{Cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=October 30, 2015 |title=The problem with Marco Rubio's defense of his missed votes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/30/marco-rubio-is-right-that-others-have-missed-more-votes-but-theyve-also-come-under-fire/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=February 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224100701/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/30/marco-rubio-is-right-that-others-have-missed-more-votes-but-theyve-also-come-under-fire/ |url-status=live }}

During his Senate tenure, Rubio has co-sponsored bills on issues ranging from humanitarian crises in Haiti to the Russian incursion into Ukraine,{{Cite web |last=Schleifer |first=Theodore |date=February 10, 2016 |title=Who is Marco Rubio? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/10/politics/who-is-marco-rubio/index.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |publisher=CNN |language=en}} and was a frequent and prominent critic of Obama's efforts in national security.

On May 17, 2016, Rubio broke from the Republican majority in his support of Obama's request for $2 billion in emergency spending on the Zika virus at a time when Florida accounted for roughly 20% of the recorded cases of Zika in the U.S., acknowledging that it was the president's request but adding, "it's really the scientists' request, the doctors' request, the public health sector's request for how to address this issue."{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/17/marco-rubio-pleads-gop-fund-full-zika-request-back/|title=Marco Rubio pleads with GOP to fund full Zika request, backfill money later|date=May 17, 2016|work=The Washington Times|last=Howell|first=Tom Jr.|access-date=May 20, 2016|archive-date=May 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519002103/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/17/marco-rubio-pleads-gop-fund-full-zika-request-back/|url-status=live}} On August 6, Rubio said he did not believe in terminating Zika-infected pregnancies.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-no-abortions-for-zika-infected-women/|title=Marco Rubio: No abortions for Zika-infected women|date=August 7, 2016|first=Emily|last=Schultheis|publisher=CBS News|access-date=November 21, 2016|archive-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122153259/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-no-abortions-for-zika-infected-women/|url-status=live}}

On December 13, after President-elect Trump nominated Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state in the incoming administration, Rubio expressed concern about the selection.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/13/politics/marco-rubio-rex-tillerson-amy-klobuchar/index.html|title=Rubio endangers Tillerson nomination by saying he has 'serious conditions'|date=December 13, 2016|publisher=CNN|last1=Schleifer|first1=Theodore|access-date=December 14, 2016|archive-date=December 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214020810/http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/13/politics/marco-rubio-rex-tillerson-amy-klobuchar/index.html|url-status=live}} On January 11, Rubio questioned Tillerson during a Senate committee hearing on his confirmation, saying afterward he would "do what's right".{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/rex-tillerson-confirmation-hearings.html|title=In Rocky Hearing, Rex Tillerson Tries to Separate From Trump|date=January 11, 2017|work=The New York Times|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Flegenheimer|first2=Matt|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-date=January 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126231402/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/rex-tillerson-confirmation-hearings.html|url-status=live}} On January 23, Rubio said that he would vote to confirm Tillerson, saying that a delay in the appointment would be counter to national interests.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315634-rubio-to-vote-for-tillerson/|title=Rubio to vote for Tillerson|date=January 23, 2017|work=The Hill|last=Kamisar|first=Ben|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125154833/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315634-rubio-to-vote-for-tillerson|url-status=live}}

File:POTUS arrives in Florida 170914-G-ZX620-226.jpg (left) with FEMA administrator Brock Long (center) and Rubio in September 2017]]

On April 5, 2017, Rubio said Bashar al-Assad felt he could act with "impunity" in knowing the United States was not prioritizing removing him from office.{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/marco-rubio-syria-rex-tillerson-236929|title=Rubio draws his own line on Syria|date=April 5, 2017|first=Marc|last=Caputo|publisher=Politico|access-date=April 10, 2017|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410213750/http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/marco-rubio-syria-rex-tillerson-236929|url-status=live}} The next day, Rubio praised Trump's ordered strike: "By acting decisively against the very facility from which Assad launched his murderous chemical weapons attack, President Trump has made it clear to Assad and those who empower him that the days of committing war crimes with impunity are over."{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2017/04/rubio-nelson-applaud-trump-for-air-strikes-against-syrias-assad-regime-111101|title=Rubio, Nelson applaud Trump for air strikes against Syria's Assad regime|date=April 6, 2017|publisher=Politico|author1=Politico Florida Staff|last2=Caputo|first2=Marc|last3=Palmeri|first3=Tara|last4=Toosi|first4=Nahal|last5=Bender|first5=Bryan|access-date=April 10, 2017|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410213839/http://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2017/04/rubio-nelson-applaud-trump-for-air-strikes-against-syrias-assad-regime-111101|url-status=live}}

In September 2017, Rubio defended Trump's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He called the program, which provided temporary stay for some undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. as minors, "unconstitutional".{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/349344-rubio-trump-should-clearly-outline-what-he-wants-on-daca/|title=Rubio: Trump should 'clearly outline' what he wants on DACA|date=September 5, 2017|work=The Hill|last=Greenwood|first=Max|access-date=October 10, 2017|archive-date=October 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010054527/http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/349344-rubio-trump-should-clearly-outline-what-he-wants-on-daca|url-status=live}}

File:Senator Rubio official portrait.jpg]]

In the first session of the 115th United States Congress, Rubio was ranked the tenth most bipartisan senator by the Bipartisan Index, published by the Lugar Center and Georgetown's McCourt School of Public Policy.{{cite news|url=http://www.thelugarcenter.org/assets/htmldocuments/Senate%20Scores%20115th%20Congress%20First%20Session.pdf|publisher=The Lugar Center|title=The Lugar Center – McCourt School Bipartisan Index|date=April 24, 2018|access-date=July 9, 2018|location=Washington, D.C.|archive-date=July 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702180136/http://www.thelugarcenter.org/assets/htmldocuments/Senate%20Scores%20115th%20Congress%20First%20Session.pdf|url-status=live}}

While ballots were being counted in a close Florida Senate race between Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and Republican challenger Rick Scott, Rubio claimed without evidence that Democrats were conspiring with election officials to illicitly install Nelson.{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/marco-rubio-opposes-recount-in-florida-senate-race.html|title=Rubio: Democrats Are Trying to Steal Florida Elections by Counting All the Votes|last=Levitz|first=Eric|work=Intelligencer|access-date=November 14, 2018|language=en|archive-date=October 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029072453/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/marco-rubio-opposes-recount-in-florida-senate-race.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/12/trump-attacks-florida-recount-claims-missing-or-forged-ballots.html|title=Trump attacks Florida recount with a wild claim that there are 'missing or forged' ballots|author1=Tucker Higgins|author2=Jacob Pramuk |date=November 12, 2018|work=CNBC|access-date=November 14, 2018|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108141009/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/12/trump-attacks-florida-recount-claims-missing-or-forged-ballots.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article221528685.html|title=Trump, Scott and Rubio continue to push claims of Florida voter fraud without evidence|author=Daugherty, Alex|work=Miami Herald|date=November 12, 2018|access-date=November 14, 2018|language=en|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105173538/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article221528685.html|url-status=live}} He claimed without evidence that "Democrat lawyers" were descending on Florida and that "they have been very clear they aren't here to make sure every vote is counted." He claimed that Broward County officials were engaged in "ongoing" legal violations, without specifying what those were. Election monitors found no evidence of voter fraud in Broward County, and the Florida State Department found no evidence of criminal activity.

File:Marco Rubio and Mario DB meets with Juan Guaido (2).pngn presidential candidate and opposition leader Juan Guaidó in February 2020]]

In 2019, Rubio defended Trump's decision to host the 46th G7 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami, a resort Trump owns. Rubio called the decision "great" and said it would be good for local businesses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/jamie-dupree/rubio-fine-with-trump-hosting-next-his-florida-resort/MaDz06l7iqWk5qvR7rDabL/|title=Rubio fine with Trump hosting next G7 at his Florida resort|author=Jamie Dupree Cox |website=ajc|language=en|access-date=October 18, 2019|archive-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018165106/https://www.ajc.com/blog/jamie-dupree/rubio-fine-with-trump-hosting-next-his-florida-resort/MaDz06l7iqWk5qvR7rDabL/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/donald-trump-g7-doral|title=Donald Trump Says the Absolute Best Spot for a G7 Summit Is His Own Resort|website=GQ|date=October 18, 2019|language=en|access-date=October 18, 2019|archive-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018165108/https://www.gq.com/story/donald-trump-g7-doral|url-status=live}}

In 2020, Rubio supported the nomination of Judy Shelton to the Federal Reserve board of governors. Shelton had received bipartisan criticism over her support for the gold standard and other unorthodox monetary policy views.{{Cite news|author1=Ann Saphir|author2=Doina Chiacu |date=November 18, 2020|title=Trump nominee Shelton's path to Fed narrows as virus spreads|language=fr|work=Reuters|url=https://fr.reuters.com/article/usa-fed-shelton-idINKBN27Y07I|access-date=December 20, 2020|archive-date=March 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324162355/https://www.reuters.com/?edition-redirect=fr|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|date=2020|title=Senate blocks Judy Shelton nomination to the Fed|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/11/17/shelton-fed-mcconnell/|access-date=|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208210255/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/11/17/shelton-fed-mcconnell/|url-status=live}}

On July 13, 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Rubio and three other U.S. politicians for "interfering in China's internal affairs" by condemning human rights abuses in Xinjiang.{{Cite news |date=July 13, 2020 |title=U.S. declares many of China's maritime claims 'unlawful' as Beijing imposes sanctions on U.S. senators |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-imposes-sanctions-on-us-senators-rubio-cruz-over-xinjiang-advocacy/2020/07/13/b169b104-c4d8-11ea-a825-8722004e4150_story.html |access-date=December 29, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} In response, Rubio tweeted: "Last month #China banned me. Today they sanctioned me. I don't want to be paranoid but I am starting to think they don't like me."{{Cite news |last=Kranish |first=Michael |date=January 11, 2025 |title=Rubio nomination complicated by attack on Musk's Tesla and China's ban |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/11/marco-rubio-china-tesla-trump/ |access-date=January 11, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=January 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250111111446/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/11/marco-rubio-china-tesla-trump/ |url-status=live }} On August 10, 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Rubio and 10 other Americans for "behaving badly on Hong Kong-related issues".{{Cite news |last1=Duster |first1=Chandelis |last2=Jiang |first2=Steven |date=August 10, 2020 |title=China sanctions Rubio, Cruz and other US officials for 'Hong Kong-related issues' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/10/politics/china-sanctions-rubio-cruz-cotton-smith/index.html |access-date=December 29, 2024 |work=CNN}}

After Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election and Trump made false claims of election fraud, Rubio defended Trump's right to assert claims of fraud and challenge the election results, saying any "irregularities" and "claims of broken election laws" could not be claimed false until the courts ruled on them. Rubio later shifted his rhetoric to saying that concerns from Republican voters over "potential irregularities" in the election demanded redress. By November 23, 2020, Rubio referred to Biden as president-elect.{{Cite news|last=Bump|first=Philip|date=February 3, 2021|title=Analysis: The Republican conspiracy-theory crisis, in one tweet|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/03/republican-conspiracy-theory-crisis-one-tweet/|access-date=May 2, 2021|archive-date=November 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112174032/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/03/republican-conspiracy-theory-crisis-one-tweet/|url-status=live}}

