A U.S. official says President Donald Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as national security adviser, making permanent a role Rubio had held in an acting capacity since succeeding Mike Waltz in May. Rubio also has several other administration assignments.
Rubio is also acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and acting archivist of the National Archives, and chairs the administration’s preparations for World Expo 2035. A July New York Times report cited by the column said Rubio was effectively running Venezuela, describing him as its “de facto viceroy.”
The column argues that assigning Rubio both top posts reflects Trump’s lack of regard for diplomacy and the national security adviser role. It recalls Trump saying in 2019 that the job was “fun” and “easy,” adding, “I make all the decisions.”
