In a scene that feels equal elements political satire and constitutional stress take a look at, Marco Rubio has turn into the Trump administration’s man for all seasons, and all jobs.
Rubio, 53, now holds 4 outstanding roles concurrently: Secretary of State, Performing Administrator of the US Company for Worldwide Improvement, Performing Archivist of the Nationwide Archives, and as of this week, Interim Nationwide Safety Adviser.
The announcement got here through a shock publish on Reality Social by former President Donald Trump, ousting NSA Michael Waltz and naming Rubio his alternative whereas nominating Waltz to function UN Ambassador.
The multi-hyphenate appointment raised eyebrows throughout Washington and drew laughs on-line.
US Vice President JD Vance, recognized for his sharp wit, could not resist joking on X, “I believe he may tackle a bit extra. If solely there was a job opening for a religious Catholic…”, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Pope, and the current passing of Pope Francis.
Showing on Fox Information’ Hannity, Rubio gamely responded, “We thought of it, however you need to be an single Catholic male. Individuals don’t know that. You don’t must be a priest, any single Catholic male will be pope. However I acquired married and I’m fortunately married, so I suppose I’ll miss out on that one.”
The rise of ‘secretary all the things’
Rubio’s accumulation of energy began when the Senate unanimously confirmed him as Secretary of State on Inauguration Day. However subsequent appointments have been extra opaque.
In February, he was named performing USAID administrator simply days earlier than Trump loyalists Elon Musk and Pete Marocco started downsizing the help company. Then got here his set up as performing archivist after Trump fired Colleen Shogan, reportedly in retaliation for the Nationwide Archives’ function in recovering categorised paperwork from Mar-a-Lago.
Most lately, Rubio was tapped to switch Waltz on the Nationwide Safety Council, studying of the choice, it appears, virtually as all of the sudden as the general public.
“We’ve seen him on the White Home a number of occasions every week. His shut working relationship with the president is evident,” mentioned State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce when knowledgeable of the information mid-briefing, as reported NYT. “That is the miracle of recent expertise and social media.”
An unprecedented energy seize or administrative necessity?
Rubio’s quadruple-title reign seems unprecedented in fashionable US political historical past. The closest parallel could also be Henry Kissinger, who served concurrently as Secretary of State and Nationwide Safety Adviser from 1973 to 1975, a twin function that even again then drew criticism for consolidating an excessive amount of overseas coverage energy in a single individual.
Critics right this moment are sounding comparable alarms. “Directing even one federal company is a full-time job,” famous Residents for Accountability and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Rubio’s present positions are uniquely regarding.”
Moral conflicts loom particularly massive in his twin roles as high diplomat and nationwide archivist, a watchdog of federal company data, together with these from his personal departments.
Is it about belief or management?
White Home insiders say Rubio’s consolidation of energy stems from the deep belief Trump locations in him, and his shut relationship with Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of employees and political gatekeeper, as reported NYT. Rubio has lengthy been considered as a overseas coverage hawk with ideological alignment on China and Iran, points that Trump desires streamlined.
Nonetheless, questions abound: Will Rubio be paid 4 salaries? Can one individual moderately lead 4 departments? Is that this a brief repair, or an indication of extra centralized energy constructions in Trump 2.0?
On Hannity, Rubio appeared unfazed by the workload. He pivoted shortly to coverage, defending Trump’s diplomatic push in Ukraine and characterizing the mineral deal signed this week with Kyiv as a “main win” for US leverage within the battle.
“This isn’t our conflict,” Rubio mentioned. “Trump’s been the one chief on the planet making an attempt to speak to either side and finish the killing. But when they’re not shut sufficient, possibly we have to focus extra on China and Iran.”
The punchline that caught
Regardless of the high-stakes roles and severe overseas coverage implications, it was JD Vance’s papal jab that stole the present.
With a wink to his current Vatican go to, hours earlier than the pope’s loss of life, Vance’s tweet shortly went viral, with commenters dubbing Rubio all the things from “Pope Marco I” to “Secretary of the Universe.”
Rubio’s response, half humor, half deflection, would possibly turn into the unofficial slogan of his tenure: “I’m fortunately married.”
