After it was reported that President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio to be his Secretary of State, an old tweet of Trump's ripping Rubio has resurfaced online.
Elected to the Senate in 2010, Rubio is known for his foreign policy stance as a hawk, often taking tough positions on China, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.
Being the Secretary of State is a tall order—one of the most influential positions in the country. So why did Trump once refer to Rubio as a "total lightweight," suggesting that Rubio is not cut out for top governmental positions at all?
Yet that's exactly what Trump did in a tweet dated November 9, 2015, writing:
"Marco Rubio is a total lightweight who I wouldn't hire to run one of my smaller companies - a highly overrated politician!"
You can see it below.
@realDonaldTrump/X
Trump was criticized—and people were quick to point out that Rubio likely won't last too long in the second Trump administration.
Rubio entered the Senate as part of the Tea Party wave, representing a new era of conservative leadership. However, his stance on immigration led some conservatives to question his commitment to their agenda, a stance that complicated his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, where he faced off against Trump and others.
During the heated primary, Trump dubbed him “Li'l Marco,” sparking sharp exchanges between the two. Yet after Trump’s victory in 2016, Rubio mended ties, informally advising Trump on foreign policy and helping him prepare for his first debate with President Joe Biden in 2020.
Despite being passed over for vice president this year, Rubio has continued to back Trump as a key campaign surrogate.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social