Rubio described the 2021 United States Capitol attack as unpatriotic and "3rd world-style anti-American anarchy".{{cite news |title=Florida Lawmakers Condemn Pro-Trump Protests On Social Media |url=https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politics-issues/2021-01-06/florida-lawmakers-condemn-pro-trump-protests-on-social-media |access-date=January 8, 2021 |work=WUSF Public Media |date=January 6, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128073652/https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politics-issues/2021-01-06/florida-lawmakers-condemn-pro-trump-protests-on-social-media |url-status=live }} Of the rioters, Rubio said some of them were adherents "to a conspiracy theory and others got caught up in the moment. The result was a national embarrassment." After Congress was allowed to return to session, Rubio voted to certify the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count.{{cite news |last1=Scouten |first1=Ted |title=Sen. Marco Rubio Claims Some Trump Supporters Who Barged Into Capitol Building 'Got Caught Up In The Moment' |url=https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/01/07/marco-rubio-trump-supporters-caught-up-in-the-moment-capitol-siege/ |access-date=January 8, 2021 |date=January 7, 2021 |archive-date=January 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113163109/https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/01/07/marco-rubio-trump-supporters-caught-up-in-the-moment-capitol-siege/ |url-status=live }} In February 2021, Rubio voted to acquit Trump for his role in inciting the mob to storm the Capitol.{{Cite news |last=Daugherty |first=Alex |date=February 16, 2021 |title=Marco Rubio and Rick Scott vote to acquit Trump over role in Capitol riot |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article249212575.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=Miami Herald |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218000125/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article249212575.html |url-status=live }} On May 28, 2021, Rubio voted against creating the January 6 commission.{{cite news |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 28, 2021 |title=Which senators supported a Jan. 6 Capitol riot commission |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/january6-commission-senators-vote/ |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526225939/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/january6-commission-senators-vote/ |url-status=live }}

In January 2021, Rubio sponsored the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.{{Cite news |last1=Mackinnon |first1=Amy |last2=Pike |first2=Lili |date=November 15, 2024 |title=Trump's China Hawks Are Also Uyghur Advocates |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/15/rubio-waltz-china-xinjiang-uyghurs-human-rights/ |access-date=December 29, 2024 |work=Foreign Policy |archive-date=December 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229130258/https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/15/rubio-waltz-china-xinjiang-uyghurs-human-rights/ |url-status=live }} In May 2021, Rubio argued that "Wall Street must stop enabling Communist China" in The American Prospect{{Cite web|url = https://prospect.org/economy/wall-street-must-stop-enabling-communist-china/|title = Wall Street Must Stop Enabling Communist China|date = May 26, 2021|access-date = July 16, 2021|archive-date = July 19, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210719043753/https://prospect.org/economy/wall-street-must-stop-enabling-communist-china/|url-status = live}} and on his website.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=783460B2-D696-4D02-99E5-9BDC9E0CD390|title=ICYMI: Rubio: Wall Street Must Stop Enabling Communist China|access-date=July 16, 2021|archive-date=July 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716185721/https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=783460B2-D696-4D02-99E5-9BDC9E0CD390|url-status=live}} "Americans from across the political spectrum should feel emboldened by the growing bipartisan awakening to the threat that the CCP poses to American workers, families, and communities", he wrote. "As we deploy legislative solutions to tackle this challenge, Democrats must not allow our corporate and financial sectors' leftward shift on social issues to blind them to the enormity of China as a geo-economic threat."

Rubio denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and co-sponsored a bill that would target pro-Russian separatist groups whose conflict with the Ukrainian government was used by Vladimir Putin to justify the invasion.{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Bryan |date=March 7, 2022 |title=Florida Republicans pursue new sanctions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine |url=https://www.bradenton.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article259148513.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Bradenton Herald}}

{{Expand section|date=February 2025}}

Rubio's committee memberships are as follows:{{cite web |title=Committee Assignments – U.S. Senator for Florida, Marco Rubio |url=https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/committee-assignments |website=www.rubio.senate.gov |access-date=March 11, 2021 |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319211736/https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/committee-assignments |url-status=dead }}

• Committee on Appropriations
• Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
• Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch
• Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Select Committee on Intelligence (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues (Ranking Member)
• Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy
• Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development
• Special Committee on Aging

• Senate Republican Conference

{{Main|Marco Rubio 2016 presidential campaign}}

{{Further|2016 United States presidential election}}

File:Marco Rubio by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg in National Harbor, Maryland]]

Rubio said in April 2014 that he would not run for reelection to the Senate if he ran for president in 2016, as Florida law prohibits a candidate from appearing twice on a ballot, but at that time he did not rule out running for either office.{{cite news|last=Berman|first=Matt|title=Marco Rubio Won't Run for Senate in 2016 if He Runs for President|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/marco-rubio-won-t-run-for-senate-in-2016-if-he-runs-for-president-20140402|access-date=April 2, 2014|newspaper=National Journal|date=April 2, 2014|archive-date=March 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329044140/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/marco-rubio-won-t-run-for-senate-in-2016-if-he-runs-for-president-20140402|url-status=live}} He later indicated that even if he would not win the Republican nomination for president, he would not run for reelection to the Senate.{{Cite web |last=Camia |first=Catalina |date=April 14, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio: No Plan B to pivot back to Florida Senate race |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2015/04/14/marco-rubio-president-senate-florida/81552608/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=USA Today |language=en-US |archive-date=May 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160522101412/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2015/04/14/marco-rubio-president-senate-florida/81552608/ |url-status=live }} Also in April 2014, the departure of Cesar Conda, Rubio's chief of staff since 2011, was seen as a sign of Rubio's plans to run for president in 2016. Conda departed to lead Rubio's Reclaim America PAC as a senior adviser.{{cite news|title=Marco Rubio announces staff changes sure to fuel 2016 talk|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/11/marco-rubio-announces-staff-changes-sure-to-fuel-2016-talk/|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 20, 2014|date=April 11, 2014|last1=O'Keefe|first1=Ed|last2=Costa|first2=Robert|archive-date=April 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420104941/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/11/marco-rubio-announces-staff-changes-sure-to-fuel-2016-talk/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Marco Rubio Shakes Up Staff And Stirs 2016 Presidential Rumors|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/04/14/marco-rubio-shakes-up-staff-and-stirs-2016-presidential-rumors/|publisher=Fox News Latino|access-date=April 20, 2014|date=April 14, 2014|archive-date=April 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420133956/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/04/14/marco-rubio-shakes-up-staff-and-stirs-2016-presidential-rumors/|url-status=live}} Groups supporting Rubio raised over $530,000 in the first three months of 2014, most of which was spent on consultants and data analytics, in what was seen as preparations for a presidential campaign.{{cite news|title=Paul, Rubio lead potential Republican 2016 contenders in spending|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2014/04/16/paul-rubio-lead-potential-republican-2016-contenders-in-spending/|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=April 20, 2014|date=April 16, 2014|last=Debenedetti|first=Gabriel|archive-date=April 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421083303/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-16/news/sns-rt-us-usa-campaign-money-20140416_1_ron-paul-marco-rubio-state-hillary-clinton|url-status=live}}

A poll from the WMUR/University, tracking New Hampshire's Republican primary voters' sentiment, showed Rubio at the top alongside Kentucky senator Rand Paul later in 2013, but as of April 18, 2014, he had dropped to 10th place behind other Republican contenders. The poll, however, also suggested that Rubio was not disliked by the primary voters, which was thought to be positive for him if other candidates had chosen not to run.{{cite web|title=Marco Rubio's long, hard fall in New Hampshire|url=http://washingtonexaminer.com/marco-rubios-long-hard-fall-in-new-hampshire/article/2547467|publisher=The Washington Examiner|access-date=April 20, 2014|last=York|first=Byron|date=April 19, 2014|archive-date=April 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421081828/http://washingtonexaminer.com/marco-rubios-long-hard-fall-in-new-hampshire/article/2547467|url-status=live}} Rubio placed second among potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates in an online poll of likely voters conducted by Zogby Analytics in January 2015.{{cite web|title=Latest Zogby Poll Declares Rubio a Real 'Player'|url=http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/latest-zogby-poll-declares-rubio-real-player|publisher=Sunshine State News|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=January 26, 2015|last=Nielsen|first=Allison|archive-date=November 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113062613/http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/latest-zogby-poll-declares-rubio-real-player|url-status=live}}

In January 2015, it was reported that Rubio had begun contacting top donors and appointing advisors for a potential 2016 run, including George Seay, who previously worked on such campaigns as Rick Perry's in 2012 and Mitt Romney's in 2008, and Jim Rubright, who had previously worked for Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-signs-on-top-fundraiser-lines-up-donors-in-move-toward-2016-bid/|title=Rubio signs on top fundraiser, lines up donors in move toward 2016 bid|publisher=Fox News Channel|last=Gomez|first=Serafin|access-date=January 23, 2015|archive-date=January 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123155517/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/23/rubio-signs-on-top-fundraiser-lines-up-donors-in-move-toward-2016-bid/|url-status=live}}{{cite web | url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/marco-rubio-takes-steps-towards-2016-run-n292031 | title=Marco Rubio Takes Steps Towards 2016 Run | publisher=NBC News | date=January 23, 2015 | access-date=January 24, 2015 | author=Murray, Mark | archive-date=January 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123221244/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/marco-rubio-takes-steps-towards-2016-run-n292031 | url-status=live }} Rubio also instructed his aides to "prepare for a presidential campaign" prior to a Team Marco 2016 fundraising meeting in South Beach.{{cite news | url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article8013126.html | title=Sen. Marco Rubio to aides: 'Prepare for a presidential campaign' | work=Miami Herald | date=January 23, 2015 | access-date=January 24, 2015 | author=Caputo, Marc | archive-date=December 12, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212051858/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article8013126.html | url-status=live }}

On April 13, 2015, Rubio launched his campaign for president in 2016.{{cite news|last1=Parker|first1=Ashley|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/us/politics/marco-rubio-2016-presidential-campaign.html|title=Marco Rubio Announces 2016 Presidential Bid|work=The New York Times|date=April 13, 2015 |access-date=December 16, 2015|archive-date=December 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215230506/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/us/politics/marco-rubio-2016-presidential-campaign.html|url-status=live}} Rubio was believed to be a viable candidate for the 2016 presidential race who could attract many parts of the GOP base, partly because of his youthfulness and oratorical skill.{{Cite news |last=Siddiqui |first=Sabrina |date=July 12, 2015 |title='The future is now': can Marco Rubio broaden Republican appeal and win? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/12/marco-rubio-republican-iowa-barack-obama |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=April 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410133125/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/12/marco-rubio-republican-iowa-barack-obama |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Downie |first=James |date=July 30, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio is in real trouble |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/07/30/marco-rubio-is-in-trouble/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=April 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405085512/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/07/30/marco-rubio-is-in-trouble/ |url-status=live }} Rubio had pitched his candidacy as an effort to restore the American Dream for middle and working-class families, who might have found his background as a working-class Cuban-American appealing.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/25/marco-rubio-tax-break-plan-employers-paid-family-leave | work=The Guardian | title=Marco Rubio proposes tax break for employers who give paid family leave | author=Siddiqui, Sabrina | date=September 25, 2015 | access-date=December 15, 2016 | archive-date=April 10, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410133133/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/25/marco-rubio-tax-break-plan-employers-paid-family-leave | url-status=live }}

