Marco Rubio reflects on journey from Trump rival to Secretary of State

Once a fierce opponent of President Donald Trump, Marco Rubio now serves as top U.S. diplomat in the president’s cabinet — his transformation rooted in love of country and a willingness to get things done.

Rubio sat down with Fox News’ Lara Trump this weekend to reflect on his role as Secretary of State, calling to mind his love for MMA and boxing as he revealed what it was like to make that journey from rival to trusty right hand. 

“I always chuckle in politics, because… when two guys get in the ring, they could like each other, and, after every fight, they shake hands, they appreciate the combat,” he said.

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“You respect someone who’s willing to step into that octagon, right? Because very few people in the world are willing to actually step in there and do that. But no one’s ever asked these fighters, ‘Why did you punch that guy in the face in the second round?’ No one would ask that…” he continued.

“So in 2016, both President Trump and I… happened to be competing for the same thing. In any competition, especially as you get down, and it narrows down to three or four people, you know, punches are going to be thrown, but then that ends, and then we’re on the same team, because he’s a Republican nominee, and I’m a Republican.”

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Rubio, a Florida senator leading up to his time in Trump’s cabinet, described the president’s first term as the “best four years [he] had in the Senate,” and reflected on how much the two accomplished during that time.

He also pointed to Trump’s vice presidential pick JD Vance, whom he described as one of his “closest friends in politics.”

“We were on the same team from that point forward, and have been ever since,” he said.

Trump appointed Rubio to serve as the 72nd Secretary of State shortly after his 2024 victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The former Florida senator was among the first confirmed to his cabinet after he assumed office for the second time on Jan. 20. 

Rubio described working for Trump as “a lot of fun… for two reasons,” calling the president a “person of action” and rife with “incredible instincts for human behavior.”