President Donald Trump announced minutes earlier that Rubio would replace Mike Waltz as national security adviser while staying on at the State Department. Trump nominated Waltz for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
“It is clear that I just heard this, from you,” Bruce told the reporter.
“I have some insights as to the potential of certain things that might happen, but when the president … and this, of course, is all presidential decisions, so I’m with State Department,” she said. “You don’t want to get ahead of your skis in drawing conclusions or speculating about what may occur.”
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce learns that her new boss is Marco Rubio from a reporter https://t.co/bvkDK7ze5R pic.twitter.com/YOL5caZCRT
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) May 1, 2025
“I’ve learned that things don’t happen until the president says they’re going to happen,” Bruce said, before asking if the announcement was made on Truth Social. She added that Rubio has “worn several hats” during his time in the Trump administration.
The president said Waltz “has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first” and will do the same in his new role as ambassador to the U.N. There was much speculation that Waltz would be ousted from the Trump administration due to the fallout from Signalgate, but his new position signals he will stay on.
The president added that, “in the interim,” Rubio will serve as national security adviser “while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department.” Trump praised him in the White House’s Rose Garden at an unrelated event minutes before giving him a new job.
“Marco Rubio, unbelievable, unbelievable,” the president said. “Marco, when I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved.”
As Bruce mentioned, Rubio has been treated as a versatile official in his time with the Trump administration. In addition to his new role and leading the State Department, he is also the acting administrator of the largely reduced U.S. Agency for International Development and is the acting archivist of the United States.
TRUMP PRAISES ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ RUBIO MINUTES BEFORE GIVING HIM SURPRISE NEW JOB
Trump’s moves to install Rubio in so many different positions signals his trust in the former senator, whom he once butted heads with and called “Little Marco” during their rivalry in the midst of the 2016 presidential race.
The move to install Rubio in multiple positions could also be a cost-saving move by the administration in a time when the Department of Government Efficiency is looking high and low for ways to save money.