In the first Republican primary, the February{{spaces}}1 Iowa caucuses, Rubio finished third, behind candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/02/marco-rubios-very-big-night-in-iowa/|title=Marco Rubio's very big night in Iowa|first=Amber|last=Phillips|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 18, 2016|archive-date=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319101839/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/02/marco-rubios-very-big-night-in-iowa/|url-status=live}} During a nationally televised debate among Republican candidates in New Hampshire on February 6, 2016, Rubio was criticized by rival Chris Christie for speaking repetitiously, with Christie saying Rubio sounded "scripted". On February 9, when he placed fifth in the New Hampshire primary results, Rubio took the blame and acknowledged a poor debate performance. In the third Republican contest, the South Carolina primary on February 20, Rubio finished second, but did not gain any delegates as Trump won all of South Carolina's congressional districts and thus delegates.{{cite news|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/nevada-democrats-south-carolina-republicans-next-choose-presidential-races-n521651|title=Recap: The Democrats' Nevada Caucuses, GOP South Carolina Primary|date=February 20, 2016|publisher=NBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302032706/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/nevada-democrats-south-carolina-republicans-next-choose-presidential-races-n521651|archive-date=March 2, 2016 }}{{cite news|last1=Andrews|first1=Wilson|last2=Bennett|first2=Kitty|last3=Parlapiano|first3=Alicia|title=2016 Primary Results and Delegate Count|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/primary-calendar-and-results.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=March 16, 2016|archive-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316022825/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/primary-calendar-and-results.html|url-status=live}} Jeb Bush left the race that day, leading to a surge in campaign donations and endorsements to Rubio. On February 23, Rubio finished second in the Nevada caucuses, again losing to Trump.{{cite news|url=https://latimes.com/politics/la-na-rubio-no-wins-20160224-story.html|title=Marco Rubio's no-win Republican primary strategy can't last|date=February 24, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|last=Mascaro|first=Lisa|access-date=December 12, 2019|archive-date=April 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421155915/https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-rubio-no-wins-20160224-story.html|url-status=live}} Trump called Rubio's remarks at the February 25 debate "robotic" due to Rubio's repeated use of the same talking points; Rubio was later followed by hecklers who were dressed as robots.{{Cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Jeremy W. |last2=Barbaro |first2=Michael |date=February 10, 2016 |title=How a Debate Misstep Sent Marco Rubio Tumbling in New Hampshire |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/11/us/politics/marco-rubio.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724061556/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/11/us/politics/marco-rubio.html |archive-date=July 24, 2016 |access-date=January 27, 2019 |work=The New York Times}}

At another Republican debate on February 25, Rubio repeatedly criticized frontrunner candidate Donald Trump.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-35666854|title=US Republican debate: Five ways Cruz and Rubio double-teamed Trump|work=BBC News|last=Zurcher|first=Anthony|date=February 26, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2020|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108172941/https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-35666854|url-status=live}} It was described by CNN as a "turning point in style" as Rubio had previously largely ignored Trump during his campaign, and this deviated from Rubio's signature "optimistic campaign message". The next day Rubio continued turning Trump's attacks against him,{{cite web|last1=Kopan|first1=Tal|title=Marco Rubio attacks Donald Trump wet pants|date=February 26, 2016 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/marco-rubio-attacks-donald-trump-wet-pants|publisher=CNN|access-date=March 16, 2016|quote=The Florida senator spent the first roughly 10 minutes of his rally{{spaces}}... turning Trump's attacks back on the reality TV star{{spaces}}... He also spun many of Trump's attacks against him back in Trump's direction{{spaces}}...|archive-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316093954/http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/marco-rubio-attacks-donald-trump-wet-pants|url-status=live}} even ridiculing Trump's physical appearance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/marco-rubio.html|title=Marco Rubio Suspends His Presidential Campaign|last1=Peters|first1=Jeremy W.|last2=Barbaro|first2=Michael|date=March 15, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 15, 2016|archive-date=January 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114010242/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/marco-rubio.html|url-status=live}} On March 1, called 'Super Tuesday' with eleven Republican contests on that day, Rubio's sole victory was in Minnesota, the first state he had won since voting began a month prior. Rubio went on to win further contests in Puerto Rico on March{{spaces}}6 and the District of Columbia on March 12, but lost eight other contests from March{{spaces}}5 to 8. Around that time, Rubio revealed he was not "entirely proud" of his personal attacks on Trump.{{cite web|last1=Siddiqui|first1=Sabrina|title=Marco Rubio on his attacks against Trump: 'If I had to do it again, I wouldn't'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/09/marco-rubio-attacks-donald-trump-regrets-republicans|work=The Guardian|date=March 10, 2016|access-date=March 16, 2016|archive-date=March 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308083107/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/09/marco-rubio-attacks-donald-trump-regrets-republicans|url-status=live}}

On March 15, Rubio suspended his campaign after placing second in his own home state of Florida. Hours earlier, Rubio had expressed expectations for a Florida win, and said he would continue to campaign (in Utah) "irrespective of" that night's results.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/15/politics/marco-rubio-campaign-florida-utah/index.html|title=Marco Rubio vows: I'm going to Utah 'irrespective' of Florida results|date=March 15, 2016|publisher=CNN|last=Killough|first=Ashley|access-date=March 18, 2016|archive-date=March 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318145003/http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/15/politics/marco-rubio-campaign-florida-utah/index.html|url-status=live}} The result was that Rubio won 27.0% of the Florida vote, while Trump won 45.7% and all of Florida's delegates.{{cite web|title=Florida Primary Results 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/florida|website=The New York Times|access-date=March 17, 2016|archive-date=February 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224173402/http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/florida|url-status=live}} The conclusion of the six March 15 contests (out of which Rubio won none) left Rubio with 169 delegates on the race to reach 1237, but Ted Cruz already had 411 and Trump 673.{{cite web|last1=Witcover|first1=Jules|title=The 2016 field narrows, on one side anyway|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-the-2016-field-narrows-on-one-side-anyway-20160317-story.html|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=April 1, 2016|archive-date=April 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402084812/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-the-2016-field-narrows-on-one-side-anyway-20160317-story.html|url-status=live}} On March 17, Rubio ruled out runs for the vice-presidency, governorship of Florida and even reelection for his senate seat. He said only that he would be a "private citizen" by January 2017, leading to some media speculation of the termination of his political career.{{cite magazine|last1=Berenson|first1=Tessa|title=Marco Rubio leaving government|url=https://time.com/4263474/marco-rubio-leaving-government/|magazine=Time|access-date=March 18, 2016|archive-date=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319000248/http://time.com/4263474/marco-rubio-leaving-government/|url-status=live}} (Rubio later reversed his decision and was reelected to the Senate.)

File:Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen meet with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio in Miami, Florida in June 2016.jpg's president Tsai Ing-wen in June 2016]]

File:Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump visit a fourth grade classroom, March 2017.jpg (left) visit a fourth-grade classroom in Orlando, Florida on March 3, 2017]]

On April 12, during an interview with Mark Levin, Rubio expressed his wishes that Republicans would nominate a conservative candidate, name-dropping Cruz.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/marco-rubio-sort-endorses-ted-cruz-shuts-vp/story?id=38355937|title=Marco Rubio (Sort of) Endorses Ted Cruz, Shuts Down VP Speculation|date=April 13, 2016|last=McBride|first=Brian|website=ABC News|access-date=June 28, 2020|archive-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629052217/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/marco-rubio-sort-endorses-ted-cruz-shuts-vp/story?id=38355937|url-status=live}} This was interpreted as an endorsement of Cruz, though Rubio clarified the following day that he had only been answering a question.{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/marco-rubio-not-endorsing-ted-cruz-221894|title=Rubio says he wasn't endorsing Cruz|publisher=POLITICO|date=April 13, 2016|last=Everett|first=Burgess|access-date=May 3, 2016|archive-date=May 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502214026/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/marco-rubio-not-endorsing-ted-cruz-221894|url-status=live}} Rubio would later explain his decision to not endorse Cruz being due to his belief that the endorsement would not significantly benefit him and a desire to let the election cycle play out.{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/ted-cruz-marco-rubio-endorsement-222686|title=Why Marco Rubio hasn't endorsed Ted Cruz|date=May 2, 2016|publisher=POLITICO|last=Caputo|first=Marc|access-date=May 3, 2016|archive-date=May 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503110709/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/ted-cruz-marco-rubio-endorsement-222686|url-status=live}} On April 22, Rubio said he was not interested in being the vice presidential candidate to any of the remaining GOP contenders.{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/entry/marco-rubio-vice-president_us_571a9a87e4b0d912d5feb587|title=Marco Rubio: I'm Not Interested In Being Vice President|date=April 22, 2016|work=The Huffington Post|author=Jennifer Bendery|access-date=December 12, 2019|archive-date=December 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228231951/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/marco-rubio-vice-president_us_571a9a87e4b0d912d5feb587|url-status=live}} On May 16, Rubio posted several tweets in which he critiqued sources reporting that he despised the Senate and a Washington Post story that claimed he was unsure of his next move after his unsuccessful presidential bid, typing, "I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January."{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/17/politics/marco-rubio-twitter-future-plans-cardio/index.html|title=Marco Rubio criticizes anonymous sources, tweets workout plans|date=May 17, 2016|publisher=CNN|last1=Wright|first1=David|last2=Smith|first2=Emily|access-date=May 17, 2016|archive-date=May 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517221411/http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/17/politics/marco-rubio-twitter-future-plans-cardio/index.html|url-status=live}}

On May 18, after Trump expressed a willingness to meet with Kim Jong-un, Rubio said Kim was "not a stable person" and furthered that Trump was open to the meeting only due to inexperience with the North Korea leader.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/18/politics/marco-rubio-donald-trump-north-korea/|title=Rubio on Trump's North Korea plan: 'This is not an issue he's dealt with' for very long|date=May 18, 2016|publisher=CNN|last=Raju|first=Manu|access-date=May 22, 2016|archive-date=May 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522184623/http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/18/politics/marco-rubio-donald-trump-north-korea|url-status=live}} On May 26, Rubio told reporters that he was backing Trump due to his view that the presumptive nominee was a better choice than Hillary Clinton for the presidency and that as president, Trump would sign a repeal of the Affordable Care Act and replace the late Antonin Scalia with another conservative Supreme Court Justice.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/27/sen-marco-rubio-now-all-donald-trump/85047676/|title=Sen. Marco Rubio now all in for Donald Trump|date=May 27, 2016|publisher=USA Today|last=King|first=Ledyard|access-date=September 4, 2017|archive-date=September 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905025438/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/27/sen-marco-rubio-now-all-donald-trump/85047676/|url-status=live}} He also confirmed that he would be attending the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, where he intended to release his pledged delegates to support Trump.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/politics/marco-rubio-going-to-convention-donald-trump/|title=Marco Rubio says he's going to the GOP convention|date=May 26, 2016|publisher=CNN|last=Bradner|first=Eric|access-date=May 28, 2016|archive-date=May 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529053948/http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/politics/marco-rubio-going-to-convention-donald-trump/|url-status=live}} On May 29, Rubio continued disavowing vice presidential speculation but indicated an interest in playing a role in Trump's campaign.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-rubio-idUSKCN0YK0NZ|title=Rubio warms to Trump, but won't be his vice president|date=May 29, 2016|publisher=Reuters|last=Rucker|first=Patrick|access-date=July 2, 2017|archive-date=February 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226082916/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-rubio-idUSKCN0YK0NZ|url-status=live}} On June 6, Rubio rebuked Trump's comments on Gonzalo P. Curiel, who Trump accused of being biased against him on the basis of his ethnicity, as "offensive" while speaking with reporters, advising that Trump should cease defending the remarks and defending the judge as "an American".{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-on-trumps-judge-curiel-comments-its-offensive/|title=Rubio rebukes Trump over Judge Curiel: "It's offensive"|publisher=CBS News|date=June 6, 2016|last=Cronkite|first=Walt|access-date=June 7, 2016|archive-date=June 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608130408/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-on-trumps-judge-curiel-comments-its-offensive/|url-status=live}} Rubio restarted his Senate reelection campaign on June 22.

On July 6, Olivia Perez-Cubas, Rubio's Senate campaign spokeswoman, said he would not be attending the Republican National Convention due to planned campaigning on the days the convention was scheduled to take place.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/politics/marco-rubio-wont-attend-the-republican-convention/|title=Rubio won't attend the Republican convention|date=July 6, 2016|publisher=CNN|last1=Schleifer|first1=Theodore|last2=Murray|first2=Sara|access-date=July 7, 2016|archive-date=July 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707145235/http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/politics/marco-rubio-wont-attend-the-republican-convention/|url-status=live}}

During the Republican primary campaign in which Rubio and Donald Trump were opponents, Rubio criticized Trump,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-35665575|title=US Election 2016: Cruz and Rubio attack Trump in debate|work=BBC News|date=February 26, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007102921/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-35665575|url-status=live}} including, in February 2016, calling Trump a "con artist" and saying that Trump is "wholly unprepared to be president of the United States".{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/marco-rubio-donald-trump-morning-show-attacks/index.html|title=Marco Rubio: Not going to turn over GOP to 'con artist' Donald Trump|work=CNN|author=David Wright|date=February 26, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025235137/http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/marco-rubio-donald-trump-morning-show-attacks/index.html|url-status=live}} In June 2016, after Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, Rubio reaffirmed his February 2016 comments that we must not hand "the nuclear codes of the United States to an erratic individual".{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/rubio-i-still-believe-trump-cant-be-trusted-with-americas-nuclear-weapons-codes/article/2002759|title=Rubio: I Still Believe Trump Can't Be Trusted with America's Nuclear Weapons Codes|website=The Weekly Standard|date=June 9, 2016|access-date=May 2, 2018|last=McCormack|first=John|archive-date=July 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709170454/https://www.weeklystandard.com/rubio-i-still-believe-trump-cant-be-trusted-with-americas-nuclear-weapons-codes/article/2002759|url-status=dead}} However, after Trump won the Republican Party's nomination, Rubio endorsed him on July 20, 2016.{{cite news|last1=Drucker|first1=David|title=Marco Rubio endorses Donald Trump after months of waffling|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/marco-rubio-endorses-donald-trump-after-months-of-waffling/article/2597167|access-date=October 27, 2016|publisher=The Washington Examiner|date=July 20, 2016|archive-date=August 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825015717/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/marco-rubio-endorses-donald-trump-after-months-of-waffling/article/2597167|url-status=live}} Following the October 7, 2016, Donald Trump Access Hollywood controversy, Rubio wrote that "Donald's comments were vulgar, egregious & impossible to justify. No one should ever talk about any woman in those terms, even in private."{{cite news|last1=King|first1=Ledyard|title=Marco Rubio condemns comments without withdrawing support for Donald Trump|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/09/marco-rubio-condemns-comments-without-withdrawing-support-donald-trump/91826216/|access-date=October 10, 2016|publisher=USA Today|date=October 9, 2016|archive-date=April 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415122916/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/09/marco-rubio-condemns-comments-without-withdrawing-support-donald-trump/91826216/|url-status=live}} Rubio reaffirmed his support of Trump shortly thereafter.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/marco-rubio-donald-trump-still-voting-2016-10|title=Marco Rubio: I'm still voting for Donald Trump|website=Business Insider|date=October 11, 2016|access-date=May 2, 2018|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|archive-date=January 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124135525/http://www.businessinsider.com/marco-rubio-donald-trump-still-voting-2016-10|url-status=live}} Two weeks later, at the annual Calle Orange street festival in downtown Orlando, he was booed off a stage by a mostly Hispanic crowd over his support for Trump.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/10/25/499302234/attempting-to-woo-latino-voters-marco-rubio-gets-booed-at-orlando-festival|title=Attempting To Woo Latino Voters, Marco Rubio Gets Booed At Orlando Festival|work=National Public Radio|author=Adrian Florino|date=October 25, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025191145/http://www.npr.org/2016/10/25/499302234/attempting-to-woo-latino-voters-marco-rubio-gets-booed-at-orlando-festival|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Foreign policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}

File:Vice President JD Vance swears in Marco Rubio.jpg swears in Marco Rubio on January 21, 2025.]]

In November 2024, it was reported that Trump had chosen Rubio as United States secretary of state in his second administration;{{Cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Swan |first2=Jonathan |date=November 11, 2024 |title=Trump Expected to Name Marco Rubio as Secretary of State |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/politics/trump-rubio-secretary-of-state.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes |work=The New York Times |archive-date=November 12, 2024 |access-date=November 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112041146/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/politics/trump-rubio-secretary-of-state.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes |url-status=live }} Trump confirmed this on November 13.{{Cite news |last=Gold |first=Michael |date=November 13, 2024 |title=Marco Rubio Is Trump's Pick for Secretary of State |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/marco-rubio-trump-secretary-of-state.html |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114001248/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/marco-rubio-trump-secretary-of-state.html |url-status=live }} Unlike many of other Trump's other cabinet nominations, Rubio's attracted little controversy. He was praised by both Republicans and Democrats.{{Cite web |last=Gramer |first=Robbie |date=January 15, 2025 |title=Rubio's not terrible, no drama, very cordial day |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/15/rubio-senate-confirmation-hearing-00198494 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Politico |language=en}} Rubio appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on January 15, 2025. During the hearing, he called China "the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever faced" and said the Chinese Communist Party had "lied, cheated, hacked, and stolen their way to global superpower status at our expense".{{Cite web |date=January 15, 2025 |title=Rubio vows to confront 'dangerous' China, deter Taiwan invasion |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250115-rubio-says-china-cheated-its-way-to-power-rejects-liberal-world-order |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=France 24 |language=en}}

Trump formally nominated Rubio, among others, on January 20, 2025, as one of his first acts as president. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations unanimously approved his nomination and the Senate confirmed him a few hours later by a vote of 99 to 0.{{cite web | url = https://www.axios.com/2025/01/20/marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-senate-trump | title = Senate confirms Marco Rubio to lead Trump's State Department | work = Axios | date = January 20, 2025 | access-date = January 20, 2025 | first1 = Stef W. | last1 = Knight | first2 = Stephen | last2 = Neukam}}{{cite news | last=Hubbard | first=Kala | title=Senate confirms Marco Rubio as secretary of state in first Trump Cabinet post approval | date=January 20, 2025 | access-date = January 20, 2025 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-confirmed-secretary-of-state-senate/ | work=CBS News }}

{{See also|List of international trips made by Marco Rubio as United States Secretary of State}}

File:Secretary Rubio Meets with Indo-Pacific Quad Foreign Leaders (54280659360).jpg member countries' foreign ministers; S. Jaishankar, Penny Wong, and Takeshi Iwaya, 2025]]

On January 21, 2025, Vice President JD Vance swore Rubio into office as the 72nd secretary of state.{{Cite web |title=Marco Rubio |url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/marco-rubio/ |access-date=January 20, 2025 |website=United States Department of State |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124040210/https://www.state.gov/biographies/marco-rubio/|archive-date=January 24, 2025}} Rubio is the first Hispanic to hold the office.{{cite magazine |author=Joshua Goodman |date=November 15, 2024 |title=What Marco Rubio Would Mean for Latin America |url=https://time.com/7176863/trump-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-latin-america/ |access-date=November 15, 2024 |magazine=Time|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241115061549/https://time.com/7176863/trump-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-latin-america/|archive-date=November 15, 2024}} On his first day as secretary, Rubio met with foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue member countries to "strengthen economic opportunity and peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region" and counter influence of China.{{Cite news |last=Rising |first=David |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Secretary of State Rubio on Day 1 meets with Quad countries focused on countering China's influence |url=https://apnews.com/article/quad-us-india-japan-australia-rubio-trump-deb7256b806fa74db7cd9594235dc5ba |access-date=January 26, 2025 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128151401/https://apnews.com/article/quad-us-india-japan-australia-rubio-trump-deb7256b806fa74db7cd9594235dc5ba|archive-date=January 28, 2025}}

On January 22, 2025, as part of compliance with Executive Order 14168, which ended gender self-identification on passports, Rubio instructed State Department staff to freeze any passport applications that requested "X" sex markers.{{Cite news |last=Gedeon |first=Joseph |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Rubio instructs staff to freeze passport applications with 'X' sex markers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/trump-rubio-x-gender-passport |access-date=February 4, 2025 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123184342/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/trump-rubio-x-gender-passport|archive-date=January 23, 2025}} As part of the move, the department held some transgender applicants' documents while their applications were in limbo. The move created widespread confusion among both applicants and those who had already acquired passports with "X" sex markers.{{Cite web |last=Rummler |first=Orion |date=January 28, 2025 |title=The State Department is blocking new passports for trans Americans |url=https://19thnews.org/2025/01/transgender-passports-state-department/ |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=The 19th |language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250205015504/https://19thnews.org/2025/01/transgender-passports-state-department/|archive-date=February 5, 2025}} The Williams Institute estimated that, out of the 171 million Americans who hold valid U.S. passports, 16,700 may be eligible for ones with "X" sex markers.{{Cite web |date=March 2022 |title=Demand for X Gender Marker on Passports Among Nonbinary LGBTQ Adults |url=https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/x-gender-markers-passports/ |publisher=Williams Institute |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Diller |first=Nathan |date=October 23, 2024 |title=Americans want to see the world, but only 51% took this important step to do it |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2024/10/23/state-department-issues-record-us-passports/75794556007/ |newspaper=USA Today |language=en}}

File:Marco Rubio meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Munich, Germany on February 15, 2025.jpg in Munich, Germany on February 15, 2025]]

File:Secretary Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Deliver Joint Statements (54330011907).jpg in Jerusalem, February 16, 2025]]

In accordance with President Trump's executive order, on January 24, 2025, Rubio enacted an unprecedented freeze on all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days, with some exceptions, effective January 28.{{Cite news |last1=Gramer |first1=Robbie |last2=Toosi |first2=Nahal |last3=Bazail-Eimil |first3=Eric |date=January 24, 2025 |title=State Department issues immediate, widespread pause on foreign aid |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/24/state-department-foreign-aid-pause-00200510 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |work=Politico |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130010020/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/24/state-department-foreign-aid-pause-00200510|archive-date=January 30, 2025}}{{Cite news |last1=DeYoung |first1=Karen |last2=Hudson |first2=John |last3=Ryan |first3=Missy |last4=Horton |first4=Alex |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Rubio backtracks on near-total foreign aid freeze, issues humanitarian waiver |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/28/state-department-foreign-aid-trump-waiver/ |access-date=January 29, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250206130252/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/28/state-department-foreign-aid-trump-waiver/ |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |date=January 28, 2025 |title=A US shutdown on foreign aid is hitting worldwide. Rubio adds more exemptions |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-shutdown-foreign-aid-hitting-worldwide-rubio-adds-118181454 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |work=ABC News |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130070024/https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-shutdown-foreign-aid-hitting-worldwide-rubio-adds-118181454|archive-date=January 30, 2025}} This shut down many of USAID's humanitarian, development, and security programs worldwide.{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2025 |title=USAID security leaders on leave after trying to keep Musk's DOGE from classified info, officials say |url=https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-classified-information-usaid-security-35101dee28a766e0d9705e0d47958611 |website=AP News |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204035709/https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-classified-information-usaid-security-35101dee28a766e0d9705e0d47958611|archive-date=February 4, 2025}} During his time in Congress, Rubio was an avid supporter of USAID.{{Cite news |date=2025 |title=How Rubio, once an avid USAID supporter, came to oversee its gutting |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/14/marco-rubio-usaid-pete-marocco/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}} During a February 6 press conference in the Dominican Republic, Rubio said, "If it's providing food or medicine or anything that is saving lives and is immediate and urgent, you're not included in the freeze." But on February 8, CNN reported that many waivers were not being acted upon because too many staff have been placed on leave and because payment systems had been taken over.{{Cite web |last=Kent |first=Lauren |date=February 8, 2025 |title=The US State Department says humanitarian assistance can continue. Foreign aid workers say that's not happening |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/08/world/usaid-humanitarian-assistance-aid-freeze-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |publisher=CNN |language=en}} Before he decided to cut USAID, Rubio was alerted by the federal government officials who estimated that one million children would go untreated for severe malnutrition, up to 166,000 people would die from malaria, and 200,000 more children would be paralyzed by polio over the next decade if the USAID programs were cut.{{Cite web |author1=Anna Maria Barry-Jester |author2=Brett Murphy |date=March 3, 2025 |title=Internal Memos: Senior USAID Leaders Warned Trump Appointees of Hundreds of Thousands of Deaths From Closing Agency |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-doge-rubio-usaid-musk-death-toll-malaria-polio-tuberculosis |website=ProPublica |language=en}}

In his first trip abroad as secretary of state, Rubio traveled to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthew |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Rubio will visit Central America, including Panama, on first trip abroad as secretary of state |url=https://apnews.com/article/rubio-central-america-panama-canal-trump-29479c783a58ef52ae2d8b1938b642ad |access-date=January 26, 2025 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127184009/https://apnews.com/article/rubio-central-america-panama-canal-trump-29479c783a58ef52ae2d8b1938b642ad|archive-date=January 27, 2025}} The trip was intended to address curtailing illegal migration and Trump's push to reclaim the Panama Canal.{{Cite news |last1=Toosi |first1=Nahal |last2=Gramer |first2=Robbie |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Rubio is heading to Panama |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/22/marco-rubio-panama-00200137 |access-date=January 26, 2025 |work=Politico |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129061346/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/22/marco-rubio-panama-00200137|archive-date=January 29, 2025}} On January 30, Rubio stated that it was in U.S. "national interest" to acquire Greenland and did not rule out military coercion to do so.{{Cite news|date=January 30, 2025|title=Trump interest in buying Greenland 'not a joke', Rubio says|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-interest-buying-greenland-not-joke-rubio-says-2025-01-30/|work=Reuters|access-date=February 6, 2025|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250206130201/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-interest-buying-greenland-not-joke-rubio-says-2025-01-30/|archive-date=February 6, 2025|url-status=live}}

In February 2025, Rubio met with El Salvador president Nayib Bukele and reached an agreement for the country to take in deported foreign nationals who committed crimes, in addition to jailed U.S. citizens and permanent residents.{{Cite web |title=Marco Rubio says El Salvador's president agrees to house US criminals in his country's jails |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/marco-rubio-el-salvadors-president-agrees-house-us/story?id=118433524 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=ABC News |language=en |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250206130221/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/marco-rubio-el-salvadors-president-agrees-house-us/story?id=118433524 |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |author1=Lex Harvey |author2=Stefano Pozzebon |author3=Jessie Yeung |date=February 4, 2024 |title=El Salvador offers to house violent US criminals and deportees of any nationality in unprecedented deal |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/americas/el-salvador-migrant-deal-marco-rubio-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204115805/https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/americas/el-salvador-migrant-deal-marco-rubio-intl-hnk/index.html|archive-date=February 4, 2025}} Rubio praised the agreement as a way of rehousing deportees and American prisoners in a two-year-old Salvadoran "mega-prison".{{Cite web |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Rubio lauds El Salvador's offer to put U.S. deportees, including American criminals, in "mega-prison" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rubio-el-salvador-us-deportees-extraordinary-offer/ |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=CBS News |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206131522/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rubio-el-salvador-us-deportees-extraordinary-offer/|archive-date=February 6, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Simon |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Rubio says US will study 'very generous' El Salvador offer on jails |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rubio-says-us-will-study-very-generous-el-salvador-offer-jails-2025-02-04/ |website=Reuters |access-date=February 6, 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250204183713/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rubio-says-us-will-study-very-generous-el-salvador-offer-jails-2025-02-04/|archive-date=February 4, 2025}} On February 6, ABC News reported that Rubio had been the Acting Archivist of the United States since Trump took office.{{cite web|last1=Hutzler|first1=Alexandra|last2=Pereira|first2=Ivan|last3=Chang|first3=Emily|last4=Shalvey|first4=Kevin|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-second-term-live-updates/?id=118389757&entryId=118517407|title=Rubio acting director of the National Archives|website=ABC News|date=February 6, 2025|access-date=February 6, 2025|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250206120213/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-second-term-live-updates/?id=118389757&entryId=118517407|archive-date=February 6, 2025|url-status=live}} Later reporting by 404 Media said that this reporting was misunderstanding, faulty, or a "bad news source" quoting an unnamed National Archives and Records Administration employee, and noted that Colleen Shogan was still listed as Archivist of the United States.{{cite web|last=Koebler|first=Jason|url=https://www.404media.co/national-archives-workers-unsure-if-marco-rubio-has-secretly-been-their-boss-for-weeks/|title=National Archives Workers Unsure If Marco Rubio Has Secretly Been Their Boss for Weeks|website=404 Media|date=February 6, 2025|access-date=February 6, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206161826/https://www.404media.co/national-archives-workers-unsure-if-marco-rubio-has-secretly-been-their-boss-for-weeks/|archive-date=February 6, 2025|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}} After the removal of Shogan and deputy archivist William J. Bosanko, however, Rubio became acting Archivist of the United States on February 16.{{Cite news |date=2025-02-16 |title=Acting archivist, inspector general for National Archives forced out |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/16/trump-national-archives/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250401174449/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/16/trump-national-archives/? |archive-date=2025-04-01 |access-date=2025-04-17 |work=The Washington Post |language=en}}

File:Mike Waltz with Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth.jpg and Pete Hegseth, January 28, 2025]]

In February 2025, Rubio supported Trump's proposal that the U.S. take over the Gaza Strip, saying that the U.S. "stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again" and pursues a lasting peace in the region for all people.{{cite news |last=Irwin |first=Lauren |date=February 6, 2025 |title=Rubio on Trump's Gaza Strip proposal: 'Make Gaza Beautiful Again' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5128301-rubio-trump-make-gaza-strip-beautiful-again/ |work=The Hill |access-date=February 7, 2025}} In March 2025, Rubio bypassed Congress by issuing an emergency declaration to send Israel a $4 billion shipment of arms.{{Cite news |last=Wong |first=Edward |date=March 2, 2025 |title=Rubio Bypasses Congress to Send Israel $4 Billion in Arms |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/us/politics/rubio-arms-israel.html |work=The New York Times}}

On February{{nbsp}}16, 2025, Rubio rejected concerns that Ukraine and Europe would be excluded from any future peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine,{{cite news |title=US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Ukraine and Europe will be part of 'real' peace talks |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/17/marco-rubio-says-ukraine-europe-will-be-part-of-real-peace-talks |work=Euronews |date=February 17, 2025 |archive-date=February 21, 2025 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221214958/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/17/marco-rubio-says-ukraine-europe-will-be-part-of-real-peace-talks |url-status=live }} saying, "One phone call does not solve a war as complex as this one, but I can tell you that Donald Trump is the only leader in the world that could potentially begin that process."{{cite news |last=Hubbard |first=Kaia |date=February 17, 2025 |title=Rubio says "we have a long ways to go" before talks on ending Russia-Ukraine war |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-face-the-nation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226003721/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-face-the-nation/ |archive-date=February 26, 2025 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=CBS News}} On February 18, American and Russian delegations headed by Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to develop a framework for further peace negotiations on the Ukraine war. Rubio was accompanied by U.S. national security advisor Michael Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthew |last2=Litvinova |first2=Dasha |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Russia and US agree to work toward ending Ukraine war in a remarkable diplomatic shift |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-riyadh-talks-trump-putin-rubio-0c3beebfef5839e9d509ff58239a6bc5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221020754/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-riyadh-talks-trump-putin-rubio-0c3beebfef5839e9d509ff58239a6bc5 |archive-date=February 21, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |work= |publisher=Associated Press}}

On March{{nbsp}}7, 2025, The New York Times reported that Rubio had clashed with Elon Musk during a White House cabinet meeting. Musk criticized him for not firing anyone in the State Department, and Rubio was angered by Musk's dismantling of USAID while he was the agency's administrator.{{Cite news |last=Swan |first=Jonathan |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=March 7, 2025 |title=Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/trump-musk-doge-power.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}

On March{{nbsp}}9, 2025, Rubio condemned the massacres of Syrian minorities committed by pro-government fighters during clashes in western Syria. He said "the United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities" and that the "perpetrators of these massacres against Syria's minority communities" should be held accountable.{{Cite web |date=March 9, 2025 |title=Rubio says Syria must hold accountable 'perpetrators of massacres' |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/rubio-says-syria-must-hold-accountable-perpetrators-of-massacres-/8004267.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}

On March{{nbsp}}14, Rubio expelled South African U.S. ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and called him a "race-baiting politician who hates America".{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Edward |title=Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced... |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/14/us/trump-government-shutdown-news/4563e4cb-8829-547f-91b8-434715376b70?smid=url-share |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=2025-03-14}}

In February 2025, Rubio announced that the State Department's Counter Foreign Information and Manipulation and Interference Office would be shut down, stating that it had wasted millions of dollars and engaged in censorship.{{Cite news |last=Psaledakis |first=Daphne |date=16 April 2025 |title=US State Department Closing Office Aimed at Countering Foreign Disinformation |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-state-department-closing-office-aimed-countering-foreign-disinformation-2025-04-16/ |work=Reuters}}

{{Main|Political positions of Marco Rubio}}

{{conservatism US|politicians}}

File:Marco Rubio by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg in National Harbor, Maryland]]

File:President Trump Delivers Remarks to the Venezuelan-American Community (46425004104).jpg during an event with the Venezuelan American community in February 2019]]

As of early 2015, Rubio had a rating of 98.67 by the American Conservative Union, based on his lifetime voting record in the Senate. According to the National Journal, in 2013 Rubio was the 17th most conservative senator.{{cite news | url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24780745.html | publisher=McClatchyDC | title=Sen. Marco Rubio sees opportunity for redemption on the right | date=February 26, 2015 | last=Adams | first=Chris | access-date=July 13, 2015 | archive-date=October 17, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017193925/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24780745.html | url-status=live }} The Club for Growth gave Rubio ratings of 93 percent and 91 percent based on his voting record in 2014 and 2013 respectively, and he has a lifetime rating from the organization above 90 percent.{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150310/BLOGS02/150319988/club-for-growth-zaps-votes-by-illinois-members-of-congress | publisher=Crain's Chicago Business | title=Club for Growth zaps votes by Illinois members of Congress | date=March 10, 2015 | last=Hinz | first=Greg | access-date=November 7, 2015 | archive-date=November 13, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113062615/https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150310/BLOGS02/150319988/club-for-growth-zaps-votes-by-illinois-members-of-congress | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/08/05/gop-debate-pro-growth-candidates-column/31152497/ | work=USA Today | title=Rating GOP's pro-growth contenders: Club for Growth | date=August 5, 2015 | last=McIntosh | first=David | access-date=September 4, 2017 | archive-date=August 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808041809/https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/08/05/gop-debate-pro-growth-candidates-column/31152497/ | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/02/24/club-for-growth-ted-cruz-was-perfect-in-2013/ | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Club for Growth: Ted Cruz was perfect in 2013 | date=February 24, 2014 | last=Blake | first=Aaron | access-date=November 10, 2015 | archive-date=November 21, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121142915/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/02/24/club-for-growth-ted-cruz-was-perfect-in-2013/ | url-status=live }}

Rubio initially won his U.S. Senate seat with strong Tea Party backing, but his 2013 support for comprehensive immigration reform legislation led to a decline in their support for him.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/factbox-republican-2016-presidential-field-swells-14-christie-180536168.html|title=Factbox: Republican 2016 presidential field swells to 14 with Christie|website=Reuters|date=June 30, 2015|author=((Washington Newsroom))|editor-last1=Gregorio|editor-first1=David|editor-last2=Lewis|editor-first2=Matthew|access-date=January 9, 2017|archive-date=April 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401085703/http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-republican-2016-presidential-field-swells-14-christie-180536168.html|url-status=live}} "He was swept into the Senate in the Tea Party wave of 2010 but has fought to strengthen ties with conservatives after he helped lead a failed push for comprehensive immigration reform in 2013."{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Mak|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/13/tea-partiers-rage-against-rubio-2016.html|title=Tea Partiers Rage Against Rubio 2016|website=The Daily Beast|date=April 13, 2015|access-date=November 5, 2015|archive-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117085228/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/13/tea-partiers-rage-against-rubio-2016.html|url-status=live}} Rubio's stance on military, foreign policy, and national security issues{{snd}}such as his support for arming the Syrian rebels and for the NSA{{snd}}alienated some libertarian Tea Party activists.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-06-22/budget-brawl-gives-ted-cruz-rand-paul-a-chance-to-break-out|title=Budget Brawl Gives Ted Cruz, Rand Paul a Chance to Break Out|website=Bloomberg News|date=June 22, 2015|last=Przybyla|first=Heidi|access-date=March 8, 2017|archive-date=April 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405091300/http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-06-22/budget-brawl-gives-ted-cruz-rand-paul-a-chance-to-break-out|url-status=live}} "The budget and spending fight highlights widening divisions in the Republican Party between conservatives like Florida's Marco Rubio, concerned about shoring up the military, and Tea Party-aligned Republicans, like Cruz and Paul, more committed to limiting the size of government."

Rubio supports balancing the federal budget, while prioritizing defense spending. He rejects the scientific consensus on climate change{{snd}}that climate change is real, progressing, harmful, and primarily caused by humans{{snd}}arguing that human activity does not play a major role and claiming that proposals to address climate change would be ineffective and economically harmful.{{cite news |url=http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2014/05/marco-rubio-explains-his-climate-change-skepticism.html |title=Marco Rubio explains his climate-change skepticism |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |date=May 15, 2014 |work=Miami Herald |quote='I've never denied that there is a climate change,' Rubio said. 'The question is: Is man-made activity causing the changes in the climate?' Rubio, however, won't answer that with a yes or no. |access-date=September 18, 2014 |archive-date=November 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130181028/http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2014/05/marco-rubio-explains-his-climate-change-skepticism.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last=Bennett|first=Brian|title=Marco Rubio says human activity isn't causing climate change|url=https://latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-rubio-denies-climate-change-20140511-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 11, 2014|quote="I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it"|access-date=December 12, 2019|archive-date=September 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904152433/https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-rubio-denies-climate-change-20140511-story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web | publisher = PolitiFact | title = Has Marco Rubio backtracked on climate change? | first = Julie | last = Kliegman | url = http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/may/14/has-marco-rubio-backtracked-climate-change/ | date = May 14, 2014 | access-date = June 11, 2014 | archive-date = May 29, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140529231947/http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/may/14/has-marco-rubio-backtracked-climate-change/ | url-status = live }} He opposes the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and has voted to repeal it.{{Cite web|last=King|first=Ledyard|title=Sen. Marco Rubio ready to repeal 'Obamacare' without replacement|url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/07/18/rubio-ready-repeal-obamacare-without-replacement/489802001/|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=Naples News|language=en-US|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204428/https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/07/18/rubio-ready-repeal-obamacare-without-replacement/489802001/|url-status=live}} He opposes net neutrality, a policy that requires Internet service providers to treat data on the Internet the same regardless of its source or content. Early in his Senate tenure, Rubio was involved in bipartisan negotiations to provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants while implementing various measures to strengthen the U.S. border; the bill passed the Senate but was blocked by immigration hardliners in the House.{{Cite news|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=February 28, 2016|title=Marco Rubio Pushed for Immigration Reform With Conservative Media|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/marco-rubio-pushed-for-immigration-reform-with-conservative-media.html|access-date=June 23, 2021|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629154521/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/marco-rubio-pushed-for-immigration-reform-with-conservative-media.html|url-status=live}} Over time, Rubio distanced himself from his previous efforts to reach a compromise on immigration,{{Cite web|title=The Many Immigration Positions of Marco Rubio|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/marco-rubio-s-record-immigration-more-complicated-you-think-n488601|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=NBC News|date=January 12, 2016|language=en|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628021427/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/marco-rubio-s-record-immigration-more-complicated-you-think-n488601|url-status=live}} and developed more hardline views on immigration, rejecting bipartisan immigration reform efforts in 2018.{{Cite web|last=Everett|first=Burgess|title=Rubio rejects bipartisan immigration gang|url=http://politi.co/2DFwz3b|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=POLITICO|date=January 25, 2018|language=en|archive-date=July 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704195232/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/25/marco-rubio-reject-bipartisan-immigration-group-368587|url-status=live}}

Rubio is an outspoken opponent of abortion.{{Cite web|title=PolitiFact - Rubio would take away right to abortions for rape or incest victims, Murphy says|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/sep/23/patrick-murphy/rubio-would-not-allow-rape-or-incest-exceptions-ab/|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=@politifact|language=en-US|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629120013/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/sep/23/patrick-murphy/rubio-would-not-allow-rape-or-incest-exceptions-ab/|url-status=live}} He has said that he would ban it even in cases of rape and incest, but with exceptions if the mother's life is in danger.{{Cite news|last=Rappeport|first=Alan|date=August 7, 2015|title=Marco Rubio Clarifies His Position on Abortion|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/08/07/marco-rubio-clarifies-his-position-on-abortion/|access-date=June 23, 2021|archive-date=June 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625004411/https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/08/07/marco-rubio-clarifies-his-position-on-abortion/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=August 7, 2015|title=Marco Rubio takes tough stand against abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-rubio-abortion-20150807-story.html|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204954/https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-rubio-abortion-20150807-story.html|url-status=live}}

Rubio has expressed caution about efforts to reduce penalties for drug crimes, saying that "too often" the conversation about criminal justice reform "starts and ends with drug policy".{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Sean |title=How Rubio's stance on drug laws stands out in GOP presidential field |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/04/28/how-rubios-stance-on-drug-laws-stands-out-in-gop-presidential-field/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121142908/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/04/28/how-rubios-stance-on-drug-laws-stands-out-in-gop-presidential-field/ |archive-date=November 21, 2015}} He has said that he would be open to legalizing non-psychoactive forms of cannabis for medical use, but otherwise opposes its legalization for recreational and medical purposes.{{cite news |last1=Leary |first1=Alex |title=Rubio comes out in limited support of medical marijuana |url=https://www.tampabay.com/rubio-comes-out-in-support-of-medical-marijuana-but-not-ballot/2190709/ |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=July 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209093406/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/rubio-comes-out-in-support-of-medical-marijuana-but-not-ballot/2190709 |archive-date=February 9, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Reilly |first1=Molly |title=Marco Rubio Claims There's 'No Responsible Way To Recreationally Use Marijuana' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/marco-rubio-marijuana_n_5352382.html |work=HuffPost |date=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222045852/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/marco-rubio-marijuana_n_5352382.html |archive-date=December 22, 2018 |url-status=dead}} Rubio has said that if elected president he would enforce federal law in states that have legalized cannabis.{{cite news |last1=Joseph |first1=Chris |title=Marco Rubio Says He'd Crack Down on Marijuana If Elected President |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/marco-rubio-says-hed-crack-down-on-marijuana-if-elected-president-7174851 |access-date=June 12, 2021 |work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |date=August 11, 2015 |archive-date=June 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613025510/https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/marco-rubio-says-hed-crack-down-on-marijuana-if-elected-president-7174851 |url-status=live }}

File:Marco Rubio and Henry Kissinger in 2011 (1).jpg in November 2011]]

Rubio supports setting corporate taxes at 25%, reforming the tax code, and capping economic regulations, and proposes to increase the social security retirement age based on longer life expectancy. He supports expanding public charter schools, opposes Common Core State Standards, and advocates closing the federal Department of Education.{{Cite news|title = Marco Rubio Swings Through New Hampshire|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/us/politics/marco-rubio-swings-through-new-hampshire.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = April 17, 2015|access-date = November 24, 2015|first = Ashley|last = Parker|archive-date = February 9, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160209093844/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/us/politics/marco-rubio-swings-through-new-hampshire.html|url-status = live}}

Rubio's foreign policy approach has been described as "interventionist" and "hawkish".{{multiref2|1={{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Nils |date=November 12, 2024 |access-date=November 12, 2024 |title=How Marco Rubio has shapeshifted to embrace Trump's foreign policy |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/12/how-marco-rubio-has-shapeshifted-to-embrace-trumps-foreign-policy |website=Al Jazeera}}|2={{Cite web |last=Lutz |first=Eric |date=November 12, 2024 |access-date=November 12, 2024 |title="Little" Marco Rubio Could Have a Big Role in Trump's Second Administration |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/donald-trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-pick |website=Vanity Fair}}|3={{Cite web |last=Groll |first=Elias |date=February 12, 2013 |access-date=November 12, 2024 |title=7 things you need to know about Marco Rubio's foreign policy |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/02/12/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-marco-rubios-foreign-policy/ |website=Foreign Policy}}|4={{cite news |last1=Holland |first1=Steve |last2=Bell |first2=Alistair |title=Hawkish U.S. foreign policy at heart of Rubio's presidential bid |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-politics/hawkish-us-foreign-policy-at-heart-of-rubios-presidential-bid-idUSKBN0N40W6/ |access-date=November 12, 2024 |work=Reuters |date=April 13, 2015}}}} He supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq and military intervention in Libya.{{Cite news |title = Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio, and the Ill-Fated Wars They Supported |url = https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/03/hillary-clinton-marco-rubio-and-the-ill-fated-wars-they-supported/387535/ |newspaper = The Atlantic |date = March 12, 2015 |last = Friedersdorf |first = Conor |access-date = March 8, 2017 |archive-date = January 25, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170125210216/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/03/hillary-clinton-marco-rubio-and-the-ill-fated-wars-they-supported/387535/ |url-status = live }} Rubio voiced support for a Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against Houthi rebels.{{cite web|url=https://theweek.com/articles/555249/marco-rubios-tyrant-trap|title=Marco Rubio's tyrant trap|website=The Week|date=May 15, 2015|last=Sullivan|first=Kevin B.|access-date=December 12, 2019|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803165249/https://theweek.com/articles/555249/marco-rubios-tyrant-trap|url-status=live}} Regarding Iran, he supports tough sanctions, and scrapping the nuclear deal with Iran; regarding the Islamic State, he favors aiding local Sunni forces in Iraq and Syria.{{cite web | last=Guray | first=Geoffrey | title=What does Marco Rubio believe? Where the candidate stands on 10 issues | website=PBS NewsHour | date=April 13, 2015 | url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/marco-rubio-believe-candidate-stands-10-issues/ | access-date=October 6, 2015 | archive-date=October 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007110357/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/marco-rubio-believe-candidate-stands-10-issues/ | url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=December 15, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio: Presidential Candidates on the Issues |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/marco-rubio-on-the-issues.html |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=January 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127122819/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/marco-rubio-on-the-issues.html |url-status=live }} In November 2015, after the Paris terrorist attacks, Rubio said that, because background checks could not be done, the U.S. should accept no more Syrian refugees.{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Sabrina |date=November 15, 2015 |title=Marco Rubio: US should not take in more Syrian refugees after Paris attacks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/15/marco-rubio-syrian-refugees-paris-terror-attacks |access-date=June 22, 2024 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} He supported working with allies to set up no-fly zones in Syria to protect civilians from Bashar al-Assad. He favors collection of bulk metadata for purposes of national security.{{Cite web |last=Rubio |first=Marco |title=Sen. Rubio: Now's no time to end NSA program |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/05/10/nsa-patriot-act-sen-marco-rubio-editorials-debates/27097131/ |access-date=June 22, 2024 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} He has said that gun control laws consistently fail to achieve their purpose.{{Cite web |last=Night |first=Jake Thomas |date=October 18, 2022 |title=Marco Rubio tells Val Demings in debate "gun control laws don't work" |url=https://www.newsweek.com/marco-rubio-tells-val-demings-debate-gun-control-laws-dont-work-1752974 |access-date=June 22, 2024 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} He is supportive of the Trans Pacific Partnership, saying that the U.S. risks being excluded from global trade unless it is more open to trade. On capital punishment, Rubio favors streamlining the appeals process.

Rubio is very hawkish in regard to China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),{{Cite news |last1=Cadell |first1=Cate |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |date=November 13, 2024 |title=Trump appointees signal a new hawkish China policy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/11/12/trump-appointees-china-hawks-rubio-waltz-stefanik/ |access-date=December 5, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} and has been called one of the U.S. Congress's most hawkish members on China.{{Cite news |last=Shi |first=Jiachen |date=November 19, 2024 |title=Trump's Hawkish Cabinet Could Be a Stepping Stone to Future Deals With China |url=https://thediplomat.com/2024/11/trumps-hawkish-cabinet-could-be-a-stepping-stone-to-future-deals-with-china/ |access-date=December 29, 2024 |work=The Diplomat}} Rubio believes that without a major effort to defeat China, the world is headed to "a new dark age of exploitation, conquest, and totalitarianism". He believes the U.S. should support democracy, freedom, and autonomy for Hong Kong.{{cite news |date=November 13, 2014 |title=Wicker Joins Bill to Support Hong Kong's Freedom and Democracy |url=http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6a3ecd77-5afb-47be-b4e5-6afae6fd8f1e |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818100744/http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6a3ecd77-5afb-47be-b4e5-6afae6fd8f1e |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=July 22, 2016 |publisher=Roger Wicker}}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Sherrod |date=December 12, 2014 |title=S.2922 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2922 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=www.congress.gov |archive-date=September 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927041028/https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2922 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Crovitz |first=L. Gordon |date=December 14, 2014 |title=China 'Voids' Hong Kong Rights: Beijing abrogates the 1984 treaty it signed with Britain to guarantee the city's autonomy |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-china-voids-hong-kong-rights-1418601004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818104726/http://www.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-china-voids-hong-kong-rights-1418601004 |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=July 22, 2016 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal}}{{cite news |date=January 30, 2015 |title=A Useful Hong Kong Rebuke: China's betrayal of its promises becomes a U.S. political issue |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-useful-hong-kong-rebuke-1422663941 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818035234/http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-useful-hong-kong-rebuke-1422663941 |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=July 22, 2016 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal}} On August 28, 2018, Rubio and 16 other members of Congress urged the U.S. to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.{{cite web |date=August 29, 2018 |title=Group of U.S. lawmakers urges China sanctions over Xinjiang abuses |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-rights/group-of-us-lawmakers-urges-china-sanctions-over-xinjiang-abuses-idUSKCN1LE2MK |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626210419/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-rights/group-of-us-lawmakers-urges-china-sanctions-over-xinjiang-abuses-idUSKCN1LE2MK |archive-date=June 26, 2019 |access-date=December 19, 2018 |work=Reuters}} China sanctioned him in 2020 and banned him from traveling to the country for his support for Hong Kong's democracy movement. Rubio also strongly supports Taiwan and its independence.{{Cite news |last=Faguy |first=Ana |date=November 14, 2024 |title=Where does America's secretary of state nominee stand on key world issues? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg5kzk42xdo |access-date=December 5, 2024 |work=BBC News}} He condemned holding the 2022 Winter Olympics in China due to its "evil, genocidal regime", saying that he would "work to ensure that the Olympics are never hosted in the People's Republic of China again".{{Cite web |last=Scheckner |first=Jesse |date=February 6, 2022 |title=Marco Rubio condemns 'evil, genocidal' Chinese government as Olympics get underway |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/493466-marco-rubio-condemns-evil-genocidal-chinese-government-as-olympics-kicks-off-opening-ceremony/ |access-date=December 19, 2024 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}} In 2022, he introduced the Chinese Communist Party Visa Ban Act, which would effectively prohibit any member of the CCP from visiting the United States. In March 2023, he voiced support for revoking China's permanent normal trade relations status.{{Cite web |last1=Chivvis |first1=Christopher S. |last2=Miller |first2=Hannah |date=November 15, 2023 |title=The Role of Congress in U.S.-China Relations |url=https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/11/the-role-of-congress-in-us-china-relations?lang=en |access-date=December 29, 2024 |website=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |language=en}}

Rubio condemned the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis.{{cite news |title=Sen. Todd Young urges action to end Muslim genocide in Myanmar |url=https://eu.indystar.com/story/news/2017/10/20/sen-todd-young-urges-action-end-muslim-genocide-myanmar/784590001/ |author=Hussein, Fatima |work=IndyStar |date=October 22, 2017 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608003143/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/10/20/sen-todd-young-urges-action-end-muslim-genocide-myanmar/784590001/ |url-status=live }} He condemned Turkey's wide-ranging crackdown on dissent following a failed 2016 coup.{{cite web |title=Helsinki Commission Urges Turkish President to Lift State of Emergency |url=https://www.csce.gov/international-impact/press-and-media/press-releases/helsinki-commission-urges-turkish-president-lift |website=www.csce.gov |date=October 17, 2017 |publisher=Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe |access-date=February 28, 2019 |archive-date=March 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301074509/https://www.csce.gov/international-impact/press-and-media/press-releases/helsinki-commission-urges-turkish-president-lift |url-status=live }} He is a vocal opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

File:Benjamin Netanyahu and Marco Rubio.jpg in February 2013]]

At a February 2018 CNN town hall event in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Rubio defended his record of accepting contributions from the National Rifle Association (NRA), saying, "The influence of these groups comes not from money. The influence comes from the millions of people that agree with the agenda, the millions of Americans that support the NRA."{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/21/politics/rubio-nra-money-cameron-kasky/index.html|title=Rubio stands by accepting NRA contributions: 'People buy into my agenda'|website=CNN|date=February 22, 2018|access-date=May 2, 2018|last=Watkins|first=Eli|archive-date=May 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531231421/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/21/politics/rubio-nra-money-cameron-kasky/index.html|url-status=live}}

In March 2018, Rubio defended the decision of the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/27/rubio-says-asking-citizenship-question-on-census-in-florida-should-be-no-problem/|title=Rubio says asking citizenship question on census in Florida should be 'no problem'|last=Klas|first=Mary Ellen|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=March 28, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=March 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328231638/http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/27/rubio-says-asking-citizenship-question-on-census-in-florida-should-be-no-problem/|url-status=live}} Experts noted that the inclusion of such a question would likely result in severe undercounting of the population and faulty data, as undocumented immigrants would be less likely to respond to the census. Fellow Republican members of Congress from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, criticized the Trump administration's decision on the basis that it could lead to a faulty census and disadvantage Florida in terms of congressional apportionment and fund apportionment.

In July 2018, Rubio offered an amendment to a major congressional spending bill to potentially force companies that purchase real estate in cash to disclose their owners as "an attempt to root out criminals who use illicit funds and anonymous shell companies to buy homes".{{Cite news|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article215762120.html/|title=Crackdown on dirty money shook Miami real estate. Now Rubio wants to take it national|last=Hall|first=Kevin|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 31, 2018|archive-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731144019/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article215762120.html|url-status=live}}

File:2020 Encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio (49638847603).jpg in March 2020]]

Rubio opposed the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").{{Cite web |last=Bash |first=Dana |date=2015-06-25 |title=First on CNN: Rubio slams Obamacare ruling |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/25/politics/marco-rubio-obamacare-ruling/index.html |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=CNN |language=en}} In April 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 8–1 to defeat his attempt to stop Obamacare.{{Cite web |last=Millhiser |first=Ian |date=2020-04-27 |title=A Republican effort to sabotage Obamacare was just rejected by the Supreme Court |url=https://www.vox.com/2020/4/27/21238357/obamacare-supreme-court-maine-communities-united-states-risk-corridors-sonia-sotomayor |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-04-27 |title=The Supreme Court just restored another piece of Obamacare — years too late |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-04-27/opinion-the-supreme-court-obamacare-insurers-risk-corridors |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

In March 2016, Rubio opposed President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, saying, "I don't think we should be moving forward with a nominee in the last year of this president's term. I would say that even if it was a Republican president."{{Cite web|date=September 19, 2020|title=What every Republican senator has said about filling a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year|access-date=October 31, 2020|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-us|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031171254/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year|url-status=live}} In September 2020, Rubio applauded Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the court after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, voting to confirm her on October 26, 86 days before the expiration of Trump's presidential term.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00255|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov|access-date=May 16, 2021|archive-date=November 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101051651/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00255|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Fandos|first=Nicholas|date=October 26, 2020|title=Senate Confirms Barrett, Delivering for Trump and Reshaping the Court|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/us/politics/senate-confirms-barrett.html|access-date=May 16, 2021|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027002106/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/us/politics/senate-confirms-barrett.html|url-status=live}}

Rubio has a mixed relationship with Donald Trump.{{Cite web|last=Man|first=Anthony|title=That sigh of relief you're hearing from Marco Rubio? Trump just endorsed him for re-election|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/elections/fl-ne-donald-trump-endorse-marco-rubio-20210409-tvyv2njcpzanzan7qzs7cdafvy-story.html|access-date=June 23, 2021|website=sun-sentinel.com|date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=July 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703142142/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/elections/fl-ne-donald-trump-endorse-marco-rubio-20210409-tvyv2njcpzanzan7qzs7cdafvy-story.html|url-status=live}} During the Republican primaries in the 2016 presidential election, they harshly criticized each other. But during Trump's presidency, Rubio "[supported] just about everything Trump said and did", according to the Sun-Sentinel.

Rubio is a staunch supporter of Israel. He is a co-sponsor of a Senate resolution expressing objection to the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of international law.{{cite news |author=Cortellessa, Eric |date=January 5, 2017 |title=Bipartisan group of senators call for repealing UN resolution on Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/bipartisan-group-of-senators-call-for-repealing-un-resolution-on-israel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205000940/https://www.timesofisrael.com/bipartisan-group-of-senators-call-for-repealing-un-resolution-on-israel/ |archive-date=February 5, 2019 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |work=The Times of Israel}} Rubio condemned Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel and expressed his support for Israel and its right to self-defense.{{cite news |title=Rubio: Israel should completely eradicate Hamas in Gaza |url=https://thehill.com/policy/4246380-rubio-israel-should-completely-eradicate-hamas-in-gaza/ |work=The Hill |date=October 9, 2023 |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |access-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119152206/https://thehill.com/policy/4246380-rubio-israel-should-completely-eradicate-hamas-in-gaza/ |url-status=live }} He called for the complete eradication of Hamas in Gaza.{{cite news |title=Rubio: Israel should completely eradicate Hamas in Gaza |url=https://thehill.com/policy/4246380-rubio-israel-should-completely-eradicate-hamas-in-gaza/ |work=The Hill |date=October 9, 2024}} When asked if there was a way to stop Hamas without causing massive civilian casualties in Gaza,{{cite magazine |last1=Otten |first1=Tori |title=In the GOP Extremist Hamas-Israel Rhetoric Sweepstakes, Marco Rubio Takes Early Lead |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/176107/marco-rubio-eradication-extreme-langauge-hamas-gaza-israel |magazine=The New Republic |date=October 10, 2023}} Rubio said Israel cannot coexist "with these savages…. They have to be eradicated."{{cite news |title=A Reminder to the Media: Palestinian Lives Matter Too |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/world/us-media-treats-palestinian-lives-as-expendable/ |work=The Nation |date=October 13, 2023}} In 2023, he said Hamas was "100 percent to blame" for Palestinian casualties in Gaza.{{cite news |title=How Marco Rubio has shapeshifted to embrace Trump's foreign policy |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/12/how-marco-rubio-has-shapeshifted-to-embrace-trumps-foreign-policy |work=Al Jazeera |date=November 12, 2024}}

In February 2022, Rubio condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine.{{cite news |title=Marco Rubio: Top Republican on Senate Intelligence Committee says 'something is off with Putin' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/marco-rubio-putin-ukraine-russia-b2023852.html |work=The Independent |date=February 26, 2022}} In November 2024, he 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.{{cite news |last1=Dettmer |first1=Jamie |title=Trump threatens to be good for Ukraine, actually |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/west-us-nato-promises-to-ukraine-were-never-going-to-be-kept-donald-trump-russia-war/ |work=Politico |date=November 15, 2024}}

File:Secretary Rubio Delivers Remarks to Employees Upon Arrival (54280353874).jpg]]

In 1998, Rubio married Jeanette Dousdebes, who also is from a Hispanic family. Her parents immigrated from Colombia. She is a former bank teller and Miami Dolphins cheerleader. Their wedding was held in a Catholic church, the Church of the Little Flower. They have four children.{{cite web |last=Rettig |first=Jessica |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/05/04/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-marco-rubio |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Marco Rubio |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=May 4, 2010 |access-date=February 14, 2013 |archive-date=September 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925185540/http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/05/04/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-marco-rubio |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=The women behind the men who would be Florida's senator |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/the-women-behind-the-men-who-would-be-floridas-senator/1112189 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=July 31, 2010 |access-date=February 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424204219/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/the-women-behind-the-men-who-would-be-floridas-senator/1112189 |archive-date=April 24, 2013 |last=Silva|first=Christina }} Rubio and his family live in West Miami, Florida.

Rubio is a Roman Catholic{{Cite web|date=February 3, 2014|title=Representative Marco Rubio|url=http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203190943/http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180|archive-date=February 3, 2014|url-status=live|access-date=March 26, 2021}} and attends Mass at Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida.{{cite news|last=Oppenheimer|first=Mark|date=November 26, 2010|title=Marco Rubio: Catholic or Protestant?|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/us/27beliefs.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216124845/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/us/27beliefs.html|archive-date=February 16, 2017}} He previously attended Christ Fellowship, a Southern Baptist Church,{{cite web|title=Southern Baptist Convention|url=http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=2979-33157|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404151341/http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=2979-33157|archive-date=April 4, 2014|access-date=June 11, 2013|publisher=sbc.net}} in The Hammocks, Florida (among those mentioned earlier).

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2010 Florida Senatorial Republican primary results{{cite news |author= |date=August 24, 2010 |title=Florida Primary Results – Election 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2010/results/primaries/florida.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 19, 2020 |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002113309/https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2010/results/primaries/florida.html |url-status=live }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marco Rubio

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,059,513

| percentage = 84.6%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = William Kogut

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 111,584

| percentage = 8.9%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = William Escoffery

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 81,873

| percentage = 6.5%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1,252,970

| percentage = 100.0%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title = 2010 United States Senate election in Florida{{Cite web |url=http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11%2F2%2F2010 |title=Florida Department of State – Election Results |access-date=December 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521132257/http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11%2F2%2F2010 |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Marco Rubio

| votes = 2,645,743

| percentage = 48.89%

| change = -0.54%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Charlie Crist

| votes = 1,607,549

| percentage = 29.71%

| change = +29.71%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Kendrick Meek

| votes = 1,092,936

| percentage = 20.20%

| change = -28.12%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Alexander Snitker

| votes = 24,850

| percentage = 0.46%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Sue Askeland

| votes = 15,340

| percentage = 0.28%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Rick Tyler

| votes = 7,394

| percentage = 0.14%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Constitution Party (United States)

| candidate = Bernie DeCastro

| votes = 4,792

| percentage = 0.09%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Lewis Jerome Armstrong

| votes = 4,443

| percentage = 0.08%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Bobbie Bean

| votes = 4,301

| percentage = 0.08%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent

| candidate = Bruce Riggs

| votes = 3,647

| percentage = 0.07%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 108

| percentage = 0.00%

| change = 0.00%

}}

{{Election box majority

| votes = 1,038,194

| percentage = 19.19%

| change = +18.08%

}}

{{Election box turnout

| votes = 5,411,106

| percentage = 48.25%{{Cite web |url=http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-monthly-reports/voter-registration-yearly/ |title=Voter Registration - Yearly - Division of Elections - Florida Department of State |access-date=December 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161205134458/http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-monthly-reports/voter-registration-yearly/ |archive-date=December 5, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

| change = -22.67%

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 5,411,106

| percentage = 100.00%

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

| loser =

| swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Cumulative results of the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Donald Trump

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 14,015,993

| percentage = 44.95%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ted Cruz

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 7,822,100

| percentage = 25.08%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John Kasich

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4,290,448

| percentage = 13.76%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marco Rubio

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 3,515,576

| percentage = 11.27%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ben Carson

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 857,039

| percentage = 2.75%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jeb Bush

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 286,694

| percentage = 0.92%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Rand Paul

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 66,788

| percentage = 0.21%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mike Huckabee

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 51,450

| percentage = 0.16%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Carly Fiorina

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 40,666

| percentage = 0.13%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Chris Christie

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 57,637

| percentage = 0.18%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jim Gilmore

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 18,369

| percentage = 0.06%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Rick Santorum

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 16,627

| percentage = 0.05%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2016 Republican National Convention delegate count

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Donald Trump

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,441

| percentage = 58.3%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ted Cruz

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 551

| percentage = 22.3%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marco Rubio

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 173

| percentage = 7.0%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John Kasich

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 161

| percentage = 6.5%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ben Carson

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 9

| percentage = 0.4%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jeb Bush

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4

| percentage = 0.2%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Rand Paul

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1

| percentage = <0.01%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mike Huckabee

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1

| percentage = <0.01%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Carly Fiorina

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1

| percentage = <0.01%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2016 Florida Senatorial Republican primary results{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=8/30/2016&DATAMODE= |title=Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, August 30, 2016 Primary Election, Official Results |publisher=Florida Secretary of State |access-date=December 15, 2016 |archive-date=December 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225092259/https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=8%2F30%2F2016&DATAMODE= |url-status=live }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marco Rubio (Incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,029,830

| percentage = 71.99%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Carlos Beruff

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 264,427

| percentage = 18.49%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Dwight Young

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 91,082

| percentage = 6.37%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ernie Rivera

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 45,153

| percentage = 3.16%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1,430,492

| percentage= 100.00%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title = 2016 United States Senate election in Florida{{Cite web

|url=https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/|title=Florida Election Watch – Home Page|website=floridaelectionwatch.gov|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023013913/https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/|url-status=live}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Marco Rubio (incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4,835,191

| percentage = 51.98%

| change = +3.09%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Patrick Murphy

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 4,122,088

| percentage = 44.31%

| change = +24.11%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Paul Stanton

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| votes = 196,956

| percentage = 2.12%

| change = +1.66%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Bruce Nathan

| party = Independent

| votes = 52,451

| percentage = 0.56%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Tony Khoury

| party = Independent

| votes = 45,820

| percentage = 0.49%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Steven Machat

| party = Independent

| votes = 26,918

| percentage = 0.29%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Basil E. Dalack

| party = Independent

| votes = 22,236

| percentage = 0.24%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 160

| percentage = 0.00%

| change = +0.00%

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 9,301,820

| percentage = 100.0%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title = 2022 United States Senate election in Florida{{cite web |title=2022 General Election - Official Results: U.S. Senator |url=https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/FederalOffices/USSenator|website=Florida Election Watch}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Marco Rubio (incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4,474,847

| percentage = 57.68%

| change = +5.70%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Val Demings|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=3,201,522|percentage=41.27%|change=-3.04%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Dennis Misigoy|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|votes=32,177|percentage=0.41%|change=-1.71%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Steven B. Grant|party=Independent|votes=31,816|percentage=0.41%|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Tuan TQ Nguyen|party=Independent|votes=17,385|percentage=0.22%|change=N/A}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 267

| percentage = 0.0%

| change = ±0.0%

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 7,758,126

| percentage = 100.0%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

• {{flag|Romania}} :
• 80x80px Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania (2017){{cite web|title=Klaus Iohannis a decorat opt congresmani americani cu Ordinul Steaua României în grad de Comandor|url=http://adevarul.ro/news/politica/klaus-iohannis-decorat-opt-congresmani-americani-ordinul-steaua-romaniei-grad-comandor-1_5939da995ab6550cb8f07d40/index.html|website=adevarul.ro|language=ro|date=June 9, 2017|access-date=April 29, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307214214/http://adevarul.ro/news/politica/klaus-iohannis-decorat-opt-congresmani-americani-ordinul-steaua-romaniei-grad-comandor-1_5939da995ab6550cb8f07d40/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=President Iohannis and U.S. congressmen discuss Romania's inclusion in Visa Waiver programme|url=https://www.agerpres.ro/english/2017/06/09/president-iohannis-and-u-s-congressmen-discuss-romania-s-inclusion-in-visa-waiver-programme-09-43-29|website=Agepres|date=June 9, 2017|access-date=April 29, 2018|last1=Peia|first1=Florentina|editor-last1=Purcarea|editor-first1=Vicentiu|last2=Iacob|first2=Simona|editor-last2=Pandea|editor-first2=Razvan-Adrian|archive-date=February 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210002948/https://www.agerpres.ro/english/2017/06/09/president-iohannis-and-u-s-congressmen-discuss-romania-s-inclusion-in-visa-waiver-programme-09-43-29|url-status=live}}

• Everglades Champions Award (2019){{cite web |title=Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Senator Rubio named Everglades Champions |url=https://fl.audubon.org/news/congresswoman-wasserman-schultz-and-senator-rubio-named-everglades-champions |website=Audubon Florida |date=November 13, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en}}
• Democracy Award for Innovation and Modernization (2024){{cite web |title=Finding innovators in an unlikely place: Congress |url=https://thefulcrum.us/democracy/innovation-congress |website=Fulcrum US|access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Democracy Awards Winners (2024) |url=https://www.congressfoundation.org/revitalizing-congress/democracy-awards/120-democracy-awards/2029-democracy-awards-winners-2024 |website=Congressional Management Foundation |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=The 2024 Democracy Awards Ceremony |url=https://www.congressfoundation.org/news/blog/2044-democracy-awards-ceremony-2024 |website=Congressional Management Foundation |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en}}

• {{cite book|title=100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future |year=2006 |publisher=Regnery Publishing |isbn=978-1596985117 }}
• An American Son: A Memoir; {{cite book |title=An American Son: A Memoir |year=2012 |publisher=Sentinel HC |isbn=978-1595230942 |url=https://archive.org/details/americansonmemoi00rubi }}
• {{cite book |title=American Dreams: Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone |year=2015 |publisher=Sentinel HC |isbn=978-1595231130 |url=https://archive.org/details/americandreamsre0000rubi }}
• {{Cite book |title=Decades of Decadence: How Our Spoiled Elites Blew America's Inheritance of Liberty, Security, and Prosperity |publisher=Broadside Books |year=2023 |isbn=978-0063296978 |location=New York}}

{{Portal|Biography|Florida|Politics}}

• Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
• Florida Republican primary, 2016
• List of Hispanic and Hispanic Americans in the United States Congress

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{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UwxnCgAAQBAJ | title=The Rise of Marco Rubio | isbn=978-1-4516-7546-7 | last1=Roig-Franzia | first1=Manuel | date=August 25, 2015 | publisher=Simon and Schuster }}

{{Commons category|Marco Rubio}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• [https://www.state.gov/biographies/marco-rubio/ Biography] at the United States Department of State
• [https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180&LegislativeTermId=82 Florida House of Representatives – Marco Rubio]
• [https://rubio.senate.gov/ Senator Marco Rubio] official U.S. Senate website
• [https://www.marcorubio.com/ Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate] official campaign website
• [https://medium.com/@SenatorMarcoRubio/my-statement-on-the-presidents-impeachment-trial-9669e82ccb43 Public statement] on the Impeachment trial of Donald Trump
• {{Conglinks|congbio=R000595|votesmart=1601|fec=S0FL00338|congress=marco-rubio/R000595}}
• {{C-SPAN|87599}}

